GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Dormant volcanoes have not erupted for a very long time but may erupt at a future time. Extinct volcanoes are not expected to erupt in the future.

Detailed explanation-2: -A dormant volcano is one that is “sleeping” but could awaken in the future, such as Mount Rainier and Mount Fuji. An extinct volcano is “dead”-it hasn’t erupted in the past 10, 000 years and is not expected to ever erupt again. Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii could be considered an extinct volcano.

Detailed explanation-3: -A dormant volcano would then be one that hasn’t erupted in the past 10, 000 years, but which is expected to erupt again. An extinct volcano would be one that nobody expects to ever erupt again. These are human definitions of natural things – there have been a number of eruptions from “extinct” volcanoes!

Detailed explanation-4: -Volcanologists describe volcanoes as being active, dormant, or extinct based on how recently they erupted and whether they are likely to do so again. Active: A volcano is considered potentially active if it has erupted during the last 10, 000 years.

Detailed explanation-5: -Volcanologists use that term as shorthand for “potentially active, ” so a “dormant” volcano is one that is not erupting now, but that is considered “active” because it could erupt in the future. Mount Hood is an active volcano that is currently dormant.