What you can learn from a quick step on lava .

*** Do not try this !***



*** This was done by a professional and only for demonstration purposes , to show how viscous the molten rock is ***


*** Please consult with professional guides who are safety conscious if you are thinking about such a trip . Much of this new land is highly unstable and large chunks can fall into the ocean without warning , or you can be on top of an emptying lava tube and that
can collapse . With the intense heat , sharp rocks and constantly changing lava flows , you can easily get trapped or hurt and thus should be careful and go with professional guides . *** When the lava emerges from one of the vents at Kilauea , it comes out at 700 to 1,200 ° C ( 1,292 to 2,192 ° F ) , and begins to make its way to the path of least resistance . This video shows how pressure applied to this dense material only causes a Slight indentation . While this may not be surprising ( it is liquid rock ) , I think that many people think of lava as more of a hot taratorhot - watery - like substance . You would never fall into a lava lake the way you would a swimming pool , the molten rock is much more dense , so you would simply land on it , sink a little , and be burned .