Explosive & Nonexplosive Eruptions

Another thing that you do not want to be confused or scarred about is there are explosive and non explosive eruptions.

Nonexplosive Eruptions: At this moment , volcanic eruptions are occurring around the world-on the ocean floor and on land. Nonexplosive eruptions are the most common type of eruption. These eruptions produce relatively calm flows of lava, such as shown in the photo below. Nonexplosive eruptions can release huge amounts of lava. Vast area of the Earths surface, including much of the sea floor and Northwest region of the United States, are covered with lava from nonexplosive eruptions.

Explosive Eruptions are much rarer than nonexplosive eruptions. However, the effects of explosive eruptions can be incredibly destructive. During an explosive eruption clouds of hot debris, ash and gas rapidly shoot out from a volcano. Instead of producing lava flows, explosive eruptions cause molten rock to be blown into tiny particles that harden in the are. The dust-sized particles, called ash, can reach the upper atmosphere and can circle the earth for years.Larger pieces of debris fall closer to the volcano. An explosive eruption can also blast millions of tons of lava and rock from a volcano, in a matter of seconds, an explosive eruption can demolish an entire mountainside .

An example of an Explosive Volcano eruption looks like this photo below:
 

A Nonxplosive Volcano Eruption looks like this photo on the right.