To learn about the properties of chemical substances.
The first step is to build the volcano—wrapping a jar in Play-Doh will do the trick, or use papier-mâché for those feeling a bit more ambitious. Decorate it with whatever scraps you have or some natural items from a park or garden, like pebbles, grass and flowers. Go outside or prepare for some clean-up inside.
To erupt your volcano:
1. Add two or three teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda to your plastic bottle/jar.
2. Pour in half a glass of warm water mixed with the red food dye.
3. Pour in approximately a glass full of (inexpensive) vinegar.
Provide assistance in gathering all materials and supervise the mixing of the substances.
The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while the vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid. When they react together they form carbonic acid which is very unstable, it instantly breaks apart into water and carbon dioxide, which creates all the fizzing as it escapes the solution.
Follow-up question:
Does the shape of the volcano affect the direction the eruption travels?
This activity was created by Sally-Anne Yeomans, PGCE student in summer term 2020
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