Make Your Own Erupting Volcano!
Real lava comes bursting out of volcanoes, so let's make an eruption of our own! This version is all about getting the best possible eruption. Once you've mastered it, you can build a papier-mâché volcano around your cup to make it look like the real thing.
What do you need?
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Cup or glass
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Water
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Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
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Washing-up liquid
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Vinegar
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Red food colouring (optional)
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A tray, or a spot outside where you don't mind some mess!
Step 1
Fill your cup just over half full with water. Add 3 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda and stir until most of it dissolves.
Step 2
Add a good squirt of washing-up liquid and stir again. For really realistic lava, add a few drops of red food colouring now.
Step 3
Put your volcano on a tray, in the sink or outside. It's about to get messy!
Step 4
Quickly pour in just under a quarter of a cup of vinegar… and stand back for your eruption!
What's going on?
Congratulations, you've just made a chemical reaction! Vinegar is an acid and bicarbonate of soda is an alkali. When they mix, they react and release lots of bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. The washing-up liquid traps those bubbles into a foam, so it comes pouring out over the top like real lava.
Looking for yet more fun?
Continue the investigation like a real scientist...
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Change the amounts of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. What makes the biggest eruption?
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Does warm water make a faster eruption than cold?
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Build a papier-mâché volcano around your cup and paint it for the full effect.