Types of volcanoes
Cinder cone volcanoes
Cinder cones are the simple types of volcanoes. They are built from particles of lava erupted from single vent. They are many cinder cones in western North America and in the whole world. As the gas and lava is blown into the air small particles dry up and form cinders. The cinders form a circular cone around the crater.
Shield volcanoes
Shield volcanoes are built of fluid lava flows. Shield volcanoes are large volcanoes. The lava from shield volcanoes can travel long distances. Shield volcanoes are formed by hot spot volcanoes such as Mauna Loa, Kilauea in Hawaii.
Composite volcanoes
Composite volcanoes are also called stratovolcanoes. They are built of layers of lava flows, ash, cinders, lava bombs and blocks. They form a cone shaped mountain. This is the reason they are called composite. Composite volcanoes usually erupt in an explosive way. Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Vesuvius in Italy and Mount St. Helens are examples of composite volcanoes.