Petacas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Petacas |
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|---|---|
| Cerro de las Petacas | |
 Petacas
Location in Colombia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,054 m (13,301 ft) |
| Listing | Volcanoes of Colombia |
| Geography | |
| Location | Cauca & Nariño Colombia |
| Parent range | Central Ranges, Andes |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Lava dome |
| Volcanic belt | North Volcanic Zone Andean Volcanic Belt |
| Last eruption | unknown |
Petacas is a special type of volcano in Colombia. It is known as a lava dome. This mountain is located in two different areas of Colombia: the Cauca and Nariño departments.
What is Petacas?
Petacas is a lava dome. Imagine very thick, sticky lava that oozes out of the ground. Instead of flowing far away like a river, it piles up around the volcanic vent. This creates a dome-shaped hill or mountain. Petacas stands tall at about 4,054 meters (that's over 13,000 feet!) above sea level. Its last eruption is not known, meaning it has not shown signs of activity in a very long time.
Where is Petacas Located?
Petacas is part of the amazing Andes mountain range. Specifically, it's in the Central Ranges of the Colombian Andes. This area is known for having many volcanoes.
Another volcano called Doña Juana is very close to Petacas. Both of these volcanoes sit between two large cracks in the Earth's crust. These cracks are called the El Tablón Fault to the west and the San Jerónimo Fault to the east. Faults are like giant seams in the Earth's rocky outer layer. They are places where the ground can move, sometimes causing earthquakes.
Volcanoes in Colombia
Colombia is home to many volcanoes because it's located along the Andean Volcanic Belt. This belt is a long chain of volcanoes that stretches along the western side of South America. It's part of the larger "Ring of Fire" that circles the Pacific Ocean. This area has a lot of volcanic activity because huge pieces of the Earth's crust, called tectonic plates, are constantly moving and crashing into each other.
See also
- List of volcanoes in Colombia
- List of volcanoes by elevation
In Spanish: Volcán Petacas para niños
