There are different perspectives and opinions about volcanoes, but the two major expressions on volcanoes that come into mind are its beauty and its terror. Though many people may not agree, there is one side of volcanoes that do have an expression of beauty. Before it erupts, a volcano sits quietly with the mountains, and everything looks peaceful and beautiful as they are one with nature, but when this peace is interrupted by the eruption of the volcano, all that once looked peaceful and beautiful suddenly becomes surrounded with the overwhelming fear of nature. Volcanoes can cause a great amount of property damage as well as the loss of many lives, including both people and animals. In ancient times, people thought of volcanoes as mysterious, and they were very superstitious about them. Today, even with the tremendous advances in all the sciences, people still ask many questions about volcanoes that continue to be unanswered. However, it is believed that when we have learned more about volcanoes and their terrific power we may be able to find it to be a benefit of humanity.
             The great clouds of gases, vapor, and ash particles are the most noticable features of the explosive eruption of a volcano. The eruption cloud may be luminous or dark, depending on whether it is incandescent and whether it contains a small or large amount of ash particles. From a distance, the fiery and smoky appearances with the red glow of the lava escaping from the crater beneath can give an image of a burning mountain. There are two extremes of volcanic eruptions, one extreme being that the lava rises quietly to the surface and overflows the lip of the crater. The gases bubble through the lava and escape calmly, but there are instances when the gases rush out with so much force that they form lava fountains that shoot hundreds of feet into the air. On the other extreme, a giant explosion occurs in the chimney of the volcano, and when
             ...