Earth & Space
What happens in a volcano?
A little drawing leads the Wusels beneath a volcano.
The short answer
Molten rock can rise through openings from inside Earth. Below the surface it is magma; above it, lava. Gas and ash may also escape. Not every volcano erupts in the same way.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
A small unheated display volcano stands in the garden. Beside it, Flauschi follows a path from underground to the surface in a drawing.
Puschel“Has the mountain cooked red soup?”
Flauschi“Our model cooks nothing. In real volcanoes, molten rock can rise. Below the surface it is magma; at the surface it is lava.”
Puschel places a cool stone beside the model. Puschel“Rock can look very different.” Flauschi“Yes. And a real eruption is not a play experiment.”
They draw different volcano shapes on paper. No smoke rises from the display model; it only helps them explore their question.
Little Wusel quiz
What is molten rock beneath Earth’s surface called?
Choose one answer: a), b).
- a)Magma
- b)Lava
Show answer
Correct answer: a): Magma Magma. Erupted molten rock at the surface is called lava.
Do all volcanic eruptions look alike?
Show answer
No. Among other things, magma’s thickness and trapped gases affect an eruption.
Word help
- mineral
- A natural substance with a particular composition and ordered internal structure.
- magma
- Molten rock below Earth's surface.
- lava
- Molten rock that has reached Earth's surface.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
Magma gathers
Some regions contain partly molten rock underground. Magma is molten rock below the surface; Earth’s entire interior is not liquid.
A route upward opens
Magma can rise through cracks. Gases and pressure influence events. Molten rock reaching the surface is lava.
Eruptions differ
Thick, gas-rich magma can erupt differently from more fluid magma. Gases, ash and rock fragments may be dangerous. Volcanic ash contains tiny rock and glass fragments, not burnt wood.
Magma and lava: a route with different names
Molten rock underground is called magma. On reaching the surface in an eruption it is called lava. Cooling can form solid rock. The naming difference concerns location. Magma can travel through cracks to the surface; real volcanoes have different cracks and eruption styles.
The key points again
Discovery 1
Molten rock below Earth’s surface is called magma. When it reaches the surface, we call it lava. Earth’s entire interior is not made of liquid lava.
Source: [1]
Discovery 2
Magma can rise through cracks and openings to the surface. An eruption can release lava, gases and rock fragments. Volcanic ash consists of tiny pieces of rock, minerals and volcanic glass. Minerals are natural substances that make up rocks. Volcanic glass forms when molten rock cools very quickly. Volcanic ash is made of these tiny pieces, unlike ash from a fireplace.
Discovery 3
Eruptions do not all look alike. Magma’s thickness and how easily gases escape influence what happens. Some eruptions are explosive: material and gases burst out with great force. Volcanic hazards are not something to try ourselves.
Source: [1]