With lava, ash, and pyroclastic
flows, there’s no doubt that volcanic eruptions can be quite
spectacular. This simple project won’t produce such stunning—or
destructive—results, but it is fun and you probably won’t
need to buy any materials.
For a printable version of this project, click
here.
Materials
• Clear bottle with a slender neck
(try a juice, salad dressing, or small pop bottle)
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Dishwashing liquid
• Red food colouring
• Big bowl or pan
• Glass or mug
• Funnel
• Spoon
• Glitter (optional)
Instructions
1. Put the bottle in the middle of the large bowl
or pan. 2. Spoon baking soda into the bottle until it covers
the bottom. If you want to give your eruption some extra pizzazz,
you can also pour some glitter into the bottle. (In the photos,
you can see we didn’t add food colouring to the middle bottle,
but we did add red glitter.) 3. In a cup, combine 1/4 cup of vinegar, two big
drops of dishwashing liquid, and some food colouring. 4. Use the funnel to pour the soapy, red mixture
into the bottle.
5. Stand back and watch the “volcano”
erupt over the sides of the bottle.
A
Step Further
• What happens if you don’t
add the dishwashing liquid?
• Try adjusting the amount of vinegar and baking soda. What happens
if you add more baking soda and less vinegar? Does it make a difference?
• Use papier-mâché to make your volcano look more authentic.
What’s
Happening
You are creating a chemical reaction
between the baking soda (NaHCO3) and the vinegar (CH3COOH).
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda, producing carbon dioxide
gas (CO2). The gas expands and heads for the bottle opening,
pushing the soapy mixture along with it.
