Many volcanoes are mistaken for mountains.
Powerful, mysterious and unpredictable, volcanoes have always been a source of awe and fear for man. The same is true today as many people want to learn more about them. Learning about how they form, whether you might live near one, and what different types of volcanoes look like is very exciting. Fortunately, finding information about volcanoes and the processes that form them is easy to do. If you're lucky, you might even be able to visit a volcano near you.
Instructions
1. Visit your local library. Talk with the librarian or use one of the computers to search the library catalog. A keyword search would probably yield the most results. Try keywords such as volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, hot spots, magma, lava, eruption, ring of fire or subduction zones.
Searching for the names of famous volcanologists (scientists who study volcanoes) can also be helpful. Rosaly Lopes and Stanley Williams are two well-known volcanologists. Much has also been written about David Johnston, a volcanologist killed in the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens.
2. Contact the geology department of your local college or university. They often have entire collections dedicated for use by local public and private schools. It's not uncommon for them to allow an interested individual access to their materials. At the very least, they can direct you to excellent sources of information.
3. Search for reports or studies in journals, magazines and newspapers about famous or recent eruptions. Here are some well-known volcanoes, with their locations and the dates of their most well-known eruptions:
Vesuvius, Italy, 79 AD;
Krakatau/Krakatoa, Indonesia, 1669;
Mt. Tambora, Indonesia, 1815;
Mt. St. Helens, U.S., 1980;
Pinatubo, Philippines,1991;
Etna, Italy, 2000-2001.
4. Visit your local bookstore and browse some books about volcanoes. These are usually found in the natural science section, but some bookstores might have sections dedicated to Earth science. Flipping through a few materials might help focus your search.
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