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Introduction

Lava is hot, liquefied rock that flows from a volcano or other opening in the surface of Earth. When the liquid rock is still underground it is known as magma. Igneous rock is formed when lava cools and hardens.

Characteristics of Lava

Fresh lava is very hot. It can reach temperatures as high as 2,200° F (1,200° C). It glows red hot to white hot as it flows. Some lavas are liquid enough to flow downhill at 35 miles (55 kilometers) per hour. Others move at the rate of only inches per day. The speed of the flow depends on the temperature and composition of the lava.

All lavas contain a high percentage of silica. Silica is a compound made up of the chemical elements silicon and oxygen. Lavas are divided into three types based on their silica content. Those containing 65 to 75 percent silica are called rhyolites. Those with 50 to 65 percent silica are andesites, and those with less than 50 percent silica are basalts. The most common type is basalt.

Lava contains gas as well as rock. Sometimes the gases are released slowly or trapped as bubbles when the lava hardens. When the bubbles are tiny and closely packed, a lightweight stone called pumice is formed.

Types of Lava Flow

Lava flows are classified according to their appearance and characteristics. Generally the higher the amount of silica, the thicker and slower moving the lava is. Basaltic lava flows are known by Hawaiian names—aa and pahoehoe. Aa lava flow has a rough surface. It is covered with chunks of rock called clinkers. The pahoehoe develops as a thick flow that contains more gas. These flows are characterized by smooth, gently curving surfaces. A flexible, glassy skin forms on the surface. This protects the lava that lies beneath and keeps it molten for weeks or even years. Sometimes a flow that leaves the vent as pahoehoe changes to aa as it moves down the slope.

Andesitic magma forms block lava flows. They are similar to aa lava flow in appearance. They have loose rubble at the surface. However the fragments are more regular in shape. Escaping gases in the andesitic lava cause a series of explosions. These explosions shatter the lava into a mass of blocks.

Rhyolite lava is lighter in weight and color than basalts. It is very thick and therefore flows very slowly. Rhyolite lava also does not flow very far so it builds up around the vent that it came out of and often forms a mound called a lava dome. It may form a natural glass called obsidian when it cools rapidly.

When lava flows out under the sea it is cooled rapidly by the colder water. When it hardens underwater the lava resembles a pile of pillows. This type of flow is called pillow lava.

Effects of Lava

Places close to volcanoes are always in danger of being destroyed by the flow of lava or ash. Lava flowing from Mount Etna in Sicily damaged structures near a ski resort in 2001. In 2002 Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo erupted in several spots. The lava flows killed dozens of people and destroyed part of the nearby town of Goma.

Many islands have been formed by underwater lava flows. The successive layers of lava accumulate higher and higher, until the volcano rises above sea level. The Hawaiian Islands and the island of Surtsey, near Iceland, were formed this way.

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