Molten lava comes directly from Earth's inner layers and melts stone, mineral and rock as it bursts onto the surface. It can also have devastating consequences for the surrounding environment and human settlements. Part of a volcano science project should include understanding Earth's composition and how its various layers interact. After completing a volcano project, students should be able to answer questions about Earth's crust, mantle and outer and inner core.
Volcanoes are responsible for forming land masses in the ocean, including islands. As an undersea volcano erupts, it pushes molten earth to the surface of the ocean, which cools and forms permanent land masses. Hawaii, Japan and many islands in the South Pacific were originally formed, or contributed to by, volcanic activity. By understanding the process of land formation, students gain an understanding of our planet and its ever-changing, dynamic nature. After completing a volcano experiment, students should be able to write reports describing how volcanoes contribute to volcanic land formation.
A volcano falls into one of three categories. Volcanoes are either active, dormant or extinct. An active volcano has been active during the mankind's recent, recorded history. Scientists can identify an active volcano and estimate its potential for future activity. A dormant volcano is one that has erupted sometime within recent history and has the potential, regardless of how slim, to erupt again. An extinct volcano is one that will not likely erupt again due to the absence of any other nearby active volcanic activity. You should be able to test students on the characteristics of these three styles of volcanoes and how scientists differentiate an active volcano from one which is dormant or extinct.
Molten rock, or lava, vaporizes materials on its way to the surface. These gases explode into the atmosphere, carrying with them minerals and volcanic ash. These gasses and ash have the potential to significantly impact our environment on a global scale. The most prevalent gases include water vapor and carbon dioxide. Volcanoes also spew sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride into the atmosphere, which are poisonous and contribute to pollution problems. After completing a volcano project, teachers should quiz students on how volcanoes can contribute to pollution, global warming and global cooling trends.