Indeed, the highest mountain in the world, Mauna Loa, is actually a volcano that extends for thousands of metres underwater.

Children could use these glossaries as a reference during reading or writing activities on this topic. Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, one of the most active on Earth, has been erupting continuously for more than 29 years, beginning Jan. Facts Volcanoes is bursting with awesome facts, mind-blowing images and fun activities about these fiery forces of nature. In numerous instances throughout history, volcanoes have spewed a lethal mix of ash and rain to surrounding cities. Put them up on your volcanoes classroom display to see if children can identify what kind of volcanoes they all are.

Miles Kelly is an independent UK children's book publisher, producing high-quality , affordable books for kids . When a collision between two of Earth’s tectonic plates occurs, the friction created by the plates’ movement produces magma. Other volcanoes, such as those of the Hawaiian Islands, occur in the middle of a plate, providing important evidence as to the direction and rate of plate motion. As lava flows overlap one another, they construct a broad, gently sloping dome shape that from far away appears similar to a warrior's shield.

The Hawaiian Islands are made of a chain of shield volcanoes including Kīlauea and the world's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa.Volcanic activity also produces hazards that can affect areas far from the volcano, such as tephra or ash falls, releases of gas and tsunamis. These geographical wonders come in various shapes and sizes, but there are two main types – composite volcanoes, which are cone-shaped with steep slopes, and shield volcanoes, which are wide with gentle slopes.

After cooling, liquid magma may form crystals of various minerals until it becomes completely solid and forms an igneous or magmatic rock. The snow-capped Ngauruhoe cone of New Zealand's Mount Tongariro volcano is one of the youngest and more active parts of the volcano. Active volcanoes experience regular activity, dormant means there hasn’t been recent activity but it may still erupt, and extinct indicates that the volcano is inactive and it is highly unlikely to ever erupt again.Inside these types of volcanoes, the lava is super thick and sticky, which makes them really explosive when they erupt.

What’s more, this ash brings air travel to a halt, as it is unsafe for pilots to fly in such low visibility. Yet, while eruptions are spectacular to watch, they can cause disastrous loss of life and property, especially in densely populated regions of the world. The danger from most volcanoes is from the ash cloud and blast; however, lava flow from some volcanoes can be especially dangerous. The liquid magma pushes up, and up, and up, until it finds cracks in the Earth’s surface to burst through.This figure excludes the continuous belts of volcanoes on the ocean floor at spreading centres such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.