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.

2 days ago · Taking advantage of a "natural laboratory" in Iceland, a research team from the University of Arizona studied how microbes colonize fresh lava flows as soon as they cooled.

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.

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 …

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.

Scientists use the term magma for molten rock that is underground and lava for molten rock that breaks through the Earth's surface.

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 …

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