Melting – Deep inside the Earth, intense heat melts rock in the mantle, forming molten rock called magma. Rising Magma – The magma pushes upward through cracks in the Earth’s crust due to pressure and buoyancy. Eruption – When pressure builds up too much, the magma erupts through the surface as lava, ash, and gases. Formation – Over time, layers of cooled lava and ash accumulate, creating the cone-shaped structure we recognize as a volcano.
