Volcanoes form at subduction zones, hot spots, and through plate tectonics. There are three main types of volcanoes - shield volcanoes which erupt fluid basalt and form broad slopes, cinder cones which erupt explosively and form small steep slopes, and composite volcanoes which alternate between explosive and nonexplosive eruptions forming tall steep shapes. The type of eruption depends on factors like the viscosity, gas and water content of the magma.