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.