What is the process of the formation of shield volcanoes?

To understand how shield volcanoes are formed, one must understand first why they are formed. Shield volcanoes are found mainly along divergent plate boundaries. Divergent plate boundaries are plates that have movement of opposite direction, meaning that they tend to move away from each other. read more

Shield volcanoes form like any volcanoes. They’re spots on the Earth where magma from inside the Earth has reached the surface, and becomes lava, ash and volcanic gasses. Over the course of many eruptions, a volcano builds up layer by layer until the magma chamber underneath it goes empty and the volcano goes dormant. read more

Shield volcanoes form in areas where low viscosity magma comes to the surface as fast-flowing lava. The lava travels farther than other types of lava, and the steady build-up caused by this type of magma creates the softer sides seen in shield volcanoes. read more