GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Some of the Earth’s grandest mountains are composite volcanoes–sometimes called stratovolcanoes. They are typically steep-sided, symmetrical cones of large dimension built of alternating layers of lava flows, volcanic ash, cinders, blocks, and bombs and may rise as much as 8, 000 feet above their bases.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cinder cones are the most common type of volcano. A cinder cone has a cone shape, but is much smaller than a composite volcano. Cinder cones rarely reach 300 meters in height but they have steep sides.

Detailed explanation-3: -Composite volcanoes usually erupt a range of compositions from basalt to rhyolite, but intermediate (andesitic) and dacitic magmas are most common.

Detailed explanation-4: -Composite volcanoes or stratovolcanoes are the most common type of noted volcanic edifices, and they occur in all regions of volcanic activity and throughout the world. However, they are particularly frequent in subduction zones, for example, along the circum-Pacific belt of convergent plate margins.

Detailed explanation-5: -Famous composite volcanoes include Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador, Mount Shasta and Lassen in California, Mount Hood in Oregon, Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington, Mt Pinatubo in the Philipenes, and Mt. Etna in Italy.