Quarter 3 – EARTH & SPACE

Module 1: Different Types of Volcanoes

Here are some key questions for you to ponder as you go over this module:
1. What is the structure of a volcano?
2. How are volcanoes classified?
3. What are the examples of volcanoes found in the Philippines?
4. What are the different types of volcanic eruption?
5. What advocacy material can be created to raise awareness on the signs of
impending volcanic eruption?

Structure of a Volcano
The term “volcano” refers to mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater
or vent in which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are or have been erupted
from the earth's crust. The lava and other volcanic materials originated from molten
materials called magma found beneath the surface of the Earth. Magma and other
volcanic materials are finding its way to the surface where they are expelled through
openings like cracks and holes. Any activity that includes the movement of magma
towards or onto the surface is called volcanism.

The Parts of a Volcano are:

⮚ Summit is the highest point or the apex of the volcano. At the summit,
you have an opening called vent.
⮚ Slopes are the sides or flanks of a volcano that radiate from the main or
central vent.
⮚ Base is lower outer part of the volcano.

Other Geologic features of a volcano:

Magma Chamber is a region beneath the vent of a volcano where molten
rock or magma is deposited or stored before eruption.
Main Vent is the main opening or outlet on the surface of a volcano that
emits lava, gases, ash or other volcanic materials.
Conduit is an underground central tube-like or pipe-like structure of a
volcano that connects the magma chamber to the crater through which
the magma travels.
Side Vent is a smaller outlet through which magma escapes.
Crater is the mouth of the volcano which is a funnel-shaped or bowlshaped
hollow at the top of the vent from where magma, ash and gas
comes out.
Lava is a molten rock which is given off onto the surface of the Earth
when a volcano erupts.
Ash and Gas Cloud is a of mixtures of rock, minerals, glass particles and
gases expelled or pushed out of the volcano during volcanic eruption.

Classification of Volcanoes
There are several ways by which volcanoes can be classified.

Types of Volcanoes Based on Structure

One way to classify different types of volcanoes is through the structure
characterized by their shape, parts and formation.

1. Cinder Cone Volcano

Cinder cone volcanoes are the simplest
type of volcano. They are built from particles
andblobs of solidified lava ejected from a single
vent.
Lava is thrown into the air, which breaks into
small fragments that solidify and fall as
cinders
around the vent to form a circular or oval
cone.Most cinder cones have a steep slope,
widecrater and are the most abundant of the
threemajor volcano types.

2. Composite Volcano
Composite volcanoes or
stratovolcanoes are large, typically
steepsided,
symmetrical cones of large dimension
formed from alternating layers of lava flows,
volcanic ash, cinders, blocks, and
pyroclastic materials. One important
feature of a composite volcanoes is the
conduit system from which magma rises to
the surface of the Earth. They are formed
from viscous, or sticky, lava that does not
flow easily. The lava builds up around the
vent forming a volcano with steep sides.

3. Shield Volcano
Shield volcanoes are large, broad volcanoes
that look similar to shields from above –
hence
the name. These volcanoes are built almost
entirely of fluid lava flow thus these volcanoes
are not steep. They can be easily identified
because they are tall and broad, with flat,
rounded shapes. The lava is not accompanied
by pyroclastic materials, which makes shield
volcanoes relatively safe. Eruptions at shield
volcanoes are only explosive if water somehow
gets into the vent.
Types of Volcanoes Based on Activity
Another way of classifying volcanoes according to the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is based on their activity as indicated by
their behavior and historical records.

Active volcanoes are those volcanoes that have had at least one eruption
during the past 10,000 years. They are those that erupted recently and still
showing regular activity like emission of gases, lava and ash flows.

Inactive volcanoes, on the other hand, are those that have not erupted for
the last 10,000 years and is not expected to erupt again in a comparable time
scale of the future. There are no signs of volcanic activity for a long period of
time because magma supply is cut off. Also the physical form of the volcano
has signs of intensive weathering and erosion

 Potentially active volcanoes are those that have no records of volcanic

activity but are morphologically young-looking.

Types of Volcanic Eruptions

Different types of volcanoes erupt differently. They are generally classified as
wet or dry depending on the magma’s water content. Volcanoes are described
according to the style of eruption as follows:

Phreatic or hydrothermal is a stream-driven eruption as the hot rocks

come in contact with water. It is short lived, characterized by ash columns
but may be a beginning of a larger eruption.

 Phreatomagmatic is a violent eruption due to the contact between water

and magma. As a result, a large column of very fine ash and high-speed
and sideway emission of pyroclastic materials called base surges are
observed.
 Strombolian a periodic, weak to violent eruption characterized by fountain lava, just like the
Irazu Volcano in Costa Rica.

 Vulcanian is characterized by tall eruption columns that reach up to 20

km high with pyroclastic flow and ash fall tephra like that of Paricutin
Volcano in Mexico.

 Plinian is excessively explosive type of eruption of gas and pyroclastic

materials, like in Pinatubo Volcano in Zambales.
Signs of an Impending Volcanic Eruption
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is the government agency tasked
with monitoring earthquakes and volcanoes in the country. Based on their findings, here are the
commonly observed signs when a volcano is about to erupt.