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A volcano is a rupture on the crust of a 

planetary mass object, such as the Earth, 

which allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases 

to escape from a magma chamber below the 

surface.

Magma and lava aren't the same. Magma is a mixture 

of molten or semi-molten rock, volatiles and solids that 

is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is 

expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Lava is 

the molten rock expelled by a volcano during an 

eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and 

cooling.

Volcanoes are most commonly found at subduction zone boundaries. This is where 

the thinner oceanic plates get pulled under the thicker continental plates. As the 

plates go deeper, they melt and form pockets of magma which can cause 

mountains to be built and as the hot magma rises, it erupts out of volcanoes. 

Volcanos are also found along spreading centers (under water and at the surface in 

Iceland) where the thinner oceanic crust is being pulled apart the the hot magma is 

bubbling up (remember heat rises). A third place is where these are weakness in 

the earth's crust, commonly called hot spots.

The places known as hot spots are volcanic regions thought 

to be fed by underlying mantle that is anomalously hot 

compared with the mantle elsewhere. They may be 

unanimously hot, and provide a great deal of molten 

magma. They may be on, near to, or far from tectonic plate 

boundaries.

Shield volcanoes are low with gently sloping sides and are formed from layers of 

lava. Eruptions are typically non-explosive. Shield volcanoes produce fast flowing 

fluid [lava] that can flow for many miles. Eruptions tend to be frequent but 

relatively gentle. Although these eruptions destroy property, death or injury to 

humans rarely occurs. Shield volcanoes are usually found at constructive 

boundaries and sometimes at volcanic hot spots. Examples of shield volcanoes 

include Mount Kilauea and Maunaloa on Hawaii. 

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