Why Do Volcanoes Erupt in Different Ways?

Imagine a volcano as a boiling pot on the stove. If it’s just a little bit full, it might just spill slowly, like lava flowing out calmly. But if there’s a lot of bubbles and pressure inside, it can explode, sending rocks and ash flying high in the air! Some volcanoes are like calm pots, others are like volcanic popcorn popping all over.

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Examples

A volcano like Kilauea spews lava slowly, like a hot river.
Mount St. Helens exploded with force, sending ash into the sky.
Sometimes a volcano has both calm and explosive parts, like a lava flow followed by an explosion.

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Categories: Science · volcanoes· earth science· geology