Have you ever seen a mountain that puffs smoke or glows at the top? That might be a volcano.

Volcanoes are special mountains with something exciting inside.

A volcano is an opening in Earth's surface.

It can let out hot melted rock,gas,and ash.

Some Volcanoes look like tall mountains, and others look likes hills.

A Big ,Mysterious Mountain 

What is inside of a volcano?

Deep inside the earth it is very,very hot.

There is melted Rocked called magma.

Magma I thick and glowing, like  hot soup made of rock.

From Magma to Lava

When magma stays under the ground, its called magma.

When it comes out of a Volcano, its called lava.

Lava can flow down the sides of a volcano like a bright,slow river after eruption. 

Why do Volcanoes Erupt 

Gas and magma build up pressure inside the volcano.

Seismic waves causes Volcanoes to erupt think of it as like shaking a soda can!

What Happens During an Eruption

When a volcano erupts, it can:

It can look powerful and sometimes a little scary.

Are All Volcanoes the Same

No Some volcanoes erupt often.
Some sleep for a long time.

Sleeping volcanoes are called dormant.
Very quiet ones may never erupt again.

dormant volcano/sleeping volcano

Not all volcanoes look the same. There are three main types:

Shield Volcanoes
These are wide and gently sloping. Their lava flows easily, so eruptions are usually calm.

Composite Volcanoes
These are tall and cone-shaped. They can have powerful eruptions with ash and lava.

Cinder Cone Volcanoes
These are smaller and made from tiny pieces of rock and ash. They often erupt quickly and then become quiet.

Each type is special in its own way!