Department of Earth Science |Northeastern Illinois University

INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
ESCI 121

                                                                                                                             Dr. Sanders

Homework: Get to Know a Volcano!

In this assignment, you will research and get to know a volcano.   You will write a brief (one page) report on your findings, addressing specific questions.

Criteria for choosing your volcano:
    Do not choose Kilauea or Mount Saint Helen's.
    Choose a volcano that has erupted in the last decade (10 years).
    Choose a volcano for which enough information is available that you can answer the questions below.

Finding information:
    You must use at least two sources.
    You must cite the sources you use.
    You may use any printed sources such as books (including your textbook) and periodicals.
    You may use web resources.  Here are a few links to get you started, but there are many more!

            Smithsonian Institution (Global Volcanism Program)   

                100 Active Volcanoes (updated daily)          

                     How Volcanoes Work   

                        Volcanoes Online  

                            Volcano World

Writing your report:

    Format:  Your report must be typed in 12-point font or larger. 
    Page limit: maximum one page of text.
    Spacing: Choice of line spacing is up to you.
    Writing: Your report must be written in complete sentences.
    Spelling and grammar: Your report must be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
    No plagiarism: The report must be written by you, in your own words.  You will not receive credit for material written by others!  Do not copy and paste information from web pages or any other source; write in your own words to show your own understanding of the material.  Be aware of the NEIU policy on academic misconduct.


Your report should include the following information, in this order (use this numbering in your answers):

1.  Give the name and location (e.g. continent, country, general region) of your volcano. 

2.  What is the structure, or form of your volcano?  (Hint:  look for terms like cinder cone, volcanic dome, stratovolcano, composite volcano, or shield volcano.  Whatever term you come up with, be sure to explain it in a few sentences.)

3.  Give a brief history of your volcano's major eruptions and/or most recent eruptions.

4.  Describe your volcano's eruptions in terms of their eruptive style/nature.  (That is, do they seem to erupt suddenly and explosively?  Or are the eruptions more mild and frequent?)

5.  What is the plate tectonic environment of your volcano?  You'll need to consult a map of plate boundaries.  Maps from the plate tectonic exercise we did in class are available in this on-line version; also the big sea floor map in the classroom.

6.  List the references you used, including giving the specific URL for any website used.  You must use information from
       at least two sources besides your textbook!

7. Print the world map that appears at this link.  Plot your volcano's location on the map.

Put your name on both pages, and staple or clip them together to hand them in.