Compare shield volcanoes to composite volcanoes?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

A shield volcano is one in which lava tends to flow smoothly, with little in the way of ash, pyroclastic flows, etc.; this would describe the Hawaiian volcanoes.

A composite or stratovolcano is built up of layers of rock and ash, and tends to be more explosive with pyroclastic flows and billowing columns of ash. The Cascade volcanoes of North America (including Mount St. Helens) are composite or stratovolcanoes.

Answer 3

A composite volcano or stratovolcano is one of the three main types of volcano. The other two are shield volcanoes and cincer cone volcanoes. Shield volcanoes are very large with broad, sloping sides formed from flows of runny lava. Cinder cone volcanoes are much smaller with steep slopes and are composed of chunks of rock fromed by lava fountained into the air. Composite volcanoes are the most dangerous of the three. They are large with steep slopes and are composed of alternating layers of lava flows and ash deposits. Although lava flows and lava fountaing can occur at these volcanoes, they are best known for the highly explosive eruptions that they can produce, which involve massive plumes of ash and pumice that can extend miles up into the atmosphere, and deadly pyroclastic flows that race down the slopes, burning everything they touch.

Answer 4

Shield volcanoes are characterized by their gentle sloping sides and broad, flattened shapes, formed by low-viscosity lava flows. In contrast, composite volcanoes have steeper sides and are built up from alternating layers of lava, ash, and volcanic rocks, due to the varying viscosity of their eruptions. Shield volcanoes typically have non-explosive eruptions, while composite volcanoes can have both explosive and effusive eruptions.

Answer 5

Shield Volcanoes erupt less violently and flows further then composite volcanoes. A composite volcano erupts more violently.

Answer 6

Shield Volcanoes - Wide base found at constructive plate margins

Composite Volcanoes - Steeper Sides found at Destructive (subduction) margins

Answer 7

Well, really they don't have a lot in common. But they do have similar eruptions.

Answer 8

composite and sheild volcanoes are both formed by lava flows and their hights are in the thousands.

Answer 9

They differ because all volcanoes are a different type and size. It also is of rock.