History Main / ConvectionSchmonvection

* In the ''{{Thief}}'' games lava is harmless as long as you tiptoe around it, but coming into even the slightest contact with it will kill Garrett instantly. This is taken to an even more ridiculous extreme in the Thief Gold mission "The Mage Towers" where the interior of the Fire Tower is built almost entirely out of metal and there's a huge lava pool sitting right smack in the middle. In addition to convection, shouldn't the intense heat conduct through the metal and immolate any non-mages on contact?

** Red Dragon Archfiend in YuGiOh5Ds is an aversion as it has the ability to destroy all other Defense Position monsters on the field when it attacks one of them. In its animation, its flaming fist attack burns up the other monsters as a side effect.

* ''Divinity 2'' has wooden planks laying what appears to be mere inches from the lava and your character merrily walks and jumps across them. As long as he doesn't touch the lava he is fine. Falling in the lava causes massive damage per second, but it is possible (albeit very hard) to survive if you had an active healing effect and immediately jumped out.
* ''DragonAge'' gives us the dwarven school of landscaping, that basically uses molten rock where humans would use water features.

*** The latest edition's rules for falling into lava are simpler. [[ChunkySalsaRule You die]]. Well, except when they're not: in several published adventures, lava simply deals 10-20 points of damage per round, which is survivable even for a first-level character.

* Many ''{{Kirby}}'' games feature lava-themed stages and levels, and in the platformers, you can land on lava and only lose one or a few more HP. In ''Kirby Air Ride'', you can walk on lava however you like and not take any damage. Molten rock may simply not be hot enough as if ''Kirby's Dreamland 2'' he will eventually start to take damage from re-entry if the fight with Dark Matter takes too long.

Lava: primal force, essence of destruction that leaves behind fertile land; ''really, '''really''' hot'' - between 600° C and 1,000° C hot.

Convection, the process by which a liquid or gas (like air) forms currents that very quickly spread heat from a hot thing to its environment, does not exist in TV land. ConvectionSchmonvection - as long as you don't touch the lava, you're okay. Note that this trope covers heat ''radiation'' as well (but [[JustForFun/LousyAlternateTitles Radiation Schmadiation]] would sound like ILoveNuclearPower...), and seeing as large explosions create shockwaves as well as fireballs, this also covers OverpressureWhatOverpressure. TV also ignores the other hazards of volcanoes and lava flows, such as [[DeadlyGas toxic gases]] and [[OminousFog blinding, choking ash]].

Lava is also rarely found just calmly laying around - when it slows, it has time to cool and harden. If it's been liquid for any appreciable length of time, it will probably [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAxj2ob_JoU look like this]]. This is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePhysics.

* On the other end of the spectrum, the disaster movie ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'', among other examples of terrible, terrible science featured a scene where a main character runs down a hallway where the temperature is dropping so fast that moisture in the air turns to ice on the walls in less than a second. Despite the fact that he's only wearing normal clothes and a coat, our hero seems to be in no danger as long as he doesn't let the rapidly forming ice catch him - the air a few feet in front of the death zone is only somewhat chilly (and moving slower than a running human). He also manages to hold back the cold entirely by entering a room with a fireplace and shutting the door, but that's a different issue.

* Despite breaking almost as many scientific rules as ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'', ''Film/TheCore'' actually averted this nicely. One crewman had to step outside safe area of the ship, never touched lava, and still burned to death. He '''was''' wearing a protective suit - which is the only reason he could even open the door without immediately bursting into flame while simultaneously imploding from the intense heat and pressure. Previously they had to use liquid nitrogen, the ship's coolant, to exit the ship without bursting into flames. The crew is notably sweating through the rest of the movie, even while in the ship.

* In the first ''ChroniclesOfThomasCovenant'', the giant Foamfollower carries Covenant across Hotash Slay, a river of lava. Foamfollower, being a giant, is immune to fire and so can withstand the heat of the lava; Covenant, however, should have been fried before Foamfollower even stepped into the river. There is some effort at [[HandWave Hand Waving]] this - it is implied that Covenant's ring is involved - but still, it's fairly ludicrous.

* Averted in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' #34 when the team visit the Hork-Bajir homeworld and cross over a seriously deep chasm - as in, so deep they can see the core of the planet.

