Three types of volcanoes

A volcano is a place on earth where magma or lava - that is, molten rock from the interior of the earth - rises to the surface of the earth.

There are various types of volcanoes:

Shield volcanoes

Shield volcanoes are volcanoes made from easy flowing lava. Shield volcanoes erupt frequently, but because the lava flows down the sides fairly quickly before it solidifies, it tends to become relatively flat.

Cone volcanoes

Cone volcanoes are volcanoes made from thick lava.  Cone volcanoes do not erupt frequently.

Cone volcanoes are conic (hence the name) because of the thick lava left by previous eruptions.

Explosive volcanoes

An explosive volcano is typically a cone volcano, but in this case, the top of the volcano has been blocked, preventing the lava and gases from escaping. 

Gradually, an enormous pressure builds inside the mountain.

When the mountainside explodes, the entire mountain breaks apart and forms a huge crater.

Subsequently, the fragments of the mountain and the magma pour down around the remains of the volcano.