Beneficial effects of Volcanic Eruption

1. Volcanoes have done wonderful things for the Earth. They helped cool off the earth
removing heat from its interior. Volcanic emissions have produced the atmosphere and
the water of the oceans. Volcanoes make islands and add to the continents.

2. Volcanic materials ultimately break down and weather to form some of the most fertile soils
on Earth, cultivation of which has produced abundant food and fostered civilizations.

3. The internal heat associated with young volcanic systems has been harnessed to
produce geothermal energy.

4. Most of the metallic minerals mined in the world--such as copper, gold, silver, lead, and zinc--
are associated with magmas found deep within the roots of extinct volcanoes.

Harmful effects of Volcanic Eruptions

1.Volcanic eruptions can be extremely damaging to the environment, particularly because of a

number of toxic gases possibly present in pyroclastic material. It typically consists mainly of
water vapour, but it also contains carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide gas. Other gases typically
found in volcanic ashes are hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, carbon
monoxide, and volatile metal chlorides.
2. When volcanoes erupt, they emit a mixture of gases and particles into the air. Some of
them, such as ash and sulphur dioxide, have a cooling effect, because they (or the
substances they cause) reflect sunlight away from the earth. Others, such as CO2, cause
warming by adding to the the greenhouse effect.

3. Plants are destroyed over a wide area, during an eruption. The good thing is that
volcanic soil is very rich, so once everything cools off, plants can make a big comeback.

4. Volcanic eruptions can impact environment thousands of kilometres

distant from eruptive center and in the case of ash fallout could affect
natural resources a wide area. Post-eruption consequences such
as famine and epidemics, as well as heavy rains, floods result in changes of
development and management of the human settlements even in areas
distant from volcanic centers such as Poland.