Lava Flows
The ability of a fluid to resist flow.
Viscosity
A Volcano that is currently erupting or "awake"
Active
A Volcano that is not currently erupting but may erupt again in the future. A sleeping/hibernating Volcano.
Dormant
A volcano that has not erupted in recorded history and will likely not erupt again.
Extinct
A lava flow that is low viscosity and creates a ropey texture when cooled.
Pahoehoe
A volcano that is very large with gentle sloping sides created from many non-explosive eruptions.
Shield Volcanos
A small pit at the top of a volcano
Crater
An eruption that is calm and consistent, mainly of lava flow
Non-explosive
Lava flow that is high in viscosity and has a jagged texture, often makes a clinking sound
A'a
When lava is cooled rapidly underwater, resulting in round formations
Pillow Lava
A very large pit at the top of a volcano that is the result of a massive & explosive eruption or collapse. Yellowstone is an example
Caldera
A violent eruption that launches volcanic material into the air.
Explosive
A lava flow that creates very large, solid chunks and is very viscous.
Blocky
A large, flat plain created from layers of cooled lava.
Lava Plateau
A small, steep sided, short lived volcano made out of pyroclastic material
Cinder Cone
A volcano that is the result of both explosive and non-explosive eruptions. These are often times the ones in the history books for their awe inspiring power and destruction.
Strato-volcanos or "composite" volcanos (Mount St. Helens, Mount Vesuvius in Pompei)
An eruption of ash and dust that is 700 degrees Celsius and goes 200 km/hr
Pyroclastic Flow
When a large amount of magma is launched into the air and hardens as it falls.
Volcanic Bomb
The horseshoe shaped area around the Pacific Plate where 75% of our planet's volcanos and 90% of its earthquakes can be found.
The Ring of Fire
When ice melts as a result of a volcanic eruption, creating mud that flows downhill and destroys everything in its path.
Mudflow, or the scarier word, LAHAR