A lava flow is an outpouring of lava during an effusive eruption. (An explosive eruption, by contrast, produces a mixture of volcanic ash and other fragments called tephra, not lava flows.)

Nov 25, 2025 · Lava, magma (molten rock) emerging as a liquid onto Earth’s surface. The term ‘lava’ is also used for the solidified rock formed by the cooling of a molten lava flow.

What Is Lava Made Of? Looking down at a cooled lava flow, you see a black, glassy, vesicular (“spongy”) rock. The black color comes from the magnesium and iron-rich minerals, which are …

Jul 20, 2023 · When a volcano erupts, the molten rock that comes out of the Earth is called lava. Lava is so hot, it remains molten and flows until it cools and hardens into rock.

Apr 17, 2023 · Approximately 40 volcanoes and associated lava flows can be found in Mojave National Preserve, California. NPS photo. Introduction Volcanoes both build and destroy …

Fountain of lava, 10 meters high. Lava is molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption. (When the molten rock is beneath the Earth 's surface, it is called magma.) When first exuded …

Lava is made up of crystals, volcanic glass, and bubbles (volcanic gases). As magma gets closer to the surface and cools, it begins to crystallize minerals like olivine and form bubbles of …

Jun 16, 2025 · Lava is molten rock that has erupted onto the Earth’s surface (or the surface of another planet or moon). This extrusive igneous rock, distinguished from magma (molten rock …

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has resumed erupting and is firing lava high into the sky from its summit crater.

Learn the different lava types, their characteristics, and how they change their landscapes, plus free lesson plan and presentation!