Make a Baking Soda Volcano
Primary | Materials | Views: 23173
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:
- 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).
- Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan and mold the dough around it to form a volcano shape.
- Be sure not to cover the hole or drop dough inside the bottle.
- 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.)
- 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.
- Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid in the bottle.
- 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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