In this activity, students make a simple model of a cinder cone by pouring a granular material such as fine dry sand, pea-size gravel or rice bubbles into a conical pile and measuring its slope. This is then related to the shape and formation of cinder cone volcanoes.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
- describe the shape of a pile of granular material poured from above
- relate the shape of their model cinder cone to that of real cinder cones
- explain the concept of ‘angle of repose’
- describe the formation of cinder cones.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
- introduction/background notes
- instructions on what you need and what to do
- ideas for extending your students.
