What Makes a ‘Volcano’ Different from a ‘Mountain’?

Imagine a mountain is like a big, sleepy kid who just sits there, it doesn’t move or make noise. A volcano, on the other hand, is like a loud and active kid who jumps up, yells, and throws lava everywhere. Mountains are formed by slow processes over millions of years, while volcanoes erupt suddenly when molten rock from deep inside the Earth comes out. That’s why you can climb a mountain but wear protective gear if you get near a volcano.

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Examples

A mountain is like a big cake that’s been stacked over time, while a volcano is more like a cake that gets thrown out in a surprise party.
Mountains are found in places like the Andes, they don’t erupt or move much, just sit there quietly for ages.
When volcanoes erupt, you can see lava flowing down their sides, imagine it like hot chocolate spilling over from a cup.

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Categories: Science · volcanology· geology· earth science