Kitchen Chemistry: Baking Soda Volcanoes
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Gregg Payne
06 September 2024
🕓 3 min
The Baking Soda Volcano is a classic science experiment that has been a favourite for kids and adults alike for generations. It’s a fun, interactive way to introduce children to basic chemical reactions, using simple household ingredients to create an exciting eruption! Perfect for rainy days or as part of a school science project, this experiment is easy to set up and sure to impress. Let’s explore how to make your own baking soda volcano and dive into the science behind the explosive reaction.
1. What You’ll Need
- Baking soda (also called bicarbonate of soda)
- Vinegar
- Dish soap (optional for more foam)
- Food colouring (optional for a lava effect)
- A plastic bottle or small container
- A tray or large dish to contain the mess
- Paper, clay, or foil (to make your volcano structure)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Create the volcano structure: If you want to make your experiment extra fun, build a volcano around your bottle. You can shape your volcano using clay, paper mâché, or simply wrap foil or paper around the bottle to create a mountain-like shape. Just leave the top of the bottle open for the eruption.
- Add the baking soda: Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottle or container at the centre of your volcano.
- Add food colouring and dish soap (optional): If you want your lava to look more realistic, add a few drops of food colouring to the bottle. Dish soap is optional but helps create more foam, making the eruption more dramatic.
- Prepare for the eruption: When you’re ready to make your volcano erupt, slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. You’ll see the mixture start to bubble and foam, creating a fizzy “lava” eruption that spills over the sides of the volcano.
- Observe the reaction: Watch as the chemical reaction takes place! You can repeat the experiment by adding more baking soda and vinegar to keep the volcano erupting.
2. The Science Behind It
The baking soda volcano is a great way to introduce children to the basics of acid-base reactions. Here’s what happens:
- Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is a base, while vinegar is an acid. When these two substances mix, they react to form carbon dioxide gas (CO₂). This gas creates bubbles, which cause the foaming and fizzing that we see as the "lava" erupts from the volcano.
- The dish soap helps trap the gas bubbles, creating even more foam and making the eruption last longer.
This simple experiment demonstrates the power of chemical reactions and how gases can be produced when certain substances interact.
For another hands-on activity that explores the world of science, check out our post The Egg Drop Challenge: Engineering a Solution.
3. Tips for Success
- Contain the mess: The reaction can be quite bubbly, so make sure to perform the experiment on a tray or outside to avoid any spills. You might want to place a large baking tray under your volcano to catch the overflow.
- Experiment with ratios: Try using different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to see how it affects the size of the eruption. More baking soda will create a bigger reaction, while more vinegar will make the foam spill out faster.
- Multiple eruptions: After the initial eruption, you can keep the fun going by adding more vinegar to the bottle. The reaction will continue as long as there’s baking soda left in the bottle.
4. Fun Fact About Volcanic Eruptions
Real volcanoes erupt when molten rock, or magma, rises to the surface due to pressure building up inside the Earth. When magma escapes through a volcanic vent, it becomes lava, which can flow down the volcano and cool to form new land. While the baking soda volcano doesn’t involve molten rock, it’s a fun way to mimic the explosive nature of volcanic eruptions!
5. Safety Tips
While this experiment uses household items that are generally safe, it’s always best to supervise young children closely:
- Avoid ingesting any materials used in this experiment.
- Clean up thoroughly after completing your volcanic activity to prevent any accidental exposure.
Final Thoughts
The baking soda volcano is a simple but effective experiment that brings science to life for kids. It’s a great way to introduce chemical reactions in an exciting and memorable way. Plus, it’s a versatile experiment—you can easily tweak it with different amounts of ingredients or add your own creative touches with the volcano design.
If your child loves hands-on science like this, our Science of Sound holiday camps offer even more fun experiments and STEM-based learning experiences. Discover more about our upcoming camps and workshops here and give your child the chance to explore science in an engaging and interactive environment!
