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Think all magma stays locked inside
the mantle? Think again.
In some parts of the world, plates
are pulling apart. Magma rises to the
surface and spills out through cracks.
In other places, plates are crashing
together. Sometimes one plate slides
below the other. Then the lower plate
melts and forms new magma. Some
of that magma forces its way to Earth’s
surface and erupts through cracks.
What do scientists call those cracks? Volcanoes.
Magma that gushes onto Earth’s surface is called
lava
. Erupting
lava is hot stuff—up to 2,200°F (1,200°C). But the instant lava
hits air or water, it starts to cool. It doesn’t take long to harden
into
igneous rock
.
Igneous
comes from a Latin word that means
“fire.”
Vibrant
Volcanoes
