Cinder Cone Volcanoes Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Cinder Cone Volcanoes?

Cinder cone volcanoes are some of the most interesting and fascinating geological formations in the world. They are relatively small volcanoes, usually only several hundred meters tall, with a conical shape. They form when molten lava is ejected from a vent and piles up around it, forming a steep-sided cone. The lava cools quickly as it is exposed to the air, solidifying into pieces of volcanic rock called cinders or scoria. These are often reddish-black in color due to the high iron content of the lava. Cinder cones often have an associated crater at their summit that can range in size from tens of meters up to hundreds of meters across. This is created by pressure built up within their magma chamber as they erupt and eventually explodes outwards resulting in an ash cloud that spreads across nearby landforms. Cinder cones are typically found in areas known as volcanic fields or regions where numerous cinder cones exist due to prolonged volcanic activity over many thousands or even millions of years. Examples include Hawaii’s Big Island and California’s Mono Lake region where dozens of cinder cones can be seen scattered throughout these two areas. The formation process for cinder cone volcanoes is relatively simple yet incredibly powerful at the same time they occur when chunks or fragments of molten magma (lava) rise through vents at higher levels within Earth’s crust and then forcefully eject onto surrounding surfaces under tremendous pressure resulting in an eruption plume made up mainly of ash, steam, gases and other airborne materials which then settle around its vent forming the characteristic shape we know them for today. Overall it can be said that cinder cone volcanoes provide us with valuable insight into our planet’s geologic history as well as offering breathtaking landscapes that few others geological features can rival.