How far does lava travel?

Answer 1

There are a lot of variables. One must consider the viscosity--the resistance to flow-- of the lava, the terrain that it is flowing upon, and the rate at which magma is discharged from the volcano itself. The longest recorded lava-flow in Hawaii was the eruption of Mauna Loa in 1859. It was 51 kilometers long-- and probably longer, but scientists are unsure because the lava flow went under water. Another instance is in Queensland, Australia, where a lava flow went for nearly 100 miles!

Answer 2

It depends. It depends on the consistency of the lava. There are four major types of lava that range from thin to thick. Blocky lava is extremely thick, and creeps along the ground. Pahoehoe (pah HOY hoy) lava flows like candle wax, slowly but moch faster than blocky lava. Aa (Ah ah) lava is stiff and brittle, and pours quickly from the volcano and cools into a crust. Pillow lava forms when lava erupts underwater. It forms rounded lumps that resemble pillows in size and shape. On Big Island in Hawaii, volcano Mauna Kea erupts with pahoehoe lava, which is thin and waxy. It flows like honey would, dripping from the rock. Blocky lava is more like toothpaste, much thicker.

Answer 3

The distance that lava travels depends on factors like viscosity, slope of the terrain, and eruption rate. In general, lava can flow from a few meters to several kilometers away from the volcano. The fastest lava flows, called pahoehoe, can travel at speeds of up to 10 km/h, while slower flows, called aa lava, move much more slowly.