You’re trying to sleep.
But it’s kinda hot in here
so you get up to grab a fan.
But how can you get out of bed when...
the floor is lava!
There are several different types of lava,
but they all come from the same place.
Before it becomes lava,
it's called magma,
which is thick molten rock
flowing under the Earth’s crust.
Once it erupts,
and finds its way above ground,
it's then known as lava.
Lava flows are the most
common volcanic feature on the planet.
They cover about 70% of the Earth.
And soon, you'll know how to walk on them.
Lava flows can be unbelievably hot,
and incredibly unpredictable.
At the rim of a volcano,
the temperature will be around
500 °C (932 °F).
So don't stay too long on the lava.
Get your thrills, and go relax somewhere
that's cool and safe.
You're going to want a suit and shoes
made of Kevlar® material.
Kevlar® is heat resistant,
it can be made
8 to 9 times stronger than steel,
and it's used for some really cool stuff.
Like stopping bullets.
And volcanoes,
but only up to 426 °C (800 °F).
You'll be breathing in huge amounts
of sulfur, methane,
carbon monoxide, and ammonia.
Wear a mask to protect yourself
against all the toxic volcanic gases.
Get one with a
sulfur dioxide scrubber cartridge
for the best protection.
If you still choose to
go through with this stunt,
you'll do more of a run
across the lava than a walk.
The temperature of lava is usually around
1,000 °C (1,832 °F),
and at that heat,
no suit would be able to protect you.
If you imagined taking a nice stroll
atop a lava flow,
you probably wouldn't make it very far
before catching fire.
So if you're about to step on some lava,
make sure you get a running start.
While being able to take
a few steps on a lava flow
might make you feel cool and invincible,
don't forget that volcanoes are a
force to be reckoned with.
Volcanoes kill 540 people
each year on average,
and a study by scientists
from the University of Bristol
shows that most fatalities
occur within 10 km (6 mi) of a volcano.
Really, the best way you can
survive walking on lava
is not to do it at all.
But you can't always predict
when disaster will strike,
so it's good to be prepared.
What should you do if you're
suddenly trapped in a falling elevator?
Find out next time on HOW TO SURVIVE.