Why do volcanoes erupt?
Deep under the ground, it is so hot that rock melts!
Pip’s answer
- Deep under the ground, it is so hot that rock melts!
- That melted rock is called magma, and it pushes up to find a way out.
- Whoosh! When it bursts out the top, it is a volcano. Now the magma is called lava!
For grown-ups
Deep underground, rock can melt into magma. Because magma is lighter than the solid rock around it, it rises and collects in chambers. Gas dissolved in the magma builds pressure, and when that pressure finds a way out through a crack or vent, the volcano erupts. Magma that reaches the surface is called lava.
Ask your child: What do you think happens to lava after it cools down?
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