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Article: Volcanoes and Water
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- Water:Science and Issues
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Volcanoes and Water
A volcano is a place on the Earth from which
magma
and gases associated with magma flow through the Earth's crust onto the surface, whether on land, in shallow waters along the shoreline, or under the sea. Scientists estimate that there are tens of thousands of active and dormant volcanoes on Earth, and thousands more extinct volcanoes.
Water and volcanoes are closely linked. Water plays significant roles throughout the "life cycle" of magma: from its production deep within the Earth, to its fiery escape at a volcano, to its final cooling.
Water Introduction via Plate Tectonics
The making of a volcano requires magma, and the making of magma requires heat. In other ...