The Formation of Lava

During a volcanic eruption, magma rises to the surface of the crust and magma pours out of the rims of volcanoes. The hot-red magma, when spilled out of the volcano, is known as the lava.

Lava escapes from the volcano and would normally cascade down the volcano slopes. The lava sometimes move fast, in thin sheets that would gush down at a speed of 64 kilometres per hour. Otherwise, it flows down slowly in thickwaves, and often move slowly.

The lava sometimes move underground to be squeezed through tunnels and comes out at the surface of the crust. This tunnels are formed by rivulets of lava. The surface of
the lava cools rapidly and hardens, forming an outer shell. However, in the inside of them, the protected lava continues to flow. The leading edges of such lava flows are called
paws or snouts.

The lava will run along the shorelines in tongues and they will be often divided into smaller trails of lava which will most likely be sucked out to sea. The lava will cool down
and after years, the lava will be smashed into smaller finer pebbles and pieces and form a beach of black sand.

Lava added beaches and they will also extend the surface area of an island.