Student Article
Volcanic Activity Around the Globe: Earthquakes, Eruptions, and the Threats They Pose
Magma (noun): Hot, melted rock inside the Earth.
Volcano (noun): A mountain that can erupt with hot melted rock.
Lava (noun): Hot, melted rock that comes out of a volcano.
Eruption (noun): When a volcano explodes and magma comes out.
Volcanoes can be really exciting but also dangerous!
What’s rumbling in Iceland?
In Iceland, something special is happening. Earthquakes are happening near a place called Svartsengi, which is close to a geothermal power plant. Scientists are worried that magma is moving close to the surface and might erupt! This could cause cracks to appear in the ground and could even affect the small town of Grindavik. Even though we don't know if the volcano will erupt yet, people are being careful.
Volcanoes popping up around the world
At the same time, Mount Etna in Sicily is erupting with ash, which can be dangerous for nearby towns. Volcanoes are also active in other places, like the Philippines and Indonesia. These volcanoes are not erupting as strongly but are still causing small explosions or lava to flow out.
How do volcanoes erupt anyway?
They erupt when magma from inside the Earth moves up and breaks through the ground. This can happen a lot, and it might not always be a big eruption.
What happened in the past?
Sometimes volcanoes can explode violently and cause a lot of damage, like in the past with Mount Krakatau and Nevado del Ruiz. If a volcano in Iceland erupts, it might look like the 1783 eruption, which sent poisonous gas into the air and affected people far away.
Should we be worried?
Even though scientists aren’t sure what will happen, people in those areas are getting ready — just in case.
© Bill McGuire / Our Media
Magma (noun): Hot, melted rock inside the Earth.
Volcano (noun): A mountain that can erupt with hot melted rock.
Lava (noun): Hot, melted rock that comes out of a volcano.
Eruption (noun): When a volcano explodes and magma comes out.