Volcanoes

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How was the volcano formed?

The volcano was formed due to an opening on the Earth's surface caused by the diversion of plates between the Eurasian plate and the North American plate. Therefore causing magma to flow onto the Earth's surface. Overtime, the lava hardens and form layers and layers,forming a volcano. Eyjafjallajokull volcano is a stratovolcano which means a composite volcano.

Are there any benefits of volcanoes?

Volcanoes do not only have negative impacts on us, it also has positive impacts.Impacts that benefits us are: A natural glass that comes from lava is pumice,it is widely used for grinding and polishing metals,stones and other materials. Dried lava turns into a rock form and is commonly used for building roads. Volcanic ash that have been weathered can improve soil fertility.

Volcanic material has a source of opal, a precious gem. It also has a source of metals such as lead, mercury, zinc, gold and many more. Erupting volcanoes lava releases some healthy gas such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen. When oxygen mixes with hydrogen, it forms water vapour and that begins the water cycle. Volcanoes can also attract tourists therefore boosting the country's economy.

Negative impacts of iceland volcano

Eyjafjallajokull volcano produced alot of volcanic ash therefore disrupting air travel for six days from 15 April to May 2010 across Western and Northern eroupe. Volcanic ash contains sharp debris that can be sucked in by the plane's engine therefore causing it to stall or shut down. Many airlines has lost alot of money due to cancellation of flights as they had to fork out money to pay for stranded passengers lodging.

Why did Eyjafyallajokull volcano errupt?

Scientists believe that the Eyjafyallajokull volcano erupted because of Gobal Warming. The glacier which contains lots of volcanoes underneath it, will trigger erruptions due to the uploading effect.

The changing dynamics in the crust will cause faults to be destabilized therefore causing much more problems. In other words, melting ice sheet can cause both volcanoes eruption and earthquakes.

How do we know when a volcano is going to erupt?

The magma chamber collects magma before an eruption. The magma chamber will get so full that the magma will come to the top of the surface therefore causing swelling. Seismographs can find small earthquakes that shows when an eruption is coming. By measuring the amount of volcanic materials spew out can also determine the eruption of a volcano. Usually, before an eruption, many earthquakes can be felt.

Why and What should we moniter volcanoes?

Why: By monitering volcanoes, it gives us a little warning to when the volcano is going to erupt. Having a warning can help us evacuate in time therefore causing fewer deaths and loss of properties.

What: Volcanic temperature, presence of earthquakes, Ground movement, volcanic gases, water temperature, acidity measurements and new areas of avalanching rocks.

What comes out of a volcano?

Volcanoes spew out liquid, solid and gas. Lava, Volcano bombs, Sulfur dioxide, Hydrogen Chloride, Carbon dioxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Fluoride and Helium. Some of these gases can pose hazard to people and Agriculture.

Locally, sulfur dioxide gas can lead to acid rain and air pollution downwind from a volcano. Globally, large explosive eruptions that inject a tremendous volume of sulfur aerosols into the stratosphere can lead to lower surface temperatures and promote depletion of the Earth's ozone layer. Because carbon dioxide gas is heavier than air, the gas may flow into in low-lying areas and collect in the soil. The concentration of carbon dioxide gas in these areas can be lethal to people, animals, and vegetation. A few historic eruptions have released sufficient fluorine-compounds to deform or kill animals that grazed on vegetation coated with volcanic ash; fluorine compounds tend to become concentrated on fine-grained ash particles, which can be ingested by animals.

Government

Iceland Government has already evacuated affected areas of iceland.

Here's a video(: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GEASDHVtFA&feature=related

-Samantha Lye-