Volcano in a Bottle

Adapted from YES Mag. Canada's Science Magazine For Kids.

Volcano in a Bottle

With lava, ash, and pyroclastic flows, there’s no doubt that volcanic eruptions can be quite spectacular. This simple project won’t produce such stunning—or destructive—results, but it is fun and you probably won’t need to buy any materials.

Materials

• Clear bottle with a slender neck (try a juice, salad dressing, or small pop bottle)
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Dishwashing liquid
• Red food colouring
• Big bowl or pan
• Glass or mug
• Funnel
• Spoon
• Glitter (optional)

Instructions - Read through the following procedure, then click Here for a copy of the Volcano Lab Report Sheet . Print it out and complete the Pre-Lab Questions and Data Table before doing any of the procedure.

Procedure:

1. Put the bottle in the middle of the large bowl or pan.
2. Spoon baking soda into the bottle until it covers the bottom. Record the volume of baking soda you used. If you want to give your eruption some extra pizzazz, you can also pour some glitter into the bottle. (In the photos, you can see we didn’t add food colouring to the middle bottle, but we did add red glitter.)
3. In a cup, combine 1/4 cup of vinegar, two big drops of dishwashing liquid, and some food colouring.
4. Use the funnel to pour the soapy, red mixture into the bottle.

Volcano in a Bottle Instructions 2

5. Stand back and watch the “volcano” erupt over the sides of the bottle.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 several more times, varying the amounts of vinegar, baking soda, and dishwashing liquid,

CLC Points:

• Click Here for a copy of the Volcano Lab Report Sheet

. Answer the questions and turn in for CLC points.