Volcanic+Eruption

= **Volcanic eruption**  =

What are volcanoes?
Volacanoes are usually located between two tectonic plates. They appear as medium height mountains and they usually have a huge crater in the center. Volcanoes are feared, unpredictable mountains made of rock. You never know when they will erupt.

Problems caused by volcanoes
Volcanoes are considered as dangerous risk to people living around them. They can release lots of toxic gases into air and the lava can destroy anything. There is just no way to stop lava flow. The toxic gases and ash cloud might also reach bigger cities causing breathing - and other health problems to people. The ash cloud could even close airspace, like happened in 2010. Volcanic eruptions have always been a big problem to people. They have destroyed cities and killed many people. But they can also be useful. Volcanoes under the ocean can even create new islands!

How do they work?
Under the volcanoes there are so called “magma chambers” which are filled with magma. When two tectonic plates move, causing huge pressure into the magma chamber, there is a high possibility for volcanic eruption to occur. The pressure in the magma chamber forces magma go up. The magma travels through volcano's veins and finally reaches the ground level. The lava spreads around the volcano, destroying everything living in its path. Over the days, the magma will cool down and form into rock. If the volcano is under the ocean, the cooled magma may reach sea level and therefore appear as an island. This is how Havaji was born.

How to minimize damages caused by volcanoes?
Volcanoes can do a lot of damage. The lava is so hot, that there is currently no cheap and easy way to prevent it from flowing into your garden. So basically there is no way to protect your real estate from volcano. This is why it is generally not a good idea to build your house near a volcano nor buy one. If you think you could just build your house on the water to dodge the lava, you are wrong. As previously mentioned, lava will form into rock or just "swim" through the ocean floor and destroy house.

Lastly, here is a video on volcanic eruption.

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Juho Kyrölä ja Miro

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