What are the differences between a cinder cone composite and shield volcano?
Cinder cone volcanoes are relatively small, rarely exceeding 1,000 feet tall. Composite volcanoes, also known as stratovolcanoes, are towering structures, often rising more than 10,000 feet. Shield volcanoes are broad, typically 20 times wider than they are high. These volcanoes can be massive.
How are cinder cone volcanoes different?
While sometimes they are nearly perfect cones like Sunset Crater Volcano, cinder cones frequently have an asymmetric shape. Cinder cones that form over a linear fissure vent are elongated, and ones that form in areas with strong prevailing winds may be much taller on the downwind side.
How do cinder cones compare with shield volcanoes in terms of size and the steepness of their flanks?
How do the size and steepness of slopes of a cinder cone compare with those of a shield volcano? Cinder cones are much smaller and steeper than shield volcanoes. … Composite volcanoes tend to have intermediate to felsic lava that is very viscous whereas shield volcanoes have basaltic lava that is low in viscosity.
What is a composite cone?
Composite cones are large volcanoes (many thousands of feet or meters tall) generally composed of lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and mudflow (lahar) deposits, as well as lava domes. Composite volcanoes are active over long periods (tens to hundreds of thousands of years), and erupt periodically.
How do cinder cones compare in size and steepness of their flanks with shield volcanoes?
Cinder cones are much smaller and steeper than shield volcanoes.
What is the difference between a stratovolcano and a shield volcano?
Stratovolcanoes have relatively steep sides and are more cone-shaped than shield volcanoes. They are formed from viscous, sticky lava that does not flow easily. The lava therefore builds up around the vent forming a volcano with steep sides.
Why are shield volcanoes wider than composite volcanoes?
The magma that creates shield volcanoes is less viscous so it flows much more easily. For this reason the eruptions of shield volcanoes are non-explosive. In addition the less viscous lava spreads out more which makes shield volcanoes much larger and flatter than stratovolcanoes.
How does a cinder cone volcano form?
Cinder conesCinder cones, sometimes called scoria cones or pyroclastic cones, are the most common types of volcanic cones. They form after violent eruptions blow lava fragments into the air, which then solidify and fall as cinders around the volcanic vent.
What is a shield cone?
(shēld ‚kōn) (geology) A cone or dome-shaped volcano built up by successive outpourings of lava.
What are cinder cones made of?
Cinder cones They are built from particles and blobs of congealed lava ejected from a single vent. As the gas-charged lava is blown violently into the air, it breaks into small fragments that solidify and fall as cinders around the vent to form a circular or oval cone.
What makes a cinder cone volcano unique?
Cinder cones are the simplest and most common type of volcano. Cinder cones form over time from particles from fire fountains. Cinder cones are never huge and have a slope of around 33 degrees. They can be new volcanoes, or they can form over the vents of pre-existing volcanoes.
What defines a cinder cone?
Cinder cones are the simplest type of volcano. They are built from particles and blobs of congealed lava ejected from a single vent. As the gas-charged lava is blown violently into the air, it breaks into small fragments that solidify and fall as cinders around the vent to form a circular or oval cone.
How would you describe a cinder cone volcano?
noun Geology. a conical volcano with a low, steep profile, having been formed mostly by the cinders or scoria that fall from lava that has violently spewed into the air and broken into fragments. Cinder cones are often found on the flanks of shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, and calderas.
What is cinder cone?
Definition of cinder cone : a conical hill formed by the accumulation of volcanic debris around a vent — see volcano illustration.
How are cinder cones volcanoes formed?
Cinder conesCinder cones, sometimes called scoria cones or pyroclastic cones, are the most common types of volcanic cones. They form after violent eruptions blow lava fragments into the air, which then solidify and fall as cinders around the volcanic vent.