Nevado del Ruiz

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nevado-del-ruiz

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Nevado del Ruiz?Colombia, Andes Mountains, bordering Caldas and Tolima departments
2. What is the scientific name?Nevado del Ruiz
3. What is the associated hazards?Pyroclastic flows, lahars (volcanic mudflows), ashfall
4. Why can Nevado del Ruiz send mud down its sides?When the volcano erupts, the heat melts the ice on its peak, mixing water with loose rock and ash to create fast-moving mudflows.
5. What happened in 1985 at Nevado del Ruiz?A small eruption melted the mountain’s ice, producing huge lahars that destroyed the town of Armero and caused many deaths.

Stratovolcano: A large, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, ash, and rock fragments.
Lahar: A destructive mudflow or debris flow composed of volcanic material and water, typically originating from a volcano.
Phreatomagmatic Eruption: An eruption resulting from the interaction between magma and water, causing explosive vaporization.
Páramo: A high-altitude tropical grassland ecosystem found in the Andes Mountains, characterized by unique vegetation and significant water-regulating functions.