Throughout history, volcanoes have killed millions of people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. They could
erupt at any time so they unpredictable and dangerous. Scientists are working all over the world to learn about these
devastating yet awesome landforms.
Complete the chart below by researching the different ways volcanoes form. There are different volcanoes according to
Volcano
Formation
Island
Arc
Continental
Arc
Hot Spot
Rift
Zone
Diagram
How Volcano Forms
These volcanoes form
when two oceanic plates
converge. The plate that is
subducted begins to melt
into magma. The magma
rises up through the crust
to form an arc of volcanic
islands.
These volcanoes form
when an oceanic plate is
subducted under a
continental plate. The
oceanic plate begins to
melt into magma. The
magma rises through the
crust to form an arc of
volcanic mountains.
These volcanoes form
over a super heated
magma plume that forms
in the middle of plates. As
the plate moves, the Hot
Spot burns through the
crust to make a new
volcano.
These volcanoes form at
divergent boundaries. As
two plates diverge, they
create a weak spot in the
crust that allows magma
to rise up through to
become a volcano. Seafloor spreading at midocean ridges is an another
example.
Type of Boundary
Where Volcano Forms
Convergent between
two oceanic plates.
Convergent boundary
between an oceanic
plate and a continental
plate.
Forms in the middle of
tectonic plates.
Forms at a divergent
boundary on land. Could
also form at divergent
boundaries on the ocean
floor (mid-ocean ridges)
the types of plate boundaries where they form.
Use the Plate Tectonic Map below to answer the questions
1. What type of volcano would you find at location 5? Explain This would be a Hot Spot volcano because it is forming
in the middle of a plate.
2. What type of volcano would you find at location 6? Explain This would be an island arc volcano because it is a
convergent boundary between two oceanic plates and you can see the arc of islands that has formed.
3. What type of volcano would you find at location 4? Explain This would be a continental arc volcano because it is a
convergent boundary between an oceanic and continental plate. An arc of volcanoes along the West coast of S.
America would form.
4. What type of volcano would you find at location 7? Explain This would be a volcano at a mid-ocean ridge or rift
zone volcano because it is forming at a divergent boundary in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Cut these diagrams out and paste them in the correct position in the chart above.
Cut these diagrams out and paste them in the correct position in the chart above.