What is composite shield volcano?
Composite volcanoes are tall, steep cones that produce explosive eruptions. Shield volcanoes form very large, gently sloped mounds from effusive eruptions. Cinder cones are the smallest volcanoes and result from accumulation of many small fragments of ejected material.
What type of lava do composite volcanoes have?
Composite volcanoes Acidic lava, which is very viscous (sticky). Steep sides as the lava doesn’t flow very far before it solidifies. Alternate layers of ash and lava. For this reason, they’re also known as stratovolcanoes .
What are the characteristics of composite volcanoes?
Composite volcanoes have the following characteristics:
- Acidic lava, which is very viscous (sticky).
- Steep sides as the lava doesn’t flow very far before it solidifies.
- Alternate layers of ash and lava. For this reason, they’re also known as stratovolcanoes .
- Violent eruptions.
- Longer periods between eruptions.
What famous volcano is a composite volcano?
Famous examples of composite volcanoes include Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington State, and Mayon Volcano in the Philippines.
What causes a composite volcano to erupt?
Composite cone volcanoes are also called stratovolcanoes. They form when different types of eruptions deposit different materials around the sides of a volcano. Alternating eruptions of volcanic ash and lava cause layers to form. Over time these layers build up.
How common are composite volcanoes?
Composite volcanoes are the most common type of volcano on the Earth’s surface. They account for 60 percent of the Earth’s volcanism. Most of the remaining 40 percent occurs under the oceans. Composite volcanoes consist of alternating layers of ash and lava flows.
What are examples of composite volcanoes?
Some of the most conspicuous and beautiful mountains in the world are composite volcanoes, including Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador, Mount Shasta in California, Mount Hood in Oregon, and Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington.
What type of lava erupts from a shield volcano?
basaltic lava
Most shield volcanoes are formed from fluid, basaltic lava flows.
Is Yellowstone a composite volcano?
Examples of composite volcanoes include Mount St. One of the most powerful volcanoes in the world—Yellowstone—is a massive caldera that has collapsed several times. Sometimes these calderas can fill up with water to produce beautiful lakes such as Mount Mazama (Crater Lake), in Oregon.
Is a composite volcano the most dangerous volcano?
Composite volcanoes are some of the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet. The viscous lava cannot travel far down the sides of the volcano before it solidifies, which creates the steep slopes of a composite volcano. Viscosity also causes some eruptions to explode as ash and small rocks.
Why are composite volcanoes also called stratovolcanoes?
Stratovolcanoes are also called composite volcanoes because they are built of layers of alternating lava flow, ash and blocks of unmelted stone, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. They are larger than cinder cones, rising up to 8,000 feet (2,438 meters).
What are some interesting facts about composite volcanoes?
Composite cone volcanoes are quite large and spread across between one and ten kilometers.
What are facts about composite volcanoes?
Composition. Composite volcanoes-also called stratovolcanoes-are named for their composition.