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How To Make A Volcano
By Lakshmi Ramchander
The process of a volcanic eruption is when the molten rock called ‘magma’, from the Earth’s crust erupts out of the volcanic crater as red hot ‘lava’.
In this chemical reaction an acid like vinegar is made to react with a base like baking soda. The reaction between the two leads to neutralization of each other and carbon dioxide gas is evolved out as a byproduct. The exact reaction can be written as
Vinegar + Baking Soda → Carbon Dioxide + Sodium Acetate + Water
HC2H3O2 + NaHCO3 → CO2 + NaC2H3O2 + H2O
The chemicals required for this reaction are as follows:
An old aluminum tin plate, old news papers or waste paper, baking soda (4 tbs), ½ a cup of vinegar, 4-5 drops of liquid dish washing detergent, a small bottle (plastic), clay, a funnel, a cup for measuring, and a red or orange coloring agent.
To start off with making the volcano firstly select a place that is outdoors or an area from where there can be easy escape of the gases.
Take a clean empty bottle and place it on the aluminum plate. Make a volcano around the bottle using clay, leaving the mouth of the bottle uncovered. Place the dry funnel into the bottle and put 4 tbsp of baking soda into the bottle. Add 4-5 drops of the detergent liquid along with ½ a cup of water. To about one-half cup of vinegar add the red or orange food coloring and keep aside.
Once all the above is ready then add the colored vinegar into the contents in the bottle quickly and remove the funnel immediately.
The