Mount St.Helens Erupting. Digital image. Oregonlive. N.p., n.d. Web.

This is a picture of Mount St. Helens erupting in 1980. This picture is related to our Powerpoint based on volcanoes and earthquakes because Mount St. Helens is a composite volcano. We learned that there are 3 types of volcanos from the movement of the tectonic plates.These types include composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and rift volcanoes. Composite volcanoes are almost always found near subduction zones, Mount St. Helens is near the Juan de Fuca Plate and on the Nort American Plate.

Mount St Helens is an example of a composite volcano because of its cone shape. This is a result of previous eruptions that left layers upon layers of lava and ash. The eruption (scientifically)  began when the magma pushed it’s way up to the surface of the volcano. Below it there was gas being trapped which caused the pressure to build up. Finally, the pressure gets too strong and it erupts. The eruption released lava and ash which instantly caused destruction and havoc around the area. Ashes were present in Vancouver (526 km) for roughly a week after the explosion.