10 things I already knew about volcanoes

When discussing volcanoes, it is common knowledge that these natural phenomena are geological formations that can erupt, spewing lava, ash, and gases from the Earth's mantle to its surface. Volcanoes are usually found at tectonic plate boundaries, where the Earth's crust is either diverging or converging, and can also occur at 'hotspots' where there is an unusually hot part of the Earth's mantle. The formation of mountains is often linked to the movement of these tectonic plates, with some mountains being formed by the uplift of the Earth's crust, while others, like volcanic mountains, are built by successive eruptions of lava and ash.

Volcanoes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates and the pressure from the hot, molten rock beneath the Earth's crust, known as magma. When this magma finds a way to escape to the surface, it leads to a volcanic eruption. The force of the eruption can be powerful enough to cause earthquakes and, if occurring under or near the ocean, may trigger tsunamis. The specific triggers and mechanisms of volcanic activity involve complex interactions between the internal heat of the planet, the composition of the magma, and the geological structures that confine it. Understanding these processes is crucial for predicting volcanic eruptions and mitigating their potential impact on human populations.