Question

What is a shield volcano?

Answer 1

A shield volcano is the largest kind of volcano that erupts a thin, low-viscosity, basaltic lava gently and over a large area. Basaltic lava is a type of lava that has a low viscosity, while viscosity is a measure of the ability of a fluid to flow.

Answer 2

Volcanoes come in different shapes, depending on the type of eruption. Shield volcanoes have shallow, sloping sides and are formed by very hot, runny lava that spreads over a wide area. The majority of the volcanoes that happen occur along the cracks in the lithosphere that mark the edges of the tectonic plates.