Volcanoes: Nature's Pressure Release Valves
Think of volcanoes as Earth's way of releasing built-up pressure - they're openings in the Earth's crust where molten rock, gases, and ash escape from deep underground. Just like people have different personalities, volcanoes come in three main types based on their shape and how they erupt.
Shield volcanoes are the gentle giants - broad and gently sloping with relatively calm eruptions, like Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Stratovolcanoes (also called composite volcanoes) are the dramatic ones - steep and cone-shaped with explosive eruptions that can be incredibly dangerous, like Mount St. Helens.
Cinder cone volcanoes are the smallest of the bunch - they're steep-sided cones made from pyroclastic material (basically volcanic fragments). A famous example is Paricutin in Mexico, which literally grew from a farmer's cornfield!
Quick Tip: Remember the shapes by thinking "Shield = Gentle slopes like a warrior's shield, Strato = Steep like a tower"