Mount St. Helens, Oregon

Volcanoes change the earth’s surface during an eruption. A volcanic eruption forces lava and ash to come out of the volcano. Lava is molten, or melted, rock. Therefore, the lava comes out as a hot liquid. This liquid rock flows down the volcano and covers the land. Usually everything in the path of a lava flow is burned. Additionally, ash fills the air, burying, and often killing, nearby plants.

Many volcanic eruptions occur under the ocean. As a result, a volcanic eruption can cause tsunamis just as earthquakes do. Volcanoes are often found at the edges of tectonic plates. Many eruptions and most earthquakes take place in the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped area that follows the edge of a tectonic plate that touches many countries along the Pacific Ocean.