Final answer:
Three common products of a volcanic eruption are lava, volcanic ash, and gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, which can have significant geological and atmospheric impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
During a volcanic eruption, various materials can be expelled from the volcano. Three things that commonly come out of a volcano are: lava, ash, and gases.
- Lava flows from the volcano and hardens into rock as it cools. This molten rock is intensely hot and can cause widespread destruction.
- Volcanic ash consists of tiny fragments of rock, minerals, and volcanic glass that can damage infrastructure, affect human health, and alter climates by blocking out sunlight.
- Volcanic gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide are released into the atmosphere. These gases can contribute to climate change through haze-effect cooling and the greenhouse effect.
For example, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius ejected vast quantities of ash and pyroclastic material, causing catastrophic effects to nearby settlements. Volcanic eruptions introduce significant quantities of volcanic material into the Earth's system and affect geological and atmospheric processes.