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The internal heat of the Earth is thought to be about 20% residual heat from planetary accretion and about 80% from radioactive decay. The internal heat provides heat to liquefy magma and send plumes of the hot material upward, through the mantle, to the surface. This material comes out from the surface in various forms, such as lava, and thus forms volcanoes.

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Q: What role does the decay of radioactive elements deep within Earth play in the formation of a volcano?
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Related questions

How is the theory of plate tectonics related to the radioactive decay elements within the earth's interior?

The aesthenosphere is kept deformable largely through heat generated by radioactive decay


What is one of the most important sources of heat in the interiors of moons that orbit close to giant planets?

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What is the definition of radio active metals or elements?

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How is the theory of plate tectonics related to the radioactive decay of elements within earths interior?

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Can a Volcano make the sea warm?

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