There are many different parts to a volcano that help it function properly. Some of these different sections of a volcano serve various purposes. Some parts to a volcano are the vent, pipe, magma chamber, fumarole, side vent, crater, magma conduit, old layers of ash, old layers of lava, ash cloud, pyroclastic flow, and volcanic ash, cinders, and bombs.
Vent and Side Vents
The vent is the area where the molten rock (magma) spurts from the volcano. The vent also releases ash clouds, volcanic ash, cinders, and bombs. The central vent is the main vent at the top of the volcano. Side vents are alternative vents, present when magma pushes its way up through the crust in a different route than the pipe.
Pipe
The pipe is the long, vertical tube that connects the magma chamber to the vent of the volcano. When magma hardens in the narrow pipe and destructive forces wear away at the rest of volcano, a volcanic neck is created. The purpose for a pipe is to lead the magma to the vent and out to the surface.
Magma Chamber
The magma chamber is like a storage compartment for magma. As the magma rises to the volcano, it gathers in a magma chamber below the volcano. The pipe connects to the chamber and brings up the magma to the vent.
Fumarole
A fumarole is similar to a geyser or hot spring. It is a vent on the surface of an active volcano that emits gas and steam while between eruptions. Fumaroles exude volcanic gases and hot steam when the magma close to the surface, most likely in the magma chamber, heat up nearby groundwater. The groundwater turns into steam while the magma gives off carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide.
Old Layers of Ash and Lava
Old layers of ash and lava can up the mountain of a volcano. Composite volcanoes are created by alternating layers of ash and lava flows.
Ash Cloud
The ash cloud is made up of the volcanic ash released during an eruption. The ash clouds can cause widespread problems for people, planes, cars, pets, and other things.
Crater
The crater is a depression at the central vent of the volcano shaped by volcanic activity. When placed at the top of the volcano, they can also be known as summit craters. These bowl-shaped basins can be deep or shallow and wide or steep. Some volcanoes might not have a crater, whereas some may have more than one. Flank craters are craters that form on the side of volcanoes around side vents. A marr is a volcanic crater that was formed by water, creating a crater lake.
Volcanic Ash, Cinders, and Bombs
Volcanic ash, cinders and bombs occur during an explosive eruption. Since an explosive eruption throws out lava with such force, it is broken up and harden quickly. These broken up pieces of rock can be classified into three categories. Volcanic ash are the smallest of the three. They can be as small as a grain of sand. Next, cinders are the medium sized chunks. These pieces of rock are about as big as a pebble. The largest fragments of cooled lava can be classified as bombs. Bombs are said to range from about the size of a baseball to as large as a car.
Pyroclastic Flow
Pyroclastic flow is a combination of all three of the types of cooled lava: volcanic ash, cinders, and bombs. During an explosive eruption, the pyroclastic flow not only includes the particles of cooled lava but also the gases that had been built up inside of the volcano.
Vent and Side Vents
The vent is the area where the molten rock (magma) spurts from the volcano. The vent also releases ash clouds, volcanic ash, cinders, and bombs. The central vent is the main vent at the top of the volcano. Side vents are alternative vents, present when magma pushes its way up through the crust in a different route than the pipe.
Pipe
The pipe is the long, vertical tube that connects the magma chamber to the vent of the volcano. When magma hardens in the narrow pipe and destructive forces wear away at the rest of volcano, a volcanic neck is created. The purpose for a pipe is to lead the magma to the vent and out to the surface.
Magma Chamber
The magma chamber is like a storage compartment for magma. As the magma rises to the volcano, it gathers in a magma chamber below the volcano. The pipe connects to the chamber and brings up the magma to the vent.
Fumarole
A fumarole is similar to a geyser or hot spring. It is a vent on the surface of an active volcano that emits gas and steam while between eruptions. Fumaroles exude volcanic gases and hot steam when the magma close to the surface, most likely in the magma chamber, heat up nearby groundwater. The groundwater turns into steam while the magma gives off carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide.
Old Layers of Ash and Lava
Old layers of ash and lava can up the mountain of a volcano. Composite volcanoes are created by alternating layers of ash and lava flows.
Ash Cloud
The ash cloud is made up of the volcanic ash released during an eruption. The ash clouds can cause widespread problems for people, planes, cars, pets, and other things.
Crater
The crater is a depression at the central vent of the volcano shaped by volcanic activity. When placed at the top of the volcano, they can also be known as summit craters. These bowl-shaped basins can be deep or shallow and wide or steep. Some volcanoes might not have a crater, whereas some may have more than one. Flank craters are craters that form on the side of volcanoes around side vents. A marr is a volcanic crater that was formed by water, creating a crater lake.
Volcanic Ash, Cinders, and Bombs
Volcanic ash, cinders and bombs occur during an explosive eruption. Since an explosive eruption throws out lava with such force, it is broken up and harden quickly. These broken up pieces of rock can be classified into three categories. Volcanic ash are the smallest of the three. They can be as small as a grain of sand. Next, cinders are the medium sized chunks. These pieces of rock are about as big as a pebble. The largest fragments of cooled lava can be classified as bombs. Bombs are said to range from about the size of a baseball to as large as a car.
Pyroclastic Flow
Pyroclastic flow is a combination of all three of the types of cooled lava: volcanic ash, cinders, and bombs. During an explosive eruption, the pyroclastic flow not only includes the particles of cooled lava but also the gases that had been built up inside of the volcano.