* Averted in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', where fire magic almost always heats the air and sets nearby objects ablaze. In ''Literature/BloodRites'', a vampire used a flamethrower on Harry in a tight corridor, and he used his shield bracelet to deflect the napalm - but the bracelet only stopped the napalm jelly, while the ''heat'' from the jelly proceeded to roast his hand to the point that even with his wizardly HealingFactor, it's still somewhat limited in use and covered in scar tissue for the rest of the series so far. Harry mentions on several occasions that summoning and directing fire requires a ''lot'' of force in order to make sure everything that's not the target doesn't get incinerated, and once that force is released, you'll still have to deal with the convection issue. He's even redone his bracelet's shield magic to block this.

* Subverted by Mike Rowe in ''Series/DirtyJobs''. Standing at least 20-30 feet away from a fresh lava flow, he remarked that "insanely hot was an understatement; it was hotter than hell". They had to get into special suits to get close since the radiant heat was enough to burn their skin, but seeing as the show centers on appreciating just how difficult everyday jobs are and strives for every aspect this is not too surprising. In other episodes, Mike has similar experiences with molten glass and molten steel - on the latter job, his face shield melted.

*** Although fun fact, the very first Super Mario Bros game treats the lava exactly like red water, it's not the [[strike:[[NotTheFallThatKillsYou fall]]]] contact that kills you, it's falling through it down the bottomless pit that kills you. Now, it just makes Mario run around like an idiot for three seconds, grabbing his butt and screaming "AAAAHHH - hothothothot!" It's a toss-up as to which fate is worse.

*** Also in Sonic 3, the fire shield is an item that grants the player this as an ability, taken to an extreme - no fire/lava/magma in the game hurts if you have it, but it goes away if you touch water. Naturally, this makes many bosses (which have flames of some sort protecting the underside, and a couple of which use fireballs to attack), as well as Lava Reef much easier. Sadly, it only appeared in Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

* ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}'' one-upped this trope: the fiery levels in the original not only had lava that was no danger to the little green-haired TooDumbToLive critters as long as they didn't actually touch it, it also had a trap that continually sprayed fire and fried them - if they landed in the middle of it. The edges (especially the forward edge) were perfectly safe. And the masonry levels had something greenish as the liquid that looked suspiciously like the cliché depiction of acid - but without dangerous vapors. Then again, [[EverythingTryingToKillYou it's not exactly as if the lemmings were ''safe'' because of these omissions...]]

*** She follows them because Utsuho just wants to [[KillItWithFire burn up all Gensokyo]] and use it as the new Hell - killing Reimu on the other hand would mean [[CriticalExistenceFailure it goes poof and disappears as if it never existed]]. After all, if you enjoy seeing things burn, you will need fuel.

** An especially jarring example would have to be in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', where Link is perfectly fine running around in the [[LethalLavaLand Goron Mines]]. Heck, even if you [[VideogameCrueltyPotential make him leap into the lava]], he'll only come out about two hearts less for the wear. If you wear the Zora Tunic though - ''which is specifically stated to be weak against fire'', Link'll still be fine running around......[[NonStandardGameOver unless you leap into the lava]].

** Eldin Volcano in ''SkywardSword'' has a patch in it that will set Link on fire if he tries to go through it with his standard clothes. Because a key piece for the Earth Shrine is through it, Fi suggests you run to minimize heat-related damage. There is also a passage that leads deeper - Link may require special protection, and Fi will force you to turn back if you try to go through (be thankful the key piece is NOT that way).

* Partially averted in ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter''. In most areas of the Volcano level - anywhere where you can actually see lava or smoke - your character will take gradual damage unless you have protective armor or have drunk the appropriate potion. Also, you can't fall into lava, but if you stand right next to it you'll take damage anyway, potion or not, unless you have just the right combination of (even more) protective armor. However, most enemies can just walk through the lava as if it's not there.
** The enemies that can move through lava are usually dragons, but then there are Felynes - ordinary, walking ''cats''! One such culinary gift in the games is Felyne Firewalker, which cancels the damage from lava proximity, and since the chef is a Felyne himself, that makes explaining things a lot easier. Oh, and one job requires you to carry a Powderstone back to camp; as long as you're holding it, Cool Drink or no, ''you will burn''!

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' features this on the lava planet Therum - walk right next to the lava, you're fine. Drive next to the lava, you're fine. Dip one centimeter of your back left wheel into the lava for a split second and -- [[NonStandardGameOver the vehicle and all its inhabitants freeze, and it's explained that the heavily armored and shielded vehicle and its inhabitants spontaneously combusts]]. Characters do comment on the heat, but even then it's not within hazardous levels.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonRanger: Shadows of Almia'' has you riding a Pokémon across pools of lava. This is made even worse by the Pokémon in question being Torkoal - basically a tortoise-shaped volcano.

