Is lava wet?
It’s the kind of pseudo-scientific question that pops up online every so often which makes you stop for a second and scratch your head.
A similar question can be asked about water. Is it wet or does it just make other things wet?
The answer lies in how you define “wet”. If we’re using it as an adjective (definition: covered or saturated with water or another liquid), then lava is a liquid state so it therefore it’s wet. But nothing touched by lava is left damp or moist, which means that you can’t really use wet as a verb to describe lava.
As ever with these kinds of puzzles, the internet likes to get involved. And if you’ll pardon the pun, the debate is getting heated.
I always get an urge to “squidge” lava, but also realise it’s very important that I keep my hands.
— ?Mrs McK? (@Lynneth1000000) January 12, 2019
i learnt recently that lava isn’t wet even though it’s a liquid and it’s f*cked me up about needing to touch it
— sh*t face ? (@pipsuxx) January 14, 2019
please be careful because the old people are going to think that we all actually want to touch and eat lava and there will be so many headlines like ‘millennials want to eat lava and are risking their lives to do so’ and they’ll start packaging it in childproof containers
— big head (@lil_reesa) January 15, 2019
Craig McClarren, a volcanologist from San Diego, California goes into a bit more detail on Quora.
‘Our common usage of the word involves water (i.e. covered or saturated with water). The lava, itself (when liquid) is very much above the boiling point of water, so it is not wet with liquid water, so it’s a no in that sense,’ he writes.
‘But here is where the ‘kind of’ comes in. Lavadoescontain a lot of water, especially prior to eruption (when it’s called magma), but also as it flows across the ground,’ he explained.
‘As mentioned, though, water boils off immediately at those temperatures so it’s not liquid or even vapor water within the lava. The water is actually dissolved and broken apart molecularly, into dissociated H+ and OH-… but in a sense, the lava is saturated with water, even though it’s not in a liquid or even, necessarily, a molecular state.’
If that’s left you scratching your head, well, you’re not alone.
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FAQs
The answer lies in how you define “wet”. If we're using it as an adjective (definition: covered or saturated with water or another liquid), then lava is a liquid state so it therefore it's wet. But nothing touched by lava is left damp or moist, which means that you can't really use wet as a verb to describe lava.
Why is lava not wet? ›
Brooke - So, in the strict definition of things, lava can't be wet because it's not a liquid, it can't make things wet or saturate them.
Is lava always hot molten rock? ›
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or underwater, usually at temperatures from 800 to 1,200 °C (1,470 to 2,190 °F).
Is lava wet debate? ›
The answer lies in how you define “wet”. If we're using it as an adjective (definition: covered or saturated with water or another liquid), then lava is a liquid state so it therefore it's wet. But nothing touched by lava is left damp or moist, which means that you can't really use wet as a verb to describe lava.
Can I touch lava? ›
You should not touch lava. If your skin comes in contact with lava, you would get severely burned. When you make contact with temperatures, the severity of your injuries depends on how long you touch it and how hot it is.
What happens if lava rocks get wet? ›
Heated water, even condensation, will cause a build-up of steam, which can negatively impact the performance of your media and even lead lava rock to pop or burst. If dropped, fire glass has the potential to crack or fracture, creating sharp edges.
What does lava taste like? ›
Your tongue would cauterize and kill your taste buds. Solidified lava would taste like a rock. Michael Poland: Well, it's hard to imagine it tasting like anything, since it would instantly burn your tongue. And your whole mouth, really.
What if lava touches water? ›
The surf disrupts some of the molten lava, breaking it into smaller blobs. Quenched by water, the blobs are broken into even smaller pieces. The resultant increase in surface area promotes rapid heating of water.
Is floor lava real? ›
An NBC preview of Floor is Lava said that the 'lava' is "bubbling water, dyed red and, one assumes, of some vaguely warm temperature." However, a Fast Company interview with show producer Irad Eyal revealed that the lava is actually a type of slime.
Do people get hurt on the floor is lava? ›
Sometimes, when they come out of the lava, they come out in totally dry clothes, and they look completely unharmed." So, if you've got kids or know someone who does, tell them not to worry. "Everyone is just fine," Rutledge says.
Lava is hot, liquefied rock that flows from a volcano or other opening in the surface of Earth. When the liquid rock is still underground it is known as magma. Igneous rock is formed when lava cools and hardens.
Does lava need oxygen? ›
It's not fire, and It doesn't need oxygen to stay hot. It's a mixture of heat from when the planet was formed, heat from friction as heavier, denser materials move closer to the core, as well as heat from radioactive decay.
Is lava a liquid or not? ›
The temperatures of molten lava range from about 700 to 1,200 °C (1,300 to 2,200 °F). The material can be very fluid, flowing almost like syrup, or it can be extremely stiff, scarcely flowing at all. The higher the lava's silica content, the higher its viscosity.
Can you walk on lava? ›
As long as you can bear the heat, it means lava is strong enough for you to walk on it. If your shoes start taking fire, just move away!
Is lava basically water? ›
Can water be considered lava? No. Molten lava is liquid rock.
Does lava contain moisture? ›
Magma ususally has water dissolved in it, but there's no liquid water; it's too hot for liquid anyway. Technically, a liquid (any liquid, not just water) 'wets' another substance when it tends to cling to it, rather than be repelled.
