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How Real Volcanoes Work
Deep under the Earth, rocks are so hot they melt into a liquid called magma. Sometimes the pressure builds up until the magma pushes up through cracks in the Earth and bursts out the top of a mountain. That is a volcanic eruption!
When magma reaches the surface, we call it lava. Lava can be over 1,000 degrees Celsius, hot enough to melt metal! Along with lava, volcanoes shoot out ash, gas, and rocks.
The mountain itself is built up over time from layers of cooled lava. Each eruption adds another layer. Some volcanoes have been building up for millions of years!