Run! It's Lava! Quiz | Mountains & Volcanoes

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 caused volcanic ash to rise twenty two miles in the sky and global temperatures to cool by one degree Fahrenheit for the following two years. On which of the Philippine islands would you find the location of this volcano?

Answer: Luzon

The event resulted in over 800 deaths but it could have been worse because scientists were able to predict the eruption in advance. It was estimated that approximately 5,000 lives were saved due to early evacuation of the area. The eruption is considered to be the second largest of the twentieth century.

2. The volcano on the island of Krakatoa in Indonesia erupted violently in 1883 causing the destruction of most of the island. In 1927, the caldera formed from this eruption created a new island called Anak Krakatau. What is the English translation of this name?

Answer: Child of Krakatoa

The Krakatoa eruption was one of the loudest on record and able to be heard as far as 3,000 miles away. On Anak Krakatau there have been periodic eruptions since 1927 with some as recent as 2012. The new island is relatively small with a diameter of about 2.5 miles and an elevation of over 1,000 feet.

3. After more than 120 years of dormancy, Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980 resulting in one of the deadliest and the most destructive volcano eruptions in American history. Which three states were affected by the rain of volcanic ash?

Answer: Washington, Idaho and Montana

The eruption caused 57 deaths as well as the destruction of several homes, bridges, railways and highways. Following the event, complete darkness covered Spokane, Washington which is located some 250 miles northeast of the volcano. The resultant ash came down as black rain on the people in Washington, Idaho and part of Montana. Prior to 1980, the last reported eruption was in 1857.

4. Located on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia, Mount Tambora is a volcano that erupted in 1815 causing global climate change. Due to its effect on weather in Europe and North America, the following year became known as what?

Answer: Year Without a Summer

The eruption itself resulted in over ten thousand deaths but the fallout escalated the totals to in excess of seventy thousand due to starvation and disease. The event created lower temperatures with the ensuing effect of agricultural failure and death of livestock. The Tambora eruption caused the Northern Hemisphere to experience the worst famine of the 19th century.

5. Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcano in terms of mass and volume is part of a volcanic chain comprising four other volcanoes that make up the island of Hawaii. Which one of the neighboring volcanoes has a higher peak than Mauna Loa?

Answer: Mauna Kea

Despite its size, the peak of Mauna Loa is slightly lower than its neighbor Mauna Kea. The name "Mauna Loa" fittingly means "Long Mountain" in Hawaiian. The height of each of the five volcanoes are as follows: Mauna Kea - 13803 ft, Mauna Loa - 13,679 ft, Hualalai - 8271 ft, Kohala - 5,480 ft and Kilauea - 4091 ft.

6. In 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted twice, the latter of which caused a disruption of air travel in Europe due to the presence of substantial volcanic ash in the atmosphere. What type of volcano is this Icelandic mountain?

Answer: Stratovolcano

There are three main types of volcanoes, those being Stratovolcanoes, Cinder Cone Volcanoes and Shield Volcanoes. The characteristics that class them apart are differences in shape, size and make-up. For example, the Stratovolcano has gentle lower slopes but steep upper slopes and is concave upward, they are up to 10km in diameter and have many layers of lava and pyroclastics.

7. The most catastrophic volcanic eruption of the twentieth century in terms of lives lost was that of Mount Pelee in 1902. The volcano can be found on an island in the Caribbean Sea which is considered an overseas department of France. Which island is it?

Answer: Martinique

The Mount Pelee eruption caused about thirty thousand deaths most of which were directly as a result of the lava flow into St.Pierre, the main city on the island at the time. Reportedly, only a handful of people survived the event but they sustained severe burns and some died later as a result of their injuries.

8. Estimated to have occurred more than 3,500 years ago, the volcanic explosion of Thera was an eruption that was several times greater than that of Krakatoa. The event affected which ancient Greek civilization of the Bronze Age?

Answer: Minoan

The eruption resulted in devastation to Minoan settlements on the island (later called Santorini) including areas nearby as well as parts of Crete. The extent of the damage which included tsunami hits all but wiped out Minoan fleets on the coastlines. The event was also an inspiration for Plato's writings about the fictional island of Atlantis.

9. Nevado Del Ruiz is a volcano located in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. Its eruption in 1985 resulted in the second largest death toll of the twentieth century and was caused chiefly by lahars. What is the common term for a lahar?

Answer: Mudslide

A lahar is a mudflow consisting of pyroclastic material, rocks, water, ice, pumice and other debris. Following the eruption, lahars quickly moved down the slopes of the volcano engulfing everything in its path leading to about 23,000 people being buried alive. The estimated damage was approximately one billion dollars, representing one-fifth of Colombia's GNP at the time.

10. In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted in Southern Italy over the Bay of Naples spreading lava and ash on Pompeii and Herculaneum. Reportedly, there was only one survivor who was able to give a first hand account of the event. Who was it?

Answer: Pliny the Younger

It was estimated that an excess of sixteen thousand people perished as a result of the lava flow. Vesuvius remains one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Europe due to the proximity of highly populated areas. Both Pliny the Younger and his uncle Pliny the Elder witnessed the incident but Pliny the Elder perished during the eruption.

Source: Author lout62001

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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Run! It's Lava! Trivia Quiz

This quiz will be about some of the more well known volcanoes.

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