The key difference between magma and lava lies in their location:

* Magma is molten rock found beneath the Earth's surface. It's under immense pressure and often contains dissolved gases.

* Lava is molten rock that has erupted onto the Earth's surface. The pressure release causes gases to escape, which can create dramatic eruptions.

Here's a table summarizing the differences:

| Feature | Magma | Lava |

|--------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|

| Location | Beneath Earth's surface | On the Earth's surface |

| Pressure | High | Lower |

| Gas content | Dissolved gases | Gases released, often explosively |

| Appearance | Not directly observable | Visible flowing molten rock |

Essentially, lava is just magma that has made its way to the Earth's surface.