Shield volcano

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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/shield-volcano

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. What is the magma composition?Typically basaltic, with low silica content (45-52%)
2. What is the lava viscosity?Low, allowing for extensive and fluid lava flows
3. How do shield volcanoes grow?They grow by many slow lava flows that pile up over time, adding layers and making the mountain taller and wider.
4. Where can we find shield volcanoes on Earth?They are common in places like Hawaii, where a hot spot under the oceanic plate creates many shield volcanoes, and also in places where the Earth's crust pulls apart, called rifts.

Effusive Eruption: Volcanic activity characterized by the gentle outpouring of fluid lava, rather than explosive ejection of ash.
Basaltic Magma: Molten rock rich in iron and magnesium, with low silica content, leading to low viscosity.
Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
Mantle Plume: A column of unusually hot rock rising from deep within the Earth's mantle, often causing volcanic activity.