Earth and Beyond
Subject List
Changes to the Earth (natural disasters)

Volcanoes
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Volcanoes occur where there are breaks in the crust and hot rock from the mantle rises to the surface. Volcanoes are found on land and in the oceans.

Volcanoes produce three main types of eruption materials:

  1. Lava, molten rock is forced out of the crater of the volcano.
  2. Ash, grey dust and volcanic bombs are emitted from the volcano, covering the surrounding area. The sunlight is reduced due to the amount of dust in the atmosphere.
  3. Volcanic fumes, sulfur carbon dioxide and other noxious gases.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes occur when there is movement of the Earth's crust. The crust is a series of moving sections called tectonic plates. Earthquakes generally occur at the edges of these plates when they rub against or collide with each other.

Storms
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The air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are continually moving, when they collide an interference, a storm, is created. Storms range from heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning or hail storms to tropical cyclones.


Links:
Volcanoes Earthquakes Erosion Wind, storms, cyclones, tornadoes and lightning!
Rain, hail and snow

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