What is the difference between a volcanoe and a mountain?

Answer 1

Technically, a volcano is a type of mountain.

Mountains are formed by two continental tectonic plates colliding. The compressing plates forms folds in the crust, and if no or a small amount of erosion has occurred to wear down these folds, they continue to rise and break to form a mountain, which build on top of each other and form mountain ranges. (Lots of mountains)

Volcanoes are formed by a continental plate and an oceanic plate colliding, where the denser oceanic plate undergoes 'subduction' and slips under the less dense continental plate. The heat and pressure from the oceanic plate causes uplifting of magma from the earth's mantle, which rises to the surface, therefore creating a volcano.

There has to be a crack in the crust so a volcano can form and for the magma to rise through, while mountains are the crumpling of two landmasses. However, volcanoes may also later become mountains if they become completely dormant and no more lava (magma ).