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Unit 2 Section B - Causes and effects of volcanoes and responses to them

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Saved by K J Hutchinson
on May 3, 2010 at 12:17:55 pm
 

Lesson 1 - What happens in an eruption?

 

Learning objectives:

- to be able to describe at least 3 differences between composite and shield (basic) volcanoes

- to be able to describe at least 3 primary effects of a volcanic eruption

- to be able to describe at least 3 secondary effects of a volcanic eruption

 

Key words 

  

A volcano is an opening in the ground where magma forces its way to the surface. Magma which reaches the earth's surface is called lava. Volcanoes can be active (erupting), dormant (sleeping) or extinct (no eruption for 10,000 years and unlikely to erupt again). You need to know about two different types of volcano - composite volcanoes and shield (basic) volcanoes. 

 

The first video (the one on the left) is a catchy song that tells you the basics about an eruption. THe second video (the one on the right) is much more useful as it highlights some of the key differences between composite and shield volcanoes. It also introduces some of the hazards of volcanoes as well as briefly discussing some of the benefits that they bring to an area.

 

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Composite volcanoes

 

Composite volcanoes happen where the lava is acidic. The sticky acidic lava pours slowly down the side of the cone and cools quickly to produce a steep sided volcano. Alternate layers are formed because each eruption first produces rock fragments which are later covered by lava. This kind of volcano is found at destructive plate margins.

 

 

Shield (basic) volcanoes

 

Shield volcanoes are enormous features built up only from layers of lava. They produce lots of lava but they tend not to erupt violently. Shield volcanoes form when the lava is basic (the opposite to acidic). You get these types of volcanoes along constructive plate margins and also where there are hotspots. Basic lava is runny so it flows quite a long way before it cools.

 

 

The diagram below shows how much bigger shield volcanoes are than composite volcanoes.

 

 

The effects of volcanic eruptions

 

The effects of volcanic eruptions can be divided into primary and secondary effects. The primary effects are immediate and come from the eruption itself whereas the secondary effects result from the primary effects. You need to be able to describe at least 3 primary and 3 secondary effects of volcanic eruptions. A number of these effects are shown on the diagram below., Can you categorise them into primary and secondary effects?

 

 

  

Primary effects of a volcanic eruption

  

You need to learn the definitions of the terms volcanic gases; lava flows; pyroclastic flows; tephra.

  

Volcanic gases - All magma contains dissolved gases that are release during and betwene eruptions. These gases are mainly steam, carbon dioxide and compounds of sulphur and chlorine.

 

Lava flows - These are streams of molten rock.

 

Pyroclastic flows - These are high speed avalanches of hot ash, rock fragments and gas which move down the sides of a volcano. These flows occur when the vent area or ash column collapses.

 

Tephra - The explosive power of an eruption causes old lava to be blasted into tiny pieces and hurled into the air. The fragments are tephra. 

 

Secondary effects of a volcanic eruption

 

Make sure that you know at least 3 secondary effects of an eruption in detail.

 

Lahars - These are mixtures of water, rock, ash, sand and mud that originate from the slopes of a volcano. Lahars often happen because of heavy rainfall eroding volcanic deposits or heat from a volcanic vent suddenly melting snow and ice.

 

Landslides - Heat from cooling magma can cause hydrothermal alteraton of the rocks, turning sections of them into clay. This weakens the rocks and increases the risk of slope failures.

 

Flooding - Explosive eruptions can change thge surface areas around a volcano and disrupt drainage patterns, leading to long-term flooding.

 

Other secondary effects include:

 

Food / water supply interrupted.

Homelessness.

Businesses forced to close.

Cost of insurance claims.

Unemployment.

Long-term issues with the tourism industry. 

 

Lesson 2 - The Mount St Helen's eruption

 

Learning objectives:

- to be able to recall basic factual information about the eruption - date, time, location, number of deaths, direction of blast

- to be able to give at least 3 primary and secondary effects of the Mount St Helen's eruption

 

Mount St Helens is a mountain in the Cascades range in North West USA. The volcano is in Washington State, on the west coast of the USA (see map below). The Cascades have formed because the area is a destructive plate margin. The small Juan de Fuca plate (oceanic) is being subducted under the large North American plate (continental). This is shown in the diagram below.

 

             

 

The Cascades have experienced a lot of earthquakes and eruptions over the years because they are on a plate boundary. The chart below shows eruptions in the area in the last 4000 years.

 

 

Mount St Helens erupted on May 18th 1980. This followed a period of activity which began in March 1980 with an earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale. There was 3 months of activity as magma rose inside the mountain, creating a large bulge on the north side of the mountain. This was due to a blockage in the main vent which prevented the magma rising through the vent in the normal way. The technical name for the bulge is a cryptodome.

 

On May 18th, an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale caused a landslide on the northern flank of the volcano. This explosed the cryptodome and resulted in a sudden release of pressure and a huge eruption in the form of a lateral (sideways) blast. The blast zone consisted of 230 square miles. This is shown on the map below.

 

 

 

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