Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are some of the world’s most spectacular natural phenomena. It can take just a few seconds or minutes for these dramatic events to alter the surface of the Earth drastically. This book is an innovative and informative introduction to the complex processes which cause earthquakes or eruptions. It explores the structure of the Earth, explains how and why earthquakes occur, describes different types of volcanic eruptions and also takes a close look at their wide-ranging , sometimes devastating effects.