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BTN: Volcanoes and people

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Computer graphic of an erupting volcano
BTN: Volcanoes and people

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  5–6, 9–10


Imagine living in the shadow of a volcano.

Well, millions of people do in Naples, Italy, where a massive volcano called Vesuvius exists.

This clip explores the dangers posed by volcanoes and investigates some recent and ancient eruptions.

Find out some misconceptions about volcanoes and discover how science is helping prevent future catastrophes.


Things to think about

  1. 1.What volcanoes do you know about and where are they located? What happens when a volcano erupts? What is the most dangerous part of an eruption? Do you know about any recent or ancient volcanic eruptions and how they affected people?
  2. 2.The name 'volcano' is from the word 'Vulcan'. Who or what is 'Vulcan'? In the clip, a local girl says Vesuvius is an extinct volcano. How does the reporter define what an extinct volcano is, and why isn't Vesuvius one? Scientists are monitoring Vesuvius for activity. What technology are they using to detect changes in its shape?
  3. 3.Explain the dangers of living near a volcano. Describe recent and ancient volcanic eruptions and their effect on people living close by. What happens when a volcano erupts and how do they cause deaths and destruction? You could draw a diagram to demonstrate what occurs.
  4. 4.Create a map of the world either on a chart or using a presentation program. On it, locate the major volcanoes, including all significant active and extinct ones. Show nearby cities and towns and the most recent eruptions. Research the formation, location, status, and threats of a large volcano such as Mt Etna, Mt Merapi, or Whakaari (White Island).



Date of broadcast: 17 Jun 2008


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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