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Why are composite volcanoes more explosive than shield volcanoes?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Composite volcanoes have andesitic magma, which is high in silica content and therefore, thick and gooey. Chunks of this sticky magma cool at the top of the volcano to form a sealed cap... this magma beneath the cap builds up pressure. Eventually, the pressure gets so large from beneath the cap that all the magma explodes out from the top of the volcano shooting hundreds of miles in all directions... The gas and ash from the explosion also come hurtling down the sides of the volcano in a fatal cloud called a Pyroclastic flow; these deadly flows of molten rock and burning ash have killed many.
Shield volcanoes, on the other hand, are very gentle. The magma is far more runny and trickles out of the top rather than exploding.
Therefore, composite volcanoes are more explosive...
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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What is the most dangerous kind of volcano?
In general, composite volcanoes are the most dangerous volcanoes because they are more explosive than the other types.
Compere shield volcanoes and composite volcanoes?
Shield volcanoes are lower in elevation and usually not exposive, such as Kilauea, which has been constantly 'erupting' since the 80s. Composite volcanoes (aka stratovolcano) are large, usually somewhat cone shaped and appear dormant/extinct until an explosive eruption. Examples are Krakatoa (awesome example), Vesuvius, Pinatubo, Rainier, St Helens and many more. Shield volcanoes typically occur on mid-oceanic 'hot spots' while composites/stratovolcanoes occur on tectonic plate boundaries. The "ring of fire" around the pacific plate has many strato/composite volcanoes and Hawaii's Kilauea is in the center on a 'hot spot' *Skylla*
Compare shield volcanoes to composite volcanoes?
A shield volcano is made from lava flows that flow far, making a very wide, not very steep mountain. A cinder cone volcano is the most common type of volcano. It is formed from volcanic fragments and is very steep sided, although not always extremely tall. They usually have just one main vent, and can also sometimes form from a vent of a larger volcano, growing and becoming a whole new volcano. Composite volcanoes resemble very large cinder cone volcanoes at first, but have bigger particles making them up usually and also have multiple vents more often. They also are potentially more explosive.
What are the different shapes of volcanoes?
The different shapes of volcanoes include composite volcanoes or stratovolcanoes with steep sides and symmetrical cones. Cinder cone volcanoes have a summit with a bowl shape crater. Shield volcanoes are low and flat. Lava dome volcanoes have a dome shape.
Does a composite volcano have silica?
Yes it is high in silica because composite volcanoes are known for being explosive. Composite volcanoes, sometimes referred to as stratovolcanoes, one of Earth's most common type.They form by explosive eruptions of pyroclastic material followed by quieter outpourings of lava. This usually indicates high silica content. High silica makes for thicker magma that can clog up the vent from the volcanoe's last eruption. Which makes the next eruption far more explosive because the magma has to free its self out of the vent, and with tremendous force it succeeds sky rocketing billions of pieces of pyroclastic material out of its vent. (this is known as an explosive eruption.)
What is the difference between a composite and shield a Volcano?
Shield Volcanoes erupt less violently and flows further then composite volcanoes. A composite volcano erupts more violently.
What is the most dangerous kind of volcano?
In general, composite volcanoes are the most dangerous volcanoes because they are more explosive than the other types.
Why is it that pahoehoe and AA lava are more frequent in shield volcanoes than in composite volcanoes?
Aa and pahoehoe lavas are both basaltic in composition. The lava from composite volcanoes is likely to be granitic.
Compere shield volcanoes and composite volcanoes?
Shield volcanoes are lower in elevation and usually not exposive, such as Kilauea, which has been constantly 'erupting' since the 80s. Composite volcanoes (aka stratovolcano) are large, usually somewhat cone shaped and appear dormant/extinct until an explosive eruption. Examples are Krakatoa (awesome example), Vesuvius, Pinatubo, Rainier, St Helens and many more. Shield volcanoes typically occur on mid-oceanic 'hot spots' while composites/stratovolcanoes occur on tectonic plate boundaries. The "ring of fire" around the pacific plate has many strato/composite volcanoes and Hawaii's Kilauea is in the center on a 'hot spot' *Skylla*
What is the difference between shield volcano and composite volcanoes?
A shield volcano is made from lava flows that flow far, making a very wide, not very steep mountain. A cinder cone volcano is the most common type of volcano. It is formed from volcanic fragments and is very steep sided, although not always extremely tall. They usually have just one main vent, and can also sometimes form from a vent of a larger volcano, growing and becoming a whole new volcano. Composite volcanoes resemble very large cinder cone volcanoes at first, but have bigger particles making them up usually and also have multiple vents more often. They also are potentially more explosive.
