How does the type of volcano Mount Etna is affect the damage its eruptions cause?
Geologists consider mount Etna to be a Strato Volcano (also know as a composite volcano); this is a volcano that has a steep volcanic cone that is built up by dense lava flows and pyroclastic debris. Stratovolcanoes pose the greatest hazards to populations living on or near their slopes because they typically erupt explosively, and frequently without warning. Molten lava is a threat to the surrounding area, as are the large amounts of volcanic ash and gas that stratovolcanoes spew. Large, explosive eruptions of stratovolcanoes can throw volcanic ash high into the atmosphere, posing a significant engine-clogging hazard for jet aircraft that fly into the ash cloud. Volcanic gases, ejected into the atmosphere can also form a cloud of acid droplets. Such a cloud can lead to acid rain, which causes damage to property and the environment. The summits of many stratovolcanoes are covered by snow and ice during the winter, and the tallest of these mountains are capped by snow and glaciers throu
