How many active volcanoes are there in the world?
There are about 1500 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, aside from the continuous belt of volcanoes on the ocean floor. About 500 of these have erupted in historical time. More than half of these volcanoes are part of the Ring of Fire, a region that encircles the Pacific Ocean. In the U.S., volcanoes in the Cascade Range and Alaska (Aleutian volcanic chain) are part of the Ring, while Hawaiian volcanoes form over a 'hot spot' near the center of the Ring.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
23 Comments
Robert Hohmann
potentially, and active are not same!
Glenn Rickert
Although I got the question right (from a guess), I agree with the other comments that the answer was unfair, as only 500 have erupted in human history, so that means that the other 1,000 volcanoes, plus the ones under the sea are not active at all. "Potentially" does not verify true activity.
Stevie G
How can you give a defined number to this question ....
gudehus
The question was about "active"; their answer was about "potentially active". Crazy!
earlepg
I see lots of complaints about the question asking the number of active volcanoes (1500) and giving the answer as the number of potentially active volcanoes (500). I also see that the count is now 4 green thumbsup to 2 red thumbsdown. To effect a change is going to take several reporting it.
Steve Tingle
Extinct, dormant or active - I suppose all dormant are potentially active, though some probably won't erupt during the existence of humans.
Louella Wilson
I note that no source is given. So how is the answer vindicated?
jack patti go
It's alot!
Jerry Edwards
David Holmes, did anyone cough when the participant answered the question right?
Geoff Millward
Poor question a fail to the editor
Fred Zeb Fudpucker
kite005, Oh crap! It was potentialy active a month before as well, but that is not an ACTIVE volcano. Had never erupted before that we knew of.
Fred Zeb Fudpucker
BS! There are 50 to 60 active volcanoes that erupt at least once yearly and at least 20 erupting at any given time.
David Holmes
I picked this up from a TV quiz show.
kite005
I don't think it was trick at all. Mt St. Helens was potentially active the day it blew it blew it's top. I don't think the question was how many are spewing lava at the moment.
Glenn Rickert
James Vetzel Thank you for that informative answer. I'm writing a novel that is supposed to take place on a "new island". The problem is, I don't know how quickly they can form and how large they can get, even under the most extremely active situations. Do you know where I might find some info on that topic?
James Vetzel
Got it right (Thanks, National Geographic), BUT, this place is KNOWN for ambiguous trick questions.