Real World: Planetary Volcanoes
Volcanoes play a role in how Earth looks today. Thanks to NASA's missions, we know more about volcanoes in our solar system. Studying volcanoes can teach us about the interior properties of the planets and moons. Learn how the slope equation is used to identify how a volcano was formed.
Discussion and writing prompts
1. Volcanoes can tell scientists a great deal about what is happening inside a planet or moon. What can the presence or absence of volcanoes reveal about a planet’s interior, age, and geologic activity? Choose one planetary body from the video and explain what its volcanoes tell scientists about its geologic history and how it has changed over time.
2. Although volcanoes exist on several planets and moons, they do not all form or erupt in the same way. Why is it important for scientists to compare volcanic activity on different worlds instead of simply extrapolating information gained through the study of Earth's volcanoes?
3. Scientists cannot observe every volcano in the solar system up close, so they rely on spacecraft images, maps, and other data to study them. How do these observations help scientists develop and test explanations about planetary processes?
4. Imagine you are a planetary geologist analyzing images from a newly discovered volcanic region on another world. Describe the evidence you would look for, the questions you would ask, and how your findings could improve our understanding of the solar system.
Background Information
Grades 3 through 8
- NASA Space Place What is a Volcano? (website)
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Planetary Geologist - Dr. Lynnae Quick (video)
Grades 6 through 12
- American Museum of Natural History Space Volcanoes Shelf Life-360 (video)
- Geology.com Active Volcanoes of Our Solar System (webpage)
- Lunar and Planetary Institute Shaping the Planets: Volcanism (webpage)
- NASA Cassini Mission Overview (webpage)
- NASA Dawn Mission Overview (webpage)
- NASA Galileo Mission Overview (webpage)
- NASA How Earth Volcanoes Offer a Window Into the Evolution of Life and the Solar System (webpage)
- NASA New Horizons (webpage)
- NASA Solar System Exploration: Io (webpage)
- NASA New NASA Radar Looks to Monitor Volcanoes and Earthquakes from Space (webpage)
- NASA Earth Observatory Natural Events: Volcanoes (website)
Activities
Grades 3 through 8
- My NASA Data What is a Volcano? (website)
- NASA Space Place Space Volcano Explorer (interactive)
- My NASA Data Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a Volcano (webpage)
Grades 3 through 12
- My NASA Data Mini Lessons: Volcanic Eruptions (webpage)
Grades 6 through 12
- PBS Learning Media Volcanoes (website)
- NASA JPL Make a Volcano (webpage)
- My NASA Data Modeling Plate Tectonics and Volcanoes (webpage)