A volcano is a vent or opening on earth surface through

which magma, ash, gases and water vapors are ejected.

At present the magma or Lava care classified
according to chemical and minerals present in it.
The minerals are further classified into dark and
faith colors. The faith colored minerals are called
Felsic and dark group silicate rich quartz and
Feldspar minerals are present, while in mafic group
Magnesium and from rich minerals pyroxene,
Amphibole and olivine are present
The properties of minerals between the
Mafic and Felsic are called Ultramafic.
This is rich in silicate and aluminum.
According to Felsic, Ultramfic and Mafic,
Granite, Diorite and Grabo are intrusive
and Basalt is example of effusive magma
respectively.
The Batholiths is dome shaped lava deposition beneath
the ground surface. Laccoliths are uplifted slope and
acquired the form of a dome, Lopoliths is solidified lava
of the basin region and Phacoliths are solid arched
parts of Anticline and Synclinal folded mountain. In the
same way Sills are bed-like intrusive bodies formed by
magma horizontal and Dykes or Dikes are
perpendicular. The thin layer of sills is called Sheets
while small portion of dikes are called Stocks.
 The opening of exploded volcano is different type from which
some example is as follows-
• Crater: This is funnel or cup-shaped opening at the top of the
volcanic cone. It gets filled up with rain water then it forms a
crater lake. Like Loner Lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra.
•Caldera: This is widened from of crater this is formed due to
seduction of the crater or expansion of volcanic mouth or vent
due to successive eruptions. The Aasho of Japan, are the example
of caldera.
Classification on the Basis of Periodicity of Eruption
• Active Volcanoes: These volcanoes constantly eject volcanic
lavas, gases, ashes and fragmental materials. It is estimated that
there are more than 500 active volcanoes in the world. Etna and
Stromboli of the Mediterranean Sea are the most significant
examples of this category. Stromboli is known as the Light house
of the Mediterranean. Other volcanoes of this category are –
Cotopaxi of Equador (World’s highest active volcano), Mt.
Erebus of Antarctica (the only active volcano of the continent)
and the active volcano in the Barren Island of the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, India.
•Dormant Volcanoes: These volcanoes become quiet
after their eruptions for some time and there are no
indications for future eruptions but suddenly they erupt
very violently and cause enormous damage to human
health and wealth. Important examples of this category
are Vesuvius, in Italy; Fujiyama, in Japan; Krakatau, In
Indonesia, and Dormant volcanoes in the Narcondam
Island (Now believed to be active after Tsunami of
December 2004) of the Andaman & Nicobar.
•Dead or Extinct Volcanoes: These are those
volcanoes which have not erupted since
thousands of years and there are no indications
of future eruption as well. Leading examples of
this category are – Mt Kenya and Kilimanjaro, in
Eastern part of Africa; Chimborazo, in Equador;
Popa, in Myanmar; Demband and Koh-sultan, in
Iran; and Aconcagua, in Andes mountains.
World Distribution of Volcanoes
The explanation of volcanic regions of the world, based
on the Plate tectonic theory, is the most accepted one.
According to this theory destructive plate boundaries
account for about 80% of the volcanic regions,
constructive plate margins for about 15% of the
volcanic regions and remaining are in the interior parts
of the plates which are not yet explained by the Plate
tectonic theory. Major volcanic belts are-
•Circum – Pacific Belt
In this belt, volcanoes are found along the
destructive plate margins. Here, volcanic eruptions
are primarily caused due to collision of Pacific plate
with American and Asiatic plates. Two-third of the
world’s volcanoes are found in the coastal regions
of the Pacific ocean, Hence, the name given to this
belt is the Fire Girdle of the Pacific or the Fire
Ring of the Pacific
•Mid – continental belt
Most of the volcanoes of this belt are found along the destructive
plate margins, due to collision of Eurasian plate with African and
Indian plates.
•Mid – Atlantic Belt
Volcanoes of this belt are found along the constructive plate
margins. When the plates diverge from each other, fissures are
formed from which the Peridotite and Basaltic magma comes out.
Due to cooling and solidification of this magma, new crust is
continuously formed along the fissure.
Major Volcanoes of the World
Volcano Country
Ojas del Salado Argentina – Chile
Cotopaxi Equador
Chimborajo Equador
Popocatapital Mexico
Monaloa Hawaii Island
Mt. Cameroon Cameroon (Africa)
Mt Erebus Ross (Antarctica)
Mt Etna Sisily (Italy)
Mt Peele Mortinique Island
Hekla Iceland
Laaki Iceland
Vesuvius Gulf of Naples (Italy)
Stromboli Lipari Island (Italy)
Krakatao Indonesia
Katmai Alaska (USA)
Mt Rainier USA
Mt. Shasta USA
Fujiyama Japan
Mt. Taal Philippines
Mt. Pinatubo Philippines
Mt. Meyon Philippines
Demband Iran
KohSultan Iran
Mt. Popa Myanmar
Elbrus Georgia
Kilimanjaro Tanzania
Mt. Kenya Kenya
According to decreasing
intensity of lava can volcano be
classified in to
plinian,vulcanian,strombolian,
and Hawaiian
1.plinian- plinian is more destructive
in nature due to the high amount of
silicate in magma and high level of its
viscosity
Example Martinique island, tall
mountain,Philippines
2. vulcanian- in vulcanian volcano silicate
and different type of magma are ejected
due to the large amount of ejection of
gases the gaseous clouds spread across
the sky.the lava of these volcanoes are so
viscous and sticky that these are quickly
solidified and hardened
3.strombolian- in the
strombolian type of volcano
due to low amount of flow of
gases ,magma coloumns are
formed.
4. Hawaiian- in the Hawaiian volcanoes
ejection of magma is very quiet due to
high degree of mobility and volatile
magma spread out to a large area and
gets solidified this type of volcano are less
in height and spread over large area.