What is Basaltic lava?

Basaltic lava is like hot chocolate that flows out of a volcano and cools down to become rock.

Imagine you have a big, hot pot of melted chocolate, that's like basaltic lava inside the Earth. When it comes out of the volcano, it’s really runny and smooth, just like how hot chocolate pours from a mug. As it goes across the ground or into the ocean, it cools down and turns hard, becoming dark, solid rock.

Basaltic lava is one of the most common types of lava. It’s not too thick, it flows easily, like syrup that's still warm. This means it can travel far from where it starts, covering big areas with smooth layers of rock when it cools.

When it hardens, basaltic lava becomes basalt, a type of rock you can find in places like Hawaii or Iceland. If you touch it, it feels cool and solid, just like the chocolate that has finished cooling down on your table.