Volcanoes Flashcards
What is an eruption?
An eruption is a volcanic explosion. When a volcano erupts, it shoots out lava, rocks, hot ash and gases.
What is a hot spot?
A hot spot is a weak area of Earth’s crust where magma can break through and form a volcano.
What is a hydrothermal vent?
A hydrothermal vent is a hot spring on the seabed.
What is a thermal spring?
A thermal spring is a place where hot water, heated by underground rocks, comes to the surface of the Earth. Also known as a hot spring.
What is a mineral?
A mineral is a non-living substance found in the Earth, such as salt, iron, diamond, or quartz. Most rocks are made up of a mixture of minerals.
What is vulcanology?
Vulcanology is the study of volcanoes.
What is a black smoker?
A black smoker is a hydrothermal vent which churns out black water containing many dissolved minerals. The minerals gradually build up around the vent, forming a chimney.
What does it mean for a volcano to be active?
An active volcano is one which might erupt at any time.
What does it mean for a volcano to be dormant?
A dormant volcano is not currently active, but could erupt again. The word dormant means sleeping.
What is lava?
Lava is hot molten rock which bursts or flows out of volcanoes. Lava also sometimes seeps out of vents (holes in the ground).
What is magma?
Magma is hot, melted rock inside the Earth.
What is the mantle?
The mantle is the thick layer of rock under the Earth’s crust. Some of it is solid and some is magma.
