10 Answers. New York, would we just burn or evaporate? But the experiment shows that a body close to human … Fans of Game of Thrones know that, in Westeros, death is almost always grisly. Lava, which is exceedingly hot, can be very fluid, flowing almost like syrup, or it can be extremely stiff, scarcely flowing. You wouldn't sink and melt. [Smart Answers to Crazy Hypothetical Questions]. (Image credit: sxc.hu) If that asteroid hadn't struck, the dinosaurs would in all likelihood still rule the Earth. Nov. 13, 2014. Few things on this planet burn hotter than the human spirit. This Is What Happens When You Step On Molten Lava. While lava appears liquid, it doesn't behave like, say, water, so assumptions that the human body somehow sinks into it are incorrect. What would happen if you leaned a bit too far over the rim of a volcano and fell in? This wouldn't save you from a gruesome fate, however: Resting on a bed of molten rock four times hotter than the broiler in an oven, you'd quickly burst into flames and burn to death. The bag of waste fell 260 feet (80 meters) before striking the surface — and, as seen in the video, it ended up making a dent. Please consider that when lava emerges from a volcano, it comes out at 700 to 1,200 °C (1,292 to 2,192 °F). Or anywhere, really. At those temperatures, a human would probably burst into flames and either get extremely serious burns or die. As long as the lava flow is suitably thick, you die … In this weekly series, Life's Little Mysteries provides expert answers to challenging questions. It also looks like this: If that alone won’t make you run away screaming if you ever come across a flow of hot lava, then there’s this experiment showing what would happen if you would actually step on it. Volcanoes similarly are filled with smoke and other harmful gases that will … Singson says he walked lightly over such areas, constantly moving his feet so they didn't catch fire or fall through a soft spot. So, while it's still not a great idea, at least now you have a scientifically accurate reason to be scared. Lava is hot. So if you happen to fall into some, you burn. So, instead of dying like Gollum, who dove into a bubbling volcano in the book and film "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King," a simple physics analysis indicates you would stay buoyed on top. Thanks to a mixture of scientific experiments and a few unfortunate individuals themselves, we know the answer. Update: i KNOW you would die i just want to know how. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Not actually a thing. Cecilia Cheng Siu-Yan. The best place for video content of all kinds. As the bag burned, it caused violent outbursts of lava in an effect known as fountaining. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are released in smaller amounts. "It is frequently discussed whether it is possible to sink in lava. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. Another really fun thing is to find a 'firehose' (this is a breakout where the lava is fluid enough to flow like water from a hose) and let the lava fall through our hands and fingers. Is it hotter than magma? "The lava begins to form a solid outer 'skin' where it contacts the relatively cold air and ground," Bevens said of this property, "but the lava skin is still flexible for awhile, until it cools further and becomes a solid crust of glassy rock." Save 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine Mixing molten magma with cool water sounds dangerous; fortunately, National Geographic have done it for us - the result is beautiful and bubbly… and it blows up! That's not to say you wouldn't be harmed, as the flames show. 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