How do I make a volcano diagram?

Describe the diagram you want, choosing a general labeled volcano or a specific type, and whether it should be labeled or blank. Pick a style, then click Generate. Figviz draws a clean cutaway cross-section with legible labels and thin leader lines, ready to download and print. Refine the prompt and regenerate until it fits your lesson.

Can I get a blank volcano worksheet?

Yes. Ask for a blank version and Figviz produces a cross-section with empty label boxes and leader lines pointing to each part, so students can fill in the magma chamber, conduit, vent, crater, lava flow, and ash cloud themselves. Blank diagrams work well for note-taking, quizzes, and exit tickets.

What are the three types of volcano?

The three main types are shield, composite, and cinder cone. A shield volcano is a broad, low dome built from thin runny lava. A composite volcano, or stratovolcano, is a tall, steep cone made of alternating layers of ash and lava. A cinder cone is a small, steep cone of loose cinders around a single vent. Figviz can draw each type with the correct profile and labels.

Is the volcano diagram generator free?

Yes. Every Figviz account starts with free credits you can use right away, no credit card required. A pay-as-you-go credit pack removes the watermark and unlocks higher-resolution export for large printing. Credits never expire.

Can I use these diagrams in my classroom?

Yes. Figviz diagrams are made for teaching. Use a labeled cross-section for direct instruction, a blank worksheet for note-taking or quizzes, and the shield, composite, and cinder cone versions to compare volcano types. Export at up to 4K resolution for sharp handouts, slides, and wall posters.

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Volcano Diagram Generator Volcano

Create clear, labeled volcano diagrams in seconds. Show the magma chamber, conduit, vent, crater, and lava flow, or draw a shield, composite, or cinder cone volcano. Free for teachers, students, and researchers.

Last updated: 2026-07-01

✓Labeled cross-section of every volcano part✓Shield, composite, and cinder cone types✓Classic, colorful and minimal styles✓Print-ready 4K output

Volcano Diagram Generator

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Volcano Diagram Examples

Browse volcano diagrams made with Figviz, or generate your own above

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Labeled Volcano Diagram

A fully labeled cutaway showing every major part of a volcano, from the deep magma chamber up through the conduit and vent to the erupting ash cloud.

labeledcross-sectionall parts

Blank Volcano Worksheet

A blank worksheet version with empty label boxes and leader lines, ready for students to identify each part of the volcano on their own.

worksheetblankfill in

Volcano for Kids

A simplified volcano diagram for kids, with bright colors and large friendly labels for the magma, lava, vent, and ash cloud.

for kidssimpleelementary

Shield Volcano Diagram

A cross-section of a shield volcano, showing its broad low dome built from thin runny lava flows spreading far from the vent.

shield volcanolabeledtype

Composite Volcano Diagram

A cross-section of a composite volcano, or stratovolcano, showing its tall steep cone built from alternating layers of ash and hardened lava.

composite volcanostratovolcanotype

Cinder Cone Volcano Diagram

A cross-section of a cinder cone volcano, showing its small steep cone of loose cinders and a wide bowl-shaped crater at the top.

cinder conelabeledtype

What a volcano diagram shows and its labeled parts

A volcano diagram is a cutaway cross-section that slices through a volcano so you can see both its outside shape and the hidden plumbing inside. The parts start far underground and work their way up. The magma chamber is the large reservoir of molten rock deep below the surface. From it, a conduit or pipe carries magma upward through the cone, sometimes branching so the volcano has a main vent and one or more secondary vents on its flanks. Near the top the conduit widens into the throat and opens at the crater, the bowl-shaped opening at the summit. When the volcano erupts, molten rock reaches the surface as lava and pours downhill as a lava flow, while an ash cloud and towering eruption column rise into the sky. Slice the cone open and you see layers of ash and rock, the built-up strata from past eruptions, sometimes cut by a sill (a horizontal sheet of hardened magma) or a dike (a vertical one). A diagram generator turns a short description into a clean, labeled cross-section, so you can skip the drawing and go straight to teaching.

The three types of volcano

Shield volcano: a broad, low dome with gently sloping sides, built from thin, runny lava that flows far before it hardens. Shield volcanoes are the widest type and erupt fairly gently.

Composite volcano, or stratovolcano: a tall, steep, symmetrical cone built from alternating layers of ash and hardened lava. These volcanoes can erupt explosively and are the classic mountain shape most people picture.

Cinder cone volcano: a small, steep, straight-sided cone made of loose cinders and volcanic fragments piled around a single vent, usually with a wide bowl-shaped crater at the top.

The difference comes down to what erupts and how. Runny lava spreads out into a shield, sticky lava and ash stack into a steep composite cone, and blasted-out cinders pile into a small cinder cone.

How a volcano erupts

An eruption begins deep in the magma chamber, where molten rock collects and pressure builds. Because magma is lighter than the solid rock around it, it pushes upward through the conduit toward the surface. Dissolved gases inside the magma expand as it rises, much like the bubbles in a shaken soda, and that expanding gas drives the eruption. When the magma reaches the vent it becomes lava, and depending on how thick and gas-rich it is, the volcano may ooze gentle lava flows or blast an ash cloud and eruption column high into the air. Falling ash and cooled lava settle onto the cone as fresh layers of ash and rock, which is how the volcano slowly grows taller with each eruption. Showing this sequence on a labeled diagram helps students connect the underground magma chamber with the visible eruption at the surface.

How to make a volcano diagram

Decide whether you want a general labeled volcano or a specific type: shield, composite, or cinder cone.

Choose labeled if you want every part named, or blank if students will fill in the labels themselves.

List the parts to include, such as the magma chamber, conduit, vent, crater, lava flow, ash cloud, and rock layers.

Pick a level: a simple version for younger kids or a detailed cutaway for older students.

Pick a style: Classic for clean printing, Colorful for a bright color-coded cutaway, or Minimal for a low-ink worksheet.

Click Generate, review the diagram, and download your print-ready image for handouts, slides, or posters.

Classroom uses for earth science

Direct instruction: project a labeled cross-section while you trace magma from the chamber up through the vent to the erupting summit.

Note-taking: hand out the blank worksheet so students label the parts of the volcano as you teach.

Compare and contrast: show the shield, composite, and cinder cone diagrams side by side to teach how volcano shape depends on eruption style.

Quick checks: use the blank version as an exit ticket where students name each part.

Projects and posters: print a detailed cutaway at high resolution for a wall display of a labeled volcano.

Frequently asked questions

The main parts of a volcano are the magma chamber deep underground, the conduit or pipe that carries magma up, the main vent and any secondary vents, the crater at the summit, the lava and lava flow at the surface, the ash cloud and eruption column above, and the layers of ash and rock that build the cone. A volcano diagram labels each of these parts. Figviz can generate labeled or blank versions in seconds.

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