Are volcanoes extinct?

Question

I thought a volcano was either dormant or active. How does one become extinct? Can't any volcano that has not erupted for hundreds of years given the right circumstances become active again?

Answer 1

I found this info to be helpful from biblia:

"An active volcano is one that erupts either continually or periodically. There are several active volcanoes in the continental United States: Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park (California), Mt. St. Helens in Cascade Range (Washington State), and Mt. Katmai (Alaska).

Dormant: A volcano that has been known to erupt within modern times but is now inactive is classified as a dormant, or sleeping, volcano. Mt. Rainier (Washington), Mt. Hood (Oregon), and Mt. Shasta (California) are examples of volcanoes in the continental United States.

Extinct: A volcano not known to have erupted within modern history is classified as an extinct volcano. Volcanologists consider truly extinct volcanoes to be those that have been worn away almost to the level of their magma chamber. But even so-called extinct volcanoes can prove unpredictable. Both Lassen Peak and Mt. St. Helens suddenly erupted after long periods of inactivity."

Answer 2

There are two ways a volcano can become extinct. One is if the lava supply is cut off or if the plate that the volcano is on subducts underneath another plate. Both of these things occur because the crust (all the land and ocean floor) are made up of plates that set above a liquid layer known as the outer core. All of these plates move, but very slow usually one 1-2 millimeters a years. The volcano is created when magma(lava before it reaches the surface) seeps up through fissures in the mantle(layer between the crust and outer core) and crust. The magma builds up and creates the volcano. But as the plates move, the volcano can move away from the magma source, thus it is no longer a volcano. When two plates collide with each other one will go under the other, this is called subduction. The plate that goes under melts in the outer core, thus a volcano on a subducting plate would be destroyed, causing it to become extinct.

Answer 3

Extinct is the wrong term to apply to a modern volcano. Where I live there was a volcano here about 1.1 billion years ago. It is surely extinct. We also have volcanoes as young as 7000 years ago,and they are dormant. The probability of that one re-erupting is small, although another one nearby certainly could erupt. When the tectonic settings have changed enough where vulcanism is no longer possible, then a volcano becomes "extinct".

Answer 4

A dormant volcano still has a connection to the inside of the earth, whereas a dormant volcano has completely solidified in all of its passages, so there is no way for lava or gases to reach the surface any longer. Wikipedia only categorizes volcanos as active and extinct, as a dormant volcano is still essentially active.

extinct volcano: 1. (geology) A volcano that is thought to be incapable of further eruptions

dormant volcano: 1. (geology) A volcano that has not erupted for a considerable length of time, but is still capable of erupting

Answer 5

Extinct is one that erupted, but no longter can erupt.

The earth tectonic plates shift and the opening that caused the volcano may move. Supposedly, that is how the Hawaiian Islands formed. Kawai and Maui are extinct volcanos whose thermal pipe moved south to form the big Island. That pip is moving south and other island will form south of Hawaii in the distant future.

Answer 6

No way and in every country we have a threat of them they are just dormant but can erupt anytime that mother nature will it!No volcano is extinct just dormant!

Answer 7

No, ones that are extinct won't become active again. I guess the crust has moved off the hot spot and the conditions no longer exist for an eruption, ever.

Answer 8

No, they are not extinct. There are 12 regions in the world where volcanoes are found. There are 15 volcanoes in Central America alone. Click my source link for more.

Answer 9

when they are extinct they no longer have any lava in them they are dry or empty. So you can say they are dead. When they are dormant they still have lava deep in them but they are not active.

Answer 10

Doesn't extinct mean like total anahilation of a species? So, no!