** Oh hey, and if you screw up the "jump on moving stepping stones" minigame, you're allowed to start over - by ''swimming through the lava'' (like you haven't suffered worse hot damage during the game, sissy).

* ''{{Futurama}}'': The entire crew are in a room full of lava and none complain about how hot it is. In fact, Fry almost jumps in without the heat obliterating him - so long as he doesn't actually touch it, he's fine.

** Conversely, the 2007 movie gets convection mostly right, but was criticized by fans who did not fully understand that while space is infinitely cold, the ''lack'' of convection in space means that a body in space will cool very, very slowly - much more slowly than a superheated body falling into the Arctic Ocean. In fact, the TF Wiki ''links to our SpaceIsCold page'' to explain why that's not an error. See, this stuff ''is'' educational!

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' - in a fight with Oberon, Goliath, Angela, and Gabriel are able to fly just a couple of metres above the lava in an active volcanic crater with no ill effects.

*** FridgeBrilliance: Tito was just exaggerating - it's no secret that he and Ray [[UnreliableNarrator exaggerate to the kids to get a point across or to brag]], He could have stepped on a piece of lava that had cooled down since if he stepped on lava for real, he'd probably have lost a leg.

* In older aluminum plants, the metal is still poured partly by employees who work very close to 1300-1700°F aluminum - often as close as a foot or less distance between the worker and the aluminum. Dross is skimmed from the tops of crucibles and molds with hand-held metal skimmers. The workers wear heavy cotton gloves, double cotton sleeves and aluminized aprons to do this. While it is not the most comfortable job in the world, the protective gear does not singe or burn unless in direct contact with the metal, and the cotton is not fire retardant.

* Played pretty darn straight by the experience of Heimaey, Iceland, in the Vestmannaeyjar islands. In 1973, a nearby mountain erupted, sending, literally, acres of lava towards the town - and, from the inhabitants' perspective, more importantly, the harbor. In a desperate attempt to save the harbor from being filled by lava, the inhabitants, the government of Iceland, and, eventually, even the U.S. Navy, started pouring water directly on the lava to try and solidify the leading edge, hopefully sending the remaining lava ''somewhere else''. This took weeks, if not months, and for most of that time, not only were people walking directly on top of the lava, they were separated from actual liquid rock by, at times, ''nothing but ash'', but they were running hoses along it, and even driving ''bulldozers'' around on top of it. The treads of the bulldozers blued from the heat over time, and the soles of boots tended to melt when people stood, but for a significant amount of time, people were not only running near lava, they were working on top of it for twenty-hour-a-day stretches. Icelanders are hardcore.

* Not averted in weightlessness, contrary to common belief. While it's true that there is no natural convection caused by density gradients, you still need to recycle your air - this means airflows. Also anything else moving (like a person) would set up eddies. For this reason it is possible to have a candle burning in a space station without any tricks.

* Exception: The ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' series, where you'll incur constant, significant damage from being in a hot area without the Varia armor upgrade. In the ''[[MetroidPrime Prime]]'' series, your HUD will also warn you that your life-support system is in danger of failing due to overheating.

** ''Fusion'' also applies the aversion to areas of extreme ''cold''. Without the Varia suit mod, Samus takes the same damage in sub-zero areas (Sector 5, Subzero Containment) as she does in super-heated areas (Sector 3).
** ''[[VideoGameRemake Zero Mission]]'', at first glance, seems to play it straight more often than not. Whereas in ''Super'' and ''Fusion'', practically any room with lava in it is considered super-hot, numerous rooms in [[LethalLavaLand Norfair]] with 'lava' present allow you to run about without the Varia suit as long as you don't touch the 'lava'. A closer examination of these rooms reveals, however, that the 'lava' is in fact acid.

* Averted in ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' during the final chase scene when Sarah Connor declares that it is "too hot" to approach [[NoOSHACompliance the open pit of molten metal]].

* ''EscapeFromMonkeyIsland'' features a log flume on lava. Not that the game [[RuleOfFunny takes itself very seriously]].

** There's a really glaring example in ''MegaManX5''. Burn Dinorex (a.k.a. Mattrex) has an impressive volcano stage, with periodic floods of lava and then a whole under-lava zone. You can only explore this zone with a special mech suit. It's so close to avoiding the trope, but then you notice there's ''no helmet'' on the suit....

Lava: primal force, essence of destruction that leaves behind fertile land; ''really, '''really''' hot''.

