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. When lava erupts it is made up of a slush of crystals, liquid, and bubbles.
Scientists use the term magma for molten rock that is underground and lava for molten rock that breaks through the Earth's surface.
Ultramafic lavas, such as komatiite and highly magnesian magmas that form boninite, take the composition and temperatures of eruptions to the extreme. All have a silica content under 45%. Komatiites contain over 18% magnesium oxide and are thought to have erupted at temperatures of 1,600 °C (2,910 °F).
Lava is hot for two primary reasons: Pressure and radiogenic heating make it very hot deep in the Earth (about 100 km down) where rocks melt to make magma. The rock around the magma is a good insulator so the magma doesn't lose much heat on the way to the surface.
Lava won't kill you if it briefly touches you. You would get a nasty burn, but unless you fell in and couldn't get out, you wouldn't die.
In fact, as it spills out onto Earth's surface as lava, the runny rock's temperature is only a little lower than the hottest part of a candle flame: about 1200 °C. On the other hand, a big blob of lava contains many more bouncing particles than a small candle flame, so it has a lot more heat energy.
Is lava hotter than the Sun? While lava is still intensely hot, it is not hotter than the Sun. On average, lava can range between 1,300 to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on its location. It's safe to say the sun at all parts is much hotter than lava.
We conclude that the optimal heat generated by lava at 2,190°F cannot melt the tungsten because of its high melting point. Other examples of metals and ceramics that can withstand lava's temperature include; titanium, iridium, iron alloys, osmium, nickel alloys, aluminum oxide, mullite, and silicon nitride.
Concrete has a melting point of about 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,700 degrees Fahrenheit), while lava reaches a piddly 871 degrees Celsius (1,600 degrees Fahrenheit). Pour enough concrete into a vent and you would theoretically be able to block it.
Above a certain temperature, these bonds break – and even the coldest lava on the planet would be far too hot for DNA or RNA to remain intact. So no, you almost certainly won't find anything alive in molten rock, even extremophiles.
Although the temperature of water immediately adjacent to the submarine lava reaches 88 degrees C (190 degrees F), it degrades quickly to 27 degrees C (81 degrees F), only slightly above the ambient ocean temperature, within a few inches of the contact. This is not to say that the water isn't hot.
CARBONATITES. Carbonatites are perhaps the most unusual of all lavas. They are defined, when crystalline, by having more than 50% carbonate (CO3-bearing) minerals, and typically they are composed of less than 10% SiO2.
Lava isn't quite hot enough to melt a diamond, but could a diamond burn in lava instead? In short, diamonds can burn in lava as the burning temperature of a diamond is about 900 °C and lava can get as hot as 1200 °C. The burning process will also, however, require oxygen.
Magmatic gems
Some gems crystallize in magmas or in gas bubbles (holes) in volcanic rocks. Examples include: zircon, topaz, ruby, etc. This movie shows formation of crystals such as ruby or zircon (pink crystals) and topaz in open cavities (e.g., holes made by gas bubbles) in volcanic rocks.
Lava rock comes at a wide range of prices, but the average cost is $115–$220 per ton or $75–$165 per cubic yard. A small bag can run $5–$22.
Lava is molten rock. It is created deep beneath Earth's surface (often 100 miles or more underground), where temperatures get hot enough to melt rock. Scientists call this molten rock magma when it's underground.
Some have thought to spray the lava flow with water, hoping it will cool and freeze the front of the flow. But the extreme heat behind the crust, which is still molten, will allow the flow to continue.
When lava meets ice, the resulting mess can cause flooding, destroy valuable resources and even produce explosions. The research found that lava didn't always just melt through the ice, and flow under the surface.
This is called the Leidenfrost effect. But when water is injected rapidly into a tall column of lava, the water — which is about three times lighter than the lava — will speed upward and mix with the molten rock more quickly. This may cause the vapor film to destabilize, Sonder says.
Bone and teeth are complex mixtures of moderately complex components, but some decomposition products may dissolve in magma, but they still won't melt.
You might burst into flames and burn when you hit the lava/magma's surface (depending on the type, lava's temperature ranges from approximately 1,200 to 2,200 degrees). You might also burn before you hit the lava/magma due to the radiant heat.
Answer and Explanation: Magma is hotter than lava, depending on how recently the lava reached the surface and if the magma and lava are from the same magma chamber below the volcano.
The hottest thing in the Universe (Supernova)
Supernovas are the hottest thing in the Universe as they reach a million degrees Celsius. These explosive events occur when a star between 8 and 40 times more massive than our Sun reaches the end of its stellar lifecycle and explodes when its core collapses.
Hottest Thing on Earth: X-rays Heat Metal to 3.6 Million Degrees.