Question: is lava low in silica?
Answer: It is one of the most abundant compounds in the Earth's crust. The photograph shows a pahoehoe flow on the left and an aa flow on the right. Pahoehoe (Pa-Hoy-Hoy) lava flows are very hot, thin and runny. When it cools is has a smooth to ropey texture because of the low silica content which makes it cool quickly.