What is the colour of red lava?

rocky Gary

Dear Gary,

The color of lava depends on its temperature. It starts out bright orange (1000-1150 C). As it cools the color changes to bright red (800-1000 C), then to dark red (650-800 C), and to brownish red (500-650 C). Solid lava is black (but can still be very hot). I look through many of the lava photos in VolcanoWorld will show you these colors.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota

Source of Information:
Williams, H., and McBirney, A.R., 1979, Volcanoes: San Francisco, Freeman, Cooper and Company, 397 p. 

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