Questions and Answers About Volcanoes

Given that volcanoes have many associated hazards, why do so many people live on or near volcanoes?

It is odd to find people living near a volcano because they are sometimes problematic. However, most people would live near volcanoes because they have a wide range of benefits. Volcanoes provide people with geothermal energy, fertile soils, and it is a source of tourism.

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Geothermal energy can be produced using steam from the underground that has been heated by the magma. The steam is used to drive turbines to produce electricity for both industrial and domestic use. Countries such as New Zealand and Iceland also use geothermal energy to heat water supplies.

Volcanoes have volcanic rocks that are rich in minerals. The broken rocks and thick deposits of ash break down to form fertile soils that help the locals to intensively cultivate and produce vegetables, herbs, grapes, flowers, and tomato. Therefore, volcanoes are ideal for farming because they produce abundant harvests and healthy crops.

Volcanoes attract tourists from around the world. Seeing erupting volcanoes that blow red-hot rocks and ash attract tourists. Besides, the less active volcanoes that puff out smoke and steam are popular tourist attractions. It is also common to find geysers, hot springs, steam vents, bubbling mud pools and bathing lakes around volcanoes. This creates jobs for the locals especially those in tourism industry such as tour guides, and those who work in gift shops and hotels.

How does extraterrestrial volcanism compare with volcanism on Earth?

Extraterrestrial volcanism and volcanism on Earth closely resemble each other. For example, Hawaiian and Martian volcanoes resemble each other. Both have large collapse pits in the center, have gently sloping flanks and are built of fluids of lavas that leave flow features on their flanks.

The most common difference between extraterrestrial volcanism and volcanism on Earth is that extraterrestrial volcanism is enormous and may grow to over 350 miles across and about 17 miles in height while volcanism on Earth may grow to a maximum width of 74 miles and height of 6 miles. In addition volcanism on Earth, extraterrestrial volcanism is not associated with tectonic plates. Extraterrestrial volcanisms are controlled by planetary size because other planetary bodies do not have tectonic plates. However, the volcanoes may be as a result of tensional fault or compression fault systems.

List one site in the world where a volcano poses a threat to nearby residents. What is the character of the volcanism there (lava flows, explosions, ash falls, etc.)?

The Mauna Loa volcano in the city of Hilo, Hawaii is believed to be taking a nap, and people do not know when it will reawaken. The residents of Hilo are at risk of the volcano as some continue to push further up the slopes of Mauna Loa. The massive shield of volcano always covers 60 kilometers. The red-hot lava would fountain aggressively reaching about 50 meters in the air then the molten magma underground would unleash, some draining from fresh cracks. When the lava began flowing, and a plum of sulfur-rich in ash and steam would climb into the sky bulging like a large stack of smoke.

What are some popular movies that include volcanoes? (Conduct a Google search if you are not familiar with any of these popular movies.)

The most popular volcano moves include Dante's peak and Volcanoes. Dante's Peak involves an epic disaster adventure that happened in 1997. The mayor convinces the people that a big volcano is about to hit the city. However, the mayor discovers that his children have gone to the mountain. Thus, he must rescue his children before the volcano detonates in fury of ash and flame, more powerful than a bomb. On the other hand, the Volcano movie is a disaster film where a massive earthquake happens in Los Angeles, and the emergency management department warns that a volcano may be forming. Later a severe earthquake unleashes lava in sewer tunnels threatening to destroy the whole city.