Final answer:
The most damaging lava type is one that flows quickly from long cracks, covering vast areas. Basaltic lava, exemplified by eruptions in places like the Snake River basalts and the Deccan plateau, can cause widespread damage. The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is an example of a volcano emitting damaging basaltic lava.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of lava most likely to cause the most widespread damage from an experiment would be the one that flows rapidly from long cracks, covering large areas and potentially forming lava plains. This kind of lava is typically more fluid, allowing it to travel greater distances and affect larger regions.
Examples of such extensive damage can be seen in the historical Snake River basalts in the northwestern United States and the Deccan plateau in India. In these cases, basaltic lava flows that move rapidly and over great lengths are the primary culprits of the destruction.
Moreover, the density and temperature of the lava are also important factors, as seen with Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, which emits a significant amount of high-temperature basaltic lava leading to a considerable rate of heat transfer from the Earth.