Compare shield volcanoes to composite volcanoes?
A shield volcano is made from lava flows that flow far, making a very wide, not very steep mountain. A cinder cone volcano is the most common type of volcano. It is formed from volcanic fragments and is very steep sided, although not always extremely tall. They usually have just one main vent, and can also sometimes form from a vent of a larger volcano, growing and becoming a whole new volcano. Composite volcanoes resemble very large cinder cone volcanoes at first, but have bigger particles making them up usually and also have multiple vents more often. They also are potentially more explosive.
How are composite volcanoes and shield volcanoes different?
Composite volcanoes or Stratovolcanoes are your typical cartoon image of volcanoes, very tall, narrow craters at the top, steeper sides often snow capped peaks. Shield volcanoes tend to not be as tall and have much more shallow sloping sides. The reason for this is due to their products and location. Composite volcanoes produce lava which is much more viscous (thicker) than shield volcanoes, which tend to produce a thinner runnier lava. This is due to the Silica (SiO2) content of the lavas. Composite volcanoes tend to be produced by more Acidic lavas (with a higher Silica content) where as shield volcanoes are produced by lavas with a more Basic composition, (a lower silica content). Composite volcanoes (Mt St Helens, Vesuvius, Mt Fugi) tend to be formed near destructive plate boundries where one tectonic plate is being subducted beneath another. When the subducted plate reaches roughly 700 km depth it begins to enter the Aesthenosphere, a layer of more ductile rock deep in the mantle. The water content of the subducted plate causes the aesthenosphere to partially melt. The molten magma begins to rise in plumes towards the surface. As the magma plume rises it has a lot of contact with the surrounding rocks it passes through, and it absorbs silica from them, arriving at the surface as a viscous silica rich melt. Shield volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Kiluea, Hekla) are more common over constructive plate margins where two plates are pulling apart. When the plates pull apart it de-pressurises the mantle beneath the plates and causes it to partially melt. The Magma rises up the cracks between the two retreating plates, with little contact to the surrounding rocks, and so picks up very little silica content. This causes it to reach the surface as a runny basic lava. The runny nature of shield volcanoes means that lava flows travel a long way from the volcano crater, causing little build up on the surrounding flanks of the volcano. The viscous nature of Composite volcanoes means that the lava doesn't travel very far and builds up on the sides of the volcanoes making them much steeper. Shield volcanoes are more often active than composite volcanoes, some erupt near constantly for many decades. Composite volcanoes erupt far less often, and can be mistakenly thought of as being extint for hundreds of years between eruptions. Composite volcanoes tend to have much more explosive eruptions than shield volcanoes, which tend to be more effusive in nature. Composite volcanoes are capable of pyroclastic flows (Mt St Helens) and huge eruptions which can entirely destroy the volcano (Pinatubo, Krakatoa). Shield volcanoes tend to only erupt in lava flows, which can create enormous shallow volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Olympus Mons)
What are the different shapes of volcanoes?
The different shapes of volcanoes include composite volcanoes or stratovolcanoes with steep sides and symmetrical cones. Cinder cone volcanoes have a summit with a bowl shape crater. Shield volcanoes are low and flat. Lava dome volcanoes have a dome shape.
What types of valcanoes would be the most explosive?
Volcanoes with more viscosity are more explosive.
Does a composite volcano have silica?
Yes it is high in silica because composite volcanoes are known for being explosive. Composite volcanoes, sometimes referred to as stratovolcanoes, one of Earth's most common type.They form by explosive eruptions of pyroclastic material followed by quieter outpourings of lava. This usually indicates high silica content. High silica makes for thicker magma that can clog up the vent from the volcanoe's last eruption. Which makes the next eruption far more explosive because the magma has to free its self out of the vent, and with tremendous force it succeeds sky rocketing billions of pieces of pyroclastic material out of its vent. (this is known as an explosive eruption.)
What is the sheild volcano eruption like?
Shield volcanoes are the more quiescent, lumbering giants of the volcano world. Although these types of volcanoes are not small by any means, the eruptions they produce can be pretty "ho hum" compared to the enormous explosive potential of the Extreme Volcanoes.
How are shield volcanoes different from what is usually thought of as a volcano?
Shield volcanoes are different from the commonly imagined volcano because they have a broad, gently sloping shape resembling a shield rather than a tall, conical shape. They are formed by the eruption of low-viscosity lava that flows easily over long distances, creating the shield-like shape. This type of volcano typically has less explosive eruptions and is associated with more effusive, continuous lava flows.