* In ''{{Half-Life}}'', radioactive material doesn't effect Gordon unless he stands in it. The fact that he's [[JustifiedTrope wearing a suit explicitly made to be used in radioactive environments]] helps.

*** According to one of Gollum's lead CGI model animators, the ''real'' reason for his little lava swim was [[spoiler:they had all wanted to give Smeagol an appropriately [[DyingMomentofAwesome awesome death scene]].]]

*** This gets downright absurd in one late-game dungeon where you must swing by grappling hook over a big open lava pit. At the zenith of your swing you are mere inches from the lava, and the game even applies distortion to the camera to underline just how hot the air is.

** Later on, Dave and Rose wind up [[spoiler: walking out of a sun. Fortunately, the two are immortal.]]

[[folder:Film]]

* Since we brought up ''{{Terminator 2}}'', it should be mentioned that this trope was lightly averted during the final chase scene when Sarah Connor declares that it is "too hot" to approach [[NoOSHACompliance the open pit of molten metal]].
* A similar event in the SylvesterStallone movie ''Film/DemolitionMan'' in which the villain holds a blowtorch mere inches away from a floor which is covered in gasoline. Never mind that the fumes coming from it would have surely caught fire instantly, as long as the naked flame doesn't touch the liquid itself it's fine.

* ''TheIncredibles'' has plenty of fun with lava. Mr. Incredible gets awfully close to it during his first fight with the Omnidroid, while the Omnidroid actually falls into the lava, and emerges unscathed, even though it's so hot it's glowing orange. Maybe heat resistance is another of Mr. Incredible's superpowers (he seemed just fine in the scene in the burning apartment); maybe the Omnidroid was made from heat-resistant {{Unobtainium}}. Either way, there's no excuse for non-superpowered Syndrome (and presumably Mirage) not being cooked alive by the secret passageway with [[CoolButInefficient walls made of flowing lava]]. Maybe they had force fields or something.
** Confirmed: Mr. Incredible has SuperToughness and the Omnidroid is in fact stated to be made of NighInvulnerable Unobtainium. However, the movie does include the closely-related trope of rocks floating in lava.
*** The 'nigh' part is true only because the only thing said Unobtainium was vulnerable to is ITSELF.
** Since they were WALLS of lava rather than just a gushy mass destroying the entire base and everyone inside and Syndrome was a technological genius, I think it's probably safe to assume that there were force fields of some sort involved. Heck, he probably had a converter built to use the heat from the convection to power his base.
** It is never stated nor visually implied that it is lava and ''not'' just a fancy lava-like wall made of colored glass or plastic just to look cool.

* In ''DragonballEvolution'', Goku forms a series of stepping stones across a pit of lava, with corpses.

* The destruction of the Cave of Wonders in ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}''.
* ''JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth in 3-D''.

* The title character of ''{{Shrek}}'' and his donkey sidekick walk across a rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lave without seeming to feel any heat.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3''. [[TearJerker Not that we're complaining.]]
* The entire ending of ''{{Congo}}''.
* ''TheLandBeforeTime'' had a scene that fits the trope description to a T, right down to floating rock islands that could be jumped on by ''dinosaurs''.
* The climax of ''Disney/TheJungleBook 2'' apparently takes place inside an old temple that's for some reason built inside a volcanic pit. Mowgli, Shanti, Ranjan, Baloo, and Bagheera actually lure [[KnightofCerebus Shere Khan]] inside the temple, where they attempt to distract the tiger by hitting gongs, but when that doesn't work, they simply throw Khan into a pool of lava. Khan survives the fall, thanks to a rocky ledge overhanging the lava, but is immediately trapped inside a giant stone tiger head that also fell inside the pool of lava. As soon as the heroes leave the volcanic temple, [[FridgeHorror the vultures arrive...]]
** [[NightmareRetardant And proceed to make really bad jokes.]]
* ''SwanPrincess 2'' is a fairly bad offender here-The villain's evil lair is inside a volcano, with a moat full of lava surrounding the central spire that serves as his home. There is a very rickety rope and wood pulley system used to cross-one that should have been incinerated in moments of exposure. Close to the end, while the volcano is exploding (as they are want to do) the heroes are barely inches away from the bubbling, wildly frothing lava-some of it splashing within millimeters of them-and come out unscathed, despite the fact that there should have at the very least been a few singed feathers.

* In Disney's version of ''ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', we have a scene where the two frogs are sitting on the edge of a bathtub. The bathtub is sitting in a fire and being used to cook gumbo, which is boiling hot. But, hey, an inch away sitting on bare metal, what's the problem?

* ''{{Mythbusters}}'' once tested firewalking over charcoal. The build team found out that coal is actually a decent insulator; the top being much cooler than the underside, and that the proper technique is a casual walk. This is because when running, more weight is concentrated on less area, causing a persons feet to dig into the coals; potentially causing severe burns.

* An episode of ''{{Eureka}}'' deals with a miniature sun springing into being over the title city, creating an unending, superhot day. It keeps growing and getting hotter until it collapses a silo, melts the tires on a Jeep and fries the circuitry on a rocket. No people suffer any ill effects worse than sweating, and the idea that a small sun might cause a fire in the forest it's hovering over is never even mentioned.

* Subverted by Mike Rowe in ''DirtyJobs''. Standing at least 20-30 feet away from a fresh lava flow, he remarked that "insanely hot was an understatement; it was hotter than hell". They had to get into special suits to get close since the radiant heat was enough to burn their skin, but seeing as the show centers on appreciating just how difficult everyday jobs are and strives for every aspect this is not too surprising. In other episodes, Mike has similar experiences with molten glass and molten steel - on the latter job, his face shield melted.
* In the ''{{Sanctuary}}'' episode "Pax Romana", two characters in insulation suits (which leave much of the head and hands exposed) leisurely execute a medical procedure surrounded by molten rock a few meters below. There's a dramatic close call where one of them falls extremely close to the lava. Sadly, her hair fails to start smoking.
* TheHardyBoysNancyDrewMysteries abused this ''twice'':

* On an episode of ''{{Series/Smallville}}'', Clark saves his rival Whitney from a fireball by covering his back with his body. We actually see the fireball engulfing Whitney's uncovered front, and we are shown that the blast super-heats Clark's body to the point that his father is burned just by touching him, but Whitney is fine. Their clothes are also undamaged.

*** Homer continues to writhe in agony because, as GeorgeTakei mentions afterward, their Orangina is "loaded with wasabi" (and orange concentrate in your eyes would burn like hell anyway).

* Taken to ridiculous extremes in ''IceAge 3'', where Sid manages to raft along a river of lava then have some of it ''splash'' on him without getting at all hurt.

* In the episode "Exchange" of ''KimPossible'', not only are Ron and Yori trapped in a metal cage and lowered into a river of lava, the lava actually spills into the cage and sets Ron's shoe on fire by contact. Ron and Yori then survive by hanging onto the tops of the cage's bar while the entire lower half of the cage melts away until they are saved. Apparently metal has to be immersed in lava to actually heat up. This also leads to the idea that heat doesn't conduct through metal. To get a steel bar hot enough to melt one end would make the other end way too hot to hold. (Of course, this is more an example of Conduction Schmonduction.)

* In ''TheRoadToElDorado'', the main characters are chased across a cracking layer of volcanic rock by a large stone jaguar. Lava comes within inches of splattering on them. But it must not be very hot itself, because the stone critter pops right back out.
* In ''BrotherBear'', Koda and Kenai traverse a field of heat (supposed to be lava...) This is impressive for two reasons: Kenai gets continuously hit by jets of steam (a la Princess Bride and the Swamp) and the nearby areas are covered in SNOW!

* Displayed throughout ''TheSecretSaturdays'' episode "Twelve Hundred Degrees Fahrenheit". Taken to a ridiculous extent when both Argost and Drew ''[[LavaIsBoilingKoolAid swim through the volcano]]'' (wearing fireproof lizard-skin and a heatproof suit, respectively, but ''still!''). Particularly egregious in Argost's case, as the lava should have seeped in through the openings in the skin (eyes, mouth).
* ''TheLandBeforeTime'' animated series episode "The Canyon of Shiny Stones" is all about this trope (although they do, at least, remember that volcanoes produce choking smoke).
* ''PhineasAndFerb'' roast weiners on a passing lava flow in "Candace Loses Her Head".

* In the ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpider-Man'' episode "The Parent Trap", this trope gets [[ZigZaggingTrope zig-zagged]]. Power Man gets tossed into a volcano and the only danger he faces is the possibility of ''drowning in the lava''. While in and of itself this is justified since Power Man is [[NighInvulnerability nigh invulnerable]], there's no similar justification for his ''costume'' being unharmed. Later, when Spidey shoots some webbing down to pull Power Man up, the head from the lava incinerates the webbing before it reaches him. But when he uses AppliedPhlebotinum to induce a "mini-eruption" and launch Power Man to safety, Spidey is standing what ''should'' be perilously close to the magma himself without taking any damage.