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MENTAL MODEL · M1597

Lava Flow

Lava Flow
SystemsHigh supportSystems Theory
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28

CORE DEFINITION

Lava is molten rock (magma) that has been erupted onto the surface from a vent or fissure in the Earth's crust, or the hot, viscous material formed when it is semi-solidified. On Earth, the heat that melts rock comes from geothermal energy. When a volcano erupts, lava is sprayed out, initially at temperatures of 700–1,200 °C (1,292–2,192 °F). It is about 100,000 times more viscous than water, but due to its thixotropic and shear-thinning properties, it can still flow in a meandering fashion. It slowly cools and solidifies into igneous rock. Lava flows are more likely to form during effusive eruptions, while explosive eruptions produce ash and pyroclastic materials, and lava flows are less common. The word "lava" in Romance languages comes from Italian, ultimately from Latin "labes," meaning "a fall."

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Lava is molten rock (magma) that has been erupted onto the surface from a vent or fissure in the Earth's crust, or the hot, viscous material formed when it is semi-solidified. On Earth, the heat that melts rock comes from geothermal energy. When a volcano erupts, lava is sprayed out, initially at temperatures of 700–1,200 °C (1,292–2,192 °F). It is about 100,000 times more viscous than water, but due to its thixotropic and shear-thinning properties, it can still flow in a meandering fashion. It slowly cools and solidifies into igneous rock.

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Anchor fast decisions

Software engineering metaphor (also known as the "Lava Flow problem"): early ad-hoc code or branches written for emergencies solidify like lava, and no one dares to change them. New code is written around them, accumulating technical debt that hardens like cooling lava.

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Source support: Explicit

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    zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%86%94%E5%B2%A9ZH · Explicit
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