Inside a Volcano

A volcano is a mountain with hot melted rock inside it. When the melted rock pushes up through a narrow tube, it bursts out of the top as an eruption.

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Age 9: open this week

In the picture

Magma chamber, the pool of hot melted rock deep under the volcano
Conduit, the narrow tube that carries magma up to the top
Eruption, the ash, gas and lava bursting out of the crater

Examples

Mount Etna in Italy throws out ash and lava many times a year.
A shaken fizzy drink sprays out of the bottle neck, like magma rushing up a conduit.

Key takeaways

Melted rock is called magma underground and lava once it reaches the surface.
Magma rises up the conduit because it is lighter than the rock around it.

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