What Causes a Volcano to Erupt? Volcanic eruptions are caused by convection in Earth’s mantle and crust.

A good example is the eruption of Washington’s Mount St. Helens. In this type of eruption, the magma blasts into the air and breaks apart into pieces called tephra. Tephra can range in size from tiny …

The Foundation: Where Volcanoes Are Born Most volcanoes form at the boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates, which are huge slabs of crust and upper mantle that fit together like puzzle pieces ...

Jun 13, 2025 · Volcanoes rarely erupt in random places. They are closely tied to the movement of tectonic plates—the massive slabs of Earth’s crust and upper mantle that float atop the flowing …

How do Volcanoes Erupt? The crust of the Earth is made of tectonic plates. These plates float around on a layer of rock called the Mantle. An eruption is when pools of hot rock in the Mantle, called magma, …

6 days ago · 🌋 How do volcanoes erupt?In this short explainer video, we journey inside a volcano to understand what causes eruptions.You’ll see how molten magma forms de...

Volcanic eruptions consist of the expulsion of gases, rock fragments, and/or molten lava from within the Earth through a vent. Volcanic eruptions may produce lava flows, lava domes, blasts, eruption …

Dec 13, 2025 · Explore the geological processes behind volcano formation and activity, why volcanoes matter, their hazards, resources, and major global examples.

Aug 4, 2025 · Volcanoes are not static; they are active and ever-changing systems. Depending on the type of magma and location, they may ooze out slow lava flows or erupt violently with ash and gas.

Feb 26, 2011 · Volcano eruptions happen when magma erupts from beneath the Earth’s crust. When a volcano erupts, the magma becomes lava and shoots into the air, eventually running down the side …