Volcanoes

            This report features what are volcanoes, how are they formed and where are they located. It also has a recent occurrence of a volcano eruption and how did the community react to it.
             Volcanoes are mountains formed out of lava and ashes through an opening in the earths crust. Volcanoes are formed when magma from the Earth's upper mantle works its way to the surface. When it erupts at the surface it forms lava. After many eruptions volcanoes expand. .
             There are two ways that volcanoes are formed. Firstly, the earth's crust is made up of many tectonic plates, which move over the molten mentale and are relative to each other. When plates collide one of them can be forced below the other. It melts as it is pushing the hot mantle. The molten rock and the magma come back up through the crust. Because some of it cools it becomes trapped under the crust but continues with incredible force to come to the surface. Secondly, there are other places where the crust is heated by the mantle. These are called "Hot Spots". The second way a volcano may be formed is when plates move over these "Hot Spots" (see diagram one). .
             Most of the world's volcanoes are located at the edges of the Pacific Ocean, the west coast of America, the east coast of Siberia, the Philippines, and Japan. Very commonly known is the "Ring of Fire" that stretches from the islands of New Guinea to New Zealand. Recent volcanic activities have been noted in Italy, Iceland, Hawaii and eastern Africa. Most volcanic activities occur near the edges of large plates. .