Why Do Volcanoes Sleep and Then Awaken?

Volcanoes sleep because they're full of resting magma, like a big, sleepy bear. When the magma chamber gets squeezed by the earth's movements or when pressure builds up inside, the volcano wakes up and erupts, just like a bear roaring to life after winter.

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Examples

A sleeping volcano is like a bear in hibernation, it's full of magma but not active yet.
When the ground shifts, it presses on the magma chamber and wakes the volcano up.
Sometimes, new lava flows into the old chamber and makes the volcano erupt.

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Categories: Environment · volcanoes· earth science· geology· natural phenomena· eruption cycles