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Make a Baking Soda Volcano

Make a Baking Soda Volcano

  Primary | Materials | Views: 15729

Did You Know?

  • The cool red lava is the result of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
  • In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which is also present in real volcanoes.
  • As the carbon dioxide gas is produced, pressure builds up inside the plastic bottle, until—thanks to the detergent—the gas bubbles out of the mouth of the volcano.

You will Need:

  • 6 cups flour
  • 2 cups salt
  • 4 tablespoons cooking oil
  • warm water
  • plastic drinks bottle
  • dishwashing detergent
  • food colouring
  • vinegar
  • baking dish or another pan
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda

What to Do:

  1. Start by making the cone of your baking soda volcano by mixing 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (add more water if needed).
  2. Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan and mold the dough around it to form a volcano shape.
  3. Be sure not to cover the hole or drop dough inside the bottle.
  4. Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food coloring. (You cando this prior to sculpting the cone as long as you don’t take so long that the water gets cold.)
  5. Add 6 drops of detergent to the contents of the bottle. The detergent helps trap bubbles produced by the chemical reaction so you get better lava.
  6. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid in the bottle.
  7. Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle, and then watch out…It’s eruption time!

We want to see eruptions! Send us a video to askanambassador@canterbury.ac.uk or tag us on Twitter @STEMHUB_SE


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