Volcanoes

Characteristics of volcanoes 

Location

Volcanoes are distributed close to plate margins, particularly constructive plate margins. Many volcanoes have formed along the mid atlantic ridge between the South American plate and the African plate, and The North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The area around the Pacific ocean is especially prone to volcanoes and is called 'The Pacific ring of fire'. This ring stretches from the Andes in South America, northwards to California in North America and all the way to the Philippines. Many islands in the Philippine archipelago are volcanic islands. They also occur in destructive Plate Margins, shown by the volcanoes in the Andes regions. 

Key Terms: 

Natural Hazard: An event over which people have little control, which threatens people's lives and possessions. This is different from a natural event as volcanoes can erupt without being a hazard. 

Primary effects: The immediate effects of the eruption, caused directly by it. 

Secondary effects: The after effects that occur as an indirect effect of the eruption on a longer timescale. 

Aid: Money, food, training, and technology given by richer countries to poorer ones, either to help with an emergency or for long term development. 

Immediate response: How people react during a disaster and straight afterwards.

Long-term Response: Later reactions that happen in the weeks, months and years after the event. 

Lahar: Mudflows resulting from ash mixing with melting ice or water - a secondary effect of a volcano. 

Hazard map: A map that shows areas that are at risk from hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods and tsunamis.