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A lahar is a mixture of water and rock fragments that can flow down a volcano after an eruption. Based on the characteristics of their adjacent volcanoes, which of these areas would have the lowest probability of experiencing a lahar after an eruption?

A.
a farmstead in Iceland, near volcanoes and massive glaciers
B.
a ranch in Hawaii, near a volcano that is rising up from the ocean floor
C.
a town in Washington state, next to volcanic ranges and a large river valley
D.
a city in Colombia, next to a volcano with a snow-covered peak

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The area with the lowest probability of experiencing a lahar after a volcanic eruption would be a ranch in Hawaii, where volcanoes erupt effusively with flowing lava that solidifies into rock, a process less likely to lead to lahars.

Step-by-step explanation:

A lahar is a dangerous phenomenon associated with volcanic activity, consisting of a fast-moving flow of water and rock fragments. Among the given options, the area with the lowest probability of experiencing a lahar would be a ranch in Hawaii, where volcanoes erupt effusively. This means that the type of volcanic activity in Hawaii tends to produce flows of lava without the explosive eruptions that can melt snow or ice rapidly and incorporate water into the flow to create lahars. In contrast, the other locations mentioned are either near massive glaciers, like in Iceland; large river valleys, as in Washington state; or snow-covered peaks, like in Colombia, all of which contribute to increased risk factors for lahars following an eruption.

Hawaiian volcanoes tend to erupt with lava flows that solidify into rock, rather than explosive eruptions that can generate lahars through rapid melting of snow, ice, or glacial interaction. Hawaii's volcanic landscape is shaped by these effusive eruptions, which slowly build up the island's landmass without the same risks of sudden lahars that other volcanic regions might face.

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