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Baking Soda and Vinegar Chemical Volcano

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The baking soda and vinegar volcano is a fun chemistry project you can do to simulate a real volcanic eruption or as an example of an  acid-base reaction . The chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) produces carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles in dishwashing detergent. The chemicals are non-toxic (though not tasty), making this project a good choice for scientists of all ages.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Materials

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• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Empty 20-ounce drink bottle
• Deep plate or a pan
• Gel food coloring
• Dishwashing detergent
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• Vinegar (dilute acetic acid)

Make the Volcano Dough

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You can cause an eruption without making a "volcano," but it's easy to model a cinder cone. Start by making the dough:

• Mix together 3 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
• Either work the dough with your hands or stir it with a spoon until the mixture is smooth.
• If you like, you can add a few drops of food coloring to the dough to make it volcano-colored.

Model a Volcano Cinder Cone

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Next, you want to shape the dough into a volcano:

• Fill the empty drink bottle most of the way full with hot tap water.
• Add a squirt of dishwashing detergent and some baking soda (~2 tablespoons). If desired, you can add a few drops of food coloring.
• Set the drink bottle in the center of a pan or deep dish.
• Press the dough around the bottle and shape it to look like a volcano.
• Be careful not to plug the opening of the bottle.
• You may wish to dribble some food coloring down the sides of your volcano. When the volcano erupts, the "lava" will flow down the sides and will pick up the coloring.

Cause a Volcanic Eruption

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You can make your volcano erupt over and over again.

• When you are ready for the eruption, pour some vinegar into the bottle (which contains hot water, dishwashing detergent, and baking soda).
• Make the volcano erupt again by adding more baking soda. Pour in more vinegar to trigger the reaction.
• By now, you probably see why it is important to use a deep dish or a pan. You may need to pour some of the "lava" into the sink between eruptions.
• You can clean up any spills with warm soapy water. If you used food coloring, you could stain clothes, skin, or countertops, but the chemicals used and produced are generally non-toxic.

How a Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Works

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The baking soda and vinegar volcano erupts because of an acid-base reaction:

baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) + vinegar (acetic acid) → carbon dioxide + water + sodium ion + acetate ion

NaHCO 3 (s) + CH 3 COOH(l) → CO 2 (g) + H 2 O(l) + Na + (aq) + CH 3 COO - (aq)

where s = solid, l = liquid, g = gas, aq = aqueous or in solution

Breaking it down:

NaHCO 3 → Na + (aq) + HCO 3 - (aq) CH 3 COOH → H + (aq) + CH 3 COO - (aq)

H + + HCO 3 - → H 2 CO 3 (carbonic acid) H 2 CO 3 → H 2 O + CO 2

Acetic acid (a weak acid) reacts with and neutralizes sodium bicarbonate (a base). The carbon dioxide that is given off is a gas. Carbon dioxide is responsible for the fizzing and bubbling during the "eruption."

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How to Make a Volcano Erupt

Last Updated: May 31, 2022 References

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 44,967 times.

Creating a model volcano and making it erupt is a fun science experiment that teaches kids about chemical reactions. There are several variations on this experiment. You can create the volcano with dough, insulating foam or paper mache, and you can also make the volcano erupt with baking soda or soda pop.

Baking Soda and Dough Volcano

• Cut out several strips of cardboard that are 3 inches by 6 inches (7.5 by 15cm) for the supports.
• Tape them with masking tape, electrical tape or duct tape. Avoid packing tape because it is too slick.

• For example, you may want to paint the volcano brown with green near the bottom.
• Illustrate the eruption by painting red lava flows down the side. [3] X Research source

Mentos and Foam Volcano

• Use very sturdy cardboard for this tray.
• You can also use several thick sheets of cardboard for a stronger base.

• You may want to try Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant.

• The porous surface of the Mentos causes the rapid formation of carbon dioxide. This chemical reaction produces foam. [5] X Research source
• Remove your 2 l bottle of soda from the bottom of the cardboard. Insert another bottle and do it again.

Community Q&A

• Although dough and insulating foam create a quick volcano, you can make your volcano using paper maché for either the baking soda or Mentos method. Mix a combination of water and glue. Dip strips of paper into it and smooth them over your bottle and supports. Repeat until the volcano is formed. Allow it to dry overnight before painting it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bottle
• Cardboard box
• Scissors/box cutter
• Cooking oil
• Tempera paints
• Paint brushes
• Baking soda
• Food coloring
• Cardboard sheets
• Aluminum foil
• 2 l bottles of soda
• Insulating foam
• Papier mache mix (water and glue)

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://sciencenotes.org/5-ways-to-make-a-volcano/
• ↑ https://artfulparent.com/volcano-eruptions-in-our-kitchen/
• ↑ http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/how-to-make-a-fast-easy-volcano.htm
• ↑ http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/how-to-make-a-spectacular-volcano.htm
• ↑ http://mentalfloss.com/article/48759/why-do-diet-coke-and-mentos-react

About this article

To make a volcano erupt, start by securing a bottle of soda to a cardboard tray. Then, spray insulating foam around the soda bottle to create a mountain, and wait for it to harden. Next, paint the dried insulating foam so it looks like a volcano, and attach a paper cylinder to the very top. Finally, drop a few Mentos into the paper cylinder so they fall into the bottle of soda, and wait for the eruption. To learn how to make a volcano erupt with baking soda and dough, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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