Volcanoes can be summarized as follows:
1. Volcanoes are openings in the earth's crust through which heated materials from the interior are ejected.
2. The materials ejected include gases, water, lava, and rock fragments. Gases make up 60-90% of total volcanic discharge and include water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur and chlorine compounds.
3. There are two main types of volcanoes - central/explosive volcanoes which eject pyroclastic materials and fissure/quiet volcanoes which erupt slowly along fractures.