Page 240 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

PHOTOCOPYING PROHIBITED
© Silverback Academic Media
240 SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
EARTH SYSTEMS
Silverback Times
Bringing you the latest news from around New Zealand
Mount Ngauruhoe Erupts!
A reporter from the Silverback Times has rung asking for your scientific advice. They need you
to help them write an article about a volcanic eruption. Use the following word list to label the
diagram. Then, complete the article by filling in the gaps.
Magma chamber - Conduit - Crater - Ash cloud - Lava bombs - Pyroclastic flow - Sill
Mount Ngauruhoe Erupts!
Mount Ngauruhoe in the central North Island erupted
at 2.00 pm today, spewing fountains of lava and ash
into the air. A large pyroclastic flow was seen pouring
down the mountain.
The ground at the eruption site was covered with ash,
and lava bombs have rained down on the surrounding
area. All flights south of Hamilton have been grounded
and National Park has been closed to all visitors.
Volcanoes occur in New Zealand because of the
movement of t plates. The
Pacific plate is sinking underneath the I
A plate. When it sinks down into
the m it becomes very hot and melts. This
molten rock (called m ) rises though
cracks or weaknesses in the Earth’s crust. This causes a
pressure build up inside the Earth. When this pressure is
released, magma explodes to the surface causing a
v e . Magma which
reaches the surface is called l . The lava
from the eruption cools to form new crust. Over time,
after several e , layer upon layer
of lava builds up. This leads to the classic volcano
shape. However, some eruptions are so explosive that
the volcano blows itself to pieces.
The Anatomy of a Volcano
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Notable eruptions in New Zealand’s history
180 Taupo. Largest eruption in the world in the last
5000 years. Formed Lake Taupo.
1400 Rangitoto Island. Most recent eruption of
Auckland’s 50+ volcanoes.
1886 Tarawera. Killed 150 people. Destroyed the Pink
and White Terraces.
1975 Ngauruhoe. Blocks of lava were thrown as far as
3km away.
1995-6 Mount Ruapehu. One of the world’s most active
volcanoes.
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