Volcano Vocabulary

Front

The opening of a volcano.

Back

vent

Front

A physical feature of Earth’s surface (examples include a mountain, trench, or valley).

Back

landform

Front

A property of liquids that describes the tendency to resist flowing.

Back

viscosity

Front

Volcanoes with broad gentle slopes that may appear as dome-shaped mountains.

Back

Shield Volcano

Front

These volcanoes explode violently, fracture rock into small pieces, and emit lava into the air (which then falls as ash, or cinders).

Back

Cinder Cone Volcano

Front

Molten rock that is found beneath the Earth's surface.

Back

magma

Front

Molten rock that has erupted onto the Earth's surface.

Back

lava

Front

A type of volcano that is formed from alternating layers of lava flow and ash.

Back

Composite Volcano

Front

A volcano that has not erupted in a long time and is unlikely to erupt again.

Back

Extinct Volcano

Front

The process by which magma rises to the surface and erupts as lava.

Back

volcanism