How Does a Volcano Really Erupt?

Imagine a giant, invisible pressure cooker deep inside the Earth. A volcano erupts when this pressure cooker becomes too full and bursts open. The hot goo inside, called magma, pushes up through cracks in the ground and comes out like boiling water from a lid that’s been lifted off. This is how a volcano really erupts!

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Examples

  1. A volcano is like a boiling kettle that explodes when it’s too full.
  2. Imagine a giant underground cake baking, the heat and pressure cause it to burst out of the ground.
  3. Lava flows from a volcano just like water coming out of an overflowing tap.

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