Shield Volcano

volcanoes · lava · geology

Named for a shield. Shield volcanoes get their name because they look like a giant warrior's shield lying flat on the ground. Their wide, gentle slopes make them instantly recognizable.

Made of runny lava. These volcanoes erupt lava that flows easily and travels far, unlike the thick, sticky lava from other volcanoes. The runny lava spreads out in thin layers across a huge area.

Grows in layers. Each time a shield volcano erupts, it adds another broad sheet of lava on top of the old ones. After many eruptions over thousands of years, these layers pile up to create the volcano's wide, dome-like shape.

Gentle slopes everywhere. Because the lava flows so far before cooling, shield volcanoes have very gradual, gentle slopes all around them. You could almost walk up one without it feeling too steep.