Web Conferences

Web conferences with schools are hosted live from the field by the LEARNZ Teacher and are coordinated by the LEARNZ Office. More about web conferences.

The web conferences for this field trip are now fully booked. You can still take part as a listening school in the Zoom Room.

Questions for Web Conference #1

Questions from Orewa College

1. Can you describe what it is like to be in the midst of a volcanic eruption? (Astrid, Kaede, Sophie and Adam)
2. When do you decide to use a drone to gather information rather than go to the place yourself and what other technological advances have made your work more accurate and/or safer? (the class – who liked the drone story Ben gave in his bio….)
3. Has volcanic activity been increasing in the world, and if so, why? (Elyse)
4. How much pressure is needed in a volcano before it erupts and how do you measure that? (Jake)
5. Why does land temperature get hotter when one tectonic plate sinks under another? (Estelle)

Questions from Masterton Intermediate School

1. How come places like Iceland have so many incredible eruption changes and we don't? (Teagen)
2. How do they know that the volcano is safe? (Jack)
3. How does the geyser get to explode the way it does? (Aliyah)
4. What are hydro-thermal vents? (Eli)
5. Can you tell us about your job as a volcanologist? (Ana)

Questions for Web Conference #2

Questions from Kaiapoi North School

1. How old are Iceland's volcanoes compared to New Zealands?
2. How do volcanoes in Iceland differ from Volcanoes in New Zealand?
3. What research are you currently doing on the volcanoes in Iceland?
4. Would a volcanic eruption in Iceland cause as much damage as the Mt Vesuvius eruption?
5. What is your favourite thing about Iceland?

Questions from Hawera Intermediate School

1. How much have the volcanoes changed the landscape?
2. Why are there so many volcanoes in Iceland?
3. How many active volcanoes are in Iceland?
4. Are there signs to warn people of the eruptions?
5. How are the volcanoes monitored?

Questions for Web Conference #3

Questions from Columba College

1. Could Iceland become two islands if the plates begin to pull apart faster and more deeply? Jess
2. Are you able to predict when the next volcanic eruption in Iceland or N.Z. will be? Mia
3. What happens when new lava flows go over the basalt again? Does it remelt the basalt? Does basalt have any harmful chemicals in it and can crops be grown on it? Eleanor
4. Why does the Earth need tectonic plates? Miriam
5. What does tephra look like and what is it made of? Imogen.

Questions from Masterton Intermediate School

1. How does the ice not melt in Iceland with all the hot volcanic activity?
2. How do you define an extinct volcano from a dormant volcano?
3. Can an extinct volcano become active again?
4. What is the difference between continents and plates?
5. When you drill into a volcano with magma - how is it that the drill bits don't melt?

Questions for Web Conference #4

Questions from Rangitoto School

1. How do scientists in Iceland monitor Earthquakes and Volcanoes? (Breeanne)
2. How are advances in technology helping monitor volcanoes and earthquakes? (Kasey)
3. What types of jobs are there in researching volcanoes and earthquakes? (Ceiran)
4. How do people prepare for a natural disaster in Iceland? (Jake)
5. What organisations are there to help people in Iceland if there was a natural disaster (Lucy)

Questions from Papanui School

1. Do volcanoes have any benefit to the Earth?
2. How do the volcanoes affect nature and vegetation in Iceland?
3. How do you determine the strength of an eruption and what are the different types of danger levels of an eruption?
4. What is the worst recorded eruption of a volcano in history?
5. How different would our world be if we didn’t have volcanoes?

Questions for Web Conference #5

Questions from North Street School

1. How often do volcanoes erupt? Jade
2. If you drill into a volcano do you release lava? Isobel
3. Has something bad ever happened when drilling into a volcano? Katie
4. Does Iceland have landslides? Miya
5. How are the Iceland volcanoes different to the Hawaii volcanoes? Shirley

Questions from Belfast School

1. Why is Iceland such a good spot for researchers compared to other volcanic hot spots?
2. How do you drill into magma? (Isn't it hot enough to melt metal? Students love the idea of a diamond drill!)
3. Does magma move and swirl under the crust of the Earth?
4. What is the geothermal energy used for in Iceland?
5. When the volcanic eruptions are happening how are the people and cities of Iceland affected?
6. Is volcanic tourism a positive for Iceland, how is this managed and people kept safe?