Volcanoes Facts for Kids

Iceland uses volcanic heat to generate electricity and warm homes — this is called geothermal energy.

In 1943, a farmer in Mexico watched a volcano called Parícutin grow right out of his cornfield — it reached 1,100 feet in a year.

Even Mercury, the smallest planet, has volcanic features — scientists found evidence of ancient lava flows on its surface.

A caldera is a giant bowl-shaped crater that forms when a volcano collapses into its own empty magma chamber.

In Hawaii, volcanic smog is called "vog" — it's a hazy mix of gases and particles from Kilauea's eruptions.

Saturn's moon Enceladus has ice volcanoes that shoot water and ice into space instead of lava.

In 1902, Mount Pelée on Martinique destroyed the entire city of Saint-Pierre in minutes, with only 2 survivors out of 30,000.

Obsidian, volcanic glass, can be fractured to an edge sharper than the finest steel scalpel.

About 80% of volcanic eruptions happen under the ocean where we can't even see them.

Lava isn't always red — it can be orange, yellow, or even black depending on its temperature and mineral content.