Why Do Volcanoes Sleep for Centuries and Then Suddenly Awaken?

Volcanoes can sleep for a long time because they need to collect molten rock, called magma, deep inside the Earth. Sometimes, this magma builds up slowly and then bursts out in an eruption, like when a soda bottle is sealed tightly and then shaken until it explodes.

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Examples

Bread rising in an oven, just like molten rock expands underground until it finally bursts out.
A bottle of soda sealed and shaken until it explodes, similar to how magma builds up pressure inside a volcano.
A sleeping cat that suddenly jumps awake, like a volcano after centuries of dormancy.

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Categories: Environment · volcanology· earth science· geological activity