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Huge plumes have been spewing from a volcano in Indonesia, which has erupted at least eight times in the last week. People have been warned to keep their distance from the volcano.

Another volcano in Mexico, called Popocatépetl, has shown signs of eruption in the past week. It's name comes from the Aztec word for smoking mountain and is one of the country's most active volcanoes, thankfully most of its eruptions are small in size and cause little damage.

Mount Sinabung and Popocatépetl are two of around 1500 'active' volcanoes in the world.

Find out everything you need to know about Earth's erupting giants here.

What is a volcano?

Volcanoes are evidence of the powerful forces at work inside the Earth.

Below the Earth's core there's a red-hot liquid rock called magma.

A volcano is a rupture on the Earth's crust, which allows lava, ash, and gases to escape, when magma rises to the surface.

The UK doesn't have any active volcanoes.

Are there different types of volcanoes?

There are three common types of volcano: composite volcanoes, often the most deadly; shield volcanoes, which are large but usually less violent; and cinder cones.

What effects do volcanoes have?

Volcanoes can change the weather. They can cause rain, thunder and lightning.

They can also have long-term effects on the climate.

Fast-moving lava can kill people and falling ash can make it hard for them to breathe. Lava can also kill plants and animals too.

Can we predict when a volcano is going to erupt?

Scientists who specialise in volcanoes are called volcanologists. They are growing more and more confident at predicting when volcanoes will erupt in the short-term.

If a volcano was going to erupt in one hour they'd have a good idea it was going to happen. If it was going to blow in a week they'd be less sure, and in six months even less so.

The further a volcano is from erupting, the harder it is to predict. Working out if a volcano will erupt in future years is still impossible.

Volcanologists combine several techniques to predict what will happen.

They use monitors to detect movement in the rocks that make up the volcano and in the Earth's crust. They also measure the gases that come out of the volcanic mountains, and even the angle of the slopes.

If an eruption is likely to happen very soon the behaviour of animals in the area can be a clue.

Animals often seem to be able to 'detect' when an eruption is coming, and they become agitated and worried.

And volcanologists are always trying to find new ways to detect eruptions. Some are now using satellites to try to understand how and when they may blow.

Do volcanoes do anything good?

Volcanic ash is very good for soil, which helps plants to grow after a volcano.

Volcanic slopes left after an eruption are very steep, so rare and delicate plants and animals can set up home there and be protected.

One in 10 people in the world live within 'danger range' of an active volcano.

The biggest volcano in the world is Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Its whole volume is about 80,000 cubic kilometres.

Sometimes lightning is seen in volcanic clouds. It's not clear why this happens but it could be to do with lots of hot particles bashing into each other, causing static charges.

Indonesia has the largest volcano chain in the world. Chile has the second largest chain, with about 500 that are potentially active.

There are around 1510 'active' volcanoes in the world. Volcanologists disagree on what comes under the term 'active', but 1510 volcanoes have erupted in the last 10,000 years, which means they are active in the world of volcanoes. There are thought to be many more volcanoes on the sea bed.

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Everything you need to know about volcanos - CBBC Newsround

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Huge plumes have been spewing from a volcano in Indonesia, which has erupted at least eight times in the last week. People have been warned to keep their distance from the volcano. Another volcano in Mexico, called Popocatépetl, has shown signs of eruption in the past week.

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Global Goals Spinner Game | Irish Aid 2021

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How Volcanoes Form

In 1980 in Washington, after 123 years of hibernation, Mount St. Helens erupted. The blast destroyed and scorched 230 square miles (370 square kilometers) of forest within minutes. The eruption released an avalanche of hot ash, gas, steam, and rocks that mowed down giant trees up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) away.

When magma finds a way to escape from beneath the earth's surface, it creates a volcano.

Volcanoes erupt in different ways. Some, like Mount St. Helens, explode. Explosive eruptions are so powerful, they can shoot particles 20 miles up (32 kilometers), hurl 8-ton boulders more than a half mile (0.8 kilometers) away, and cause massive landslides. Explosive eruptions also create an avalanche of hot volcanic debris, ash, and gas that bulldozes everything in its path. Explosive volcanoes cause most of the volcano-related fatalities.

Volcanoes, like Mauna Loa in Hawaii, are effusive. Rather than a violent explosion, lava pours or flows out. Fatalities from effusive volcanoes are rare because people can usually outrun the lava. However, some people get too close or become trapped with no escape. The flowing lava burns, melts, and destroys everything it touches including farms, houses, and roads.

A volcanic eruption forever changes the landscape. Though volcanoes destroy, they also create mountains, islands, and, eventually, incredibly fertile land.

Carpet of Ash

Volcanic eruptions can cause damage hundreds of miles away. Volcanic ash causes airplane engines to fail, destroys crops, contaminates water, and damages electronics and machinery. The ash carpets the ground, burying everything, sometimes even causing buildings to collapse. Mount St. Helens produced more than 490 tons of ash that fell over a 22,000 square mile (56,980 square kilometer) area and caused problems in cities 370 miles (600 kilometers) away.

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When magma finds a way to escape from beneath the earth's surface, it creates a volcano.

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Volcano Videos: Fun facts & more! | Nat Geo Kids

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Learn how volcanoes work with Nat Geo Kids. Photo © Pablo Hidalgo | Dreamstime.com

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Primary, Middle and Secondary School.

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A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust that allows magma, hot ash and gases to escape. Find out more with Bitesize KS2 Geography.

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Find amazing facts about animals, science, history and geography, along with fun competitions, games and more. Visit National Geographic Kids today!

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Primary, Middle and Secondary School.

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