CHAPTER XI 



VOLCANOES. 



Volcanoes are caused by the settling of the earth in- 

 ward on the gaseous nucleus, owing to the increased 

 weight of cooling crust. The settling of the crust in- 

 ward causing friction in the particles of crust working 

 against each other in settling. This friction causes 

 . heat and a tendency to dispersal of matter. Heat being 

 motion tending to disperse, and in consequence must 

 find an outlet, whenever it becomes manifest in excess 

 of the power tending to offset it in the particular local- 

 ity. 



This friction being present near the surface where 

 the lifting power of the heat is greater than cold in 

 pressure in the premises, and in consequence it forces 

 an outlet, thereby dispersing matter which has been 

 reduced by the given quantity of heat. The heat hav- 

 ing forced an outlet, must cease to continue whenever 

 the settling of crust which generates same ceases to pro- 

 duce heat. It having no means of generating heat other 

 than by the settling of the crust, and in consequence 

 cannot continue longer than the means of reconstruction 

 of action or movement, and the replenishing force be- 

 ing friction. 



Where this friction is nearer to the center of the 

 body, or nucleus, it will force an entrance inward 



84 



