National Chemistry Week - Experiments


National Chemistry Week - Experiments - The Erupting Volcano

The Aim:

to cause a minitaure volcanic eruption

What you will need:

empty pop bottle
shallow baking pan
250 ml (1 cup) vinegar
10 mL (2 teaspons) dishwashing detergent
30 mL (2 tablespoons) baking soda
red food colouring (optional)
dirt or clay or papier mache or aluminum foil

What to do:

Place the pop bottle in the pan.
Place dirt, clay, papier mache or aluminum foil around the bottle to create the volcano.
Pour the 30 mL of baking soda into the bottle.
Add the 10 mL of dishwashing detergent.
Colour the vinegar using a few drops of red food colouring and pour this mixture into the mouth of the bottle.
Encourage observations.

[IMAGE OF VOLCANO ERUPTING]

Foam will spew out of the volcano. This happens because the baking soda chemically reacts with the vinegar, producing carbon dioxide gas. The gas will build up enough pressure inside to force the liquid out of the top of the bottle. The foam is produced due to the gas and the liquid mixing with the detergent.

For other chemical reactions with an acid see GREEN PENNIES, THE DISAPPEARING EGG SHELL and BONES IN KNOTS.