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Asked by StarSnow to Mark, Keegan, Clay, Ana, Alex on 28 Apr 2016.
Question: Is Lava important? And if it is what can it be used for?
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Alexander Taylor answered on 28 Apr 2016:
Lava is what we call it when magma (hot, liquid rock) from underneath the Earth’s crust erupts onto the surface. When lava cools down, it becomes igneous rock, which can have many uses. For example, obsidian is a jet black igneous rock used to make spearheads in ancient times and deocrative objects now. Pumice, the stone people use in the shower to exfoliate their feet, is an igneous rock. In addition, igneous rocks tend to be rich in nutrients for plants, and help add fertility to the soil.
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Clay Robinson answered on 28 Apr 2016:
There are many kinds of minerals that form after lava cools.
One kind called pumice is used to scour and clean substances, and is sometimes ground and used in soap bars (one was called Lava).
When lava cools at the surface, over many decades, centuries, and millennia, the minerals and rocks may weather into small particles and plants may begin to grow.
Once that happens, a soil begins to form.
Not all lava is created equal, so different minerals form. One type of mineral is called obsidian, sometimes called volcanic glass. Some of the Native American tribes used obsidian to make tools ,arrowheads, and spear points. -
Mark Ritchie answered on 29 Apr 2016:
Lava is incredibly important – beneath the earth’s crust it keeps the continental plates moving. Its emergence above the crust in lava flows and volcanoes gives us spectacular scenery! Some cooled lava degrades into some of the richest, most fertile soils on earth because it is usually full of phosphorus, an element that disappears over time in really old soils, such as those found in Africa and Australia. Other cooled lava becomes granite and gives us mountains to hike and climb in and that affect the climate and weather. Granite also makes for excellent construction bedrock (hello Manhattan, you wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for granite!) and to hold water in underground reservoirs. Finally, when lava comes aboveground, it can heat nearby soil and rocks to form cool minerals such as quartz, which is used for making tons of things from watches to kitchen countertops.
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