V olcanoes are one of the most fascinating natural features on Earth. They are openings in the ground where molten rock, called magma, rises from deep inside the planet. When magma reaches the surface, it is called lava. Volcanoes can be tall mountains with smoking peaks or hidden cracks in the ground, but all of them are formed by the movement of magma beneath the Earth’s crust.

The Earth’s surface is made of giant pieces called tectonic plates. These plates slowly move around on top of the hot, molten layer below. Sometimes the plates push against each other, pull apart, or slide past one another. These movements create cracks or weak spots in the Earth’s crust. Magma from deep inside can escape through these weak points, slowly building up layers of lava, ash, and rocks to form a vol

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