The solid volcanic rock resulting from subsequent cooling of the molten material is often also called lava. A lava flow is an outpouring of lava during an effusive eruption. (An explosive eruption, by contrast, …

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.

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.

The hardened formation is called " lava flow," whereas the material that still contains molten rock is called an " active lava flow." The rock formed from solidified lava (or magma) is called igneous rock.

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

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 beneath the …

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 volcanic gases.

May 10, 2025 · Molten rock, called magma, is called lava when it reaches the surface during a volcanic eruption. Depending on how the magma erupts, it can form lava flows, lava fountains, lava lakes, or …

Jan 10, 2025 · The surface of lava can appear smooth, rough, jagged, and sometimes like a pile of construction rubble. What are the stories behind these surface features and how did they form?

Jul 9, 2024 · As a lava cools and loses the gas (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) that had been dissolved in it, it becomes more viscous. Sometimes a flow that had a pāhoehoe form near its vent transitions to ‘a‘ā …