What is Lava Made Of Coloring Sheet

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Learning about volcanoes is made possible by: Award-winning science curriculum by Apologia, and Make math simple and effective with CTCMath for grades k-12.

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What is Lava Made Of?

Have you ever seen a volcano in real life? Or wondered what is lava made of? Today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of volcanoes.

Volcanic Elements

Lava is made up of things called elements—the basic building blocks of everything in nature. Elements are like nature’s LEGO bricks, coming together to form rocks, trees, water, and even your own body. Lava includes elements like oxygen, silicon, iron, magnesium, calcium, and aluminum, mixed together like a recipe for rocks.

How Are Igneous Rocks Made?

First, let’s clarify the difference between magma and lava. Magma is hot, melted rock deep beneath Earth’s surface. When magma rises and pours out of a volcano onto the Earth’s surface, it’s called lava.

Think of it kind of like water and ice. It’s not exactly the same, but water and ice can help us picture the differences.

Magma is liquid, like water. But just as water can cool down and harden into solid ice, magma can come onto the surface and become lava, which can cool down and harden into rock. When lava cools, it becomes what is called an igneous rock.

Not all igneous rocks are the same. They’re grouped into two main types: intrusive and extrusive.

• Intrusive igneous rocks form slowly beneath Earth’s surface, growing large crystals.
• Extrusive igneous rocks form quickly on Earth’s surface after lava exits a volcano, producing rocks with tiny or no crystals.

God designed these different rocks with special purposes. People use igneous rocks for building roads, homes, jewelry, and even to filter water and air.

For these helpful rocks to be made, lava has to come out of a volcano. But why do volcanoes erupt?

How Does a Volcano Erupt?

Imagine a volcano building pressure deep underground. Magma, lighter than solid rock, rises toward the Earth’s surface, like bubbles rising in soda. Eventually, the pressure cracks through the surface, and the volcano erupts!

Volcanic eruptions can be gentle or explosive:

• Effusive eruptions: Lava flows out gently, like thick syrup flowing over pancakes. This lava is usually runny, creating flowing rivers of hot lava (like those often seen in Hawaii).
• Explosive eruptions: Dramatic and violent, these eruptions send lava, ash, and rock fragments flying high into the air.

How Do Volcanoes Show God’s Power?

Volcanoes are impressive reminders of God’s power. We often think of mountains as stable and unchanging. But the Bible talks about mountains shaking and melting at God’s presence, reminding us of volcanic activity. Psalm 97:5 says, “The mountains melt like wax before the Lord.”

Many biblical scholars think volcanic eruptions played a role during the Great Flood described in Genesis. The Bible says in Genesis 7:11 that “the springs of the great deep burst forth,” likely describing underwater volcanic eruptions.

Volcanoes show God’s power and remind us of His sovereignty—His supreme authority over all creation. Isaiah 54:10 beautifully explains that even though mountains may disappear, God’s love and promises will never end.

“The mountains may disappear, and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear…”