Volcanoes are caused by sudden movements occurring in the Earth’s interior. Classification of volcanoes based on the shape is discussed below
Classification of volcanoes based on shape:
Central volcano: This volcano is formed when debris and lava erupt out forming a symmetrical volcano.
Fissure volcano: This volcano throws out lava and fragments of rocks through fissures or cracks on the Earth’s surface. Instead of building a cone, the cracks distribute lava over a vast area. The Columbian Plateau was formed by a fissure eruption.
Shield volcano: When a volcano emits large quantities of hot lava, a large shield-like structure is spread over large parts of the Earth. Mauna Loa in Hawaii Islands is a shield volcano.
Conical volcano: Because of repeated eruptions, a volcano may acquire a cone-shaped structure. These volcanoes usually have steep slopes. A conical volcano is also known as a composite volcano. Mt Fuji in Japan is an example of a conical volcano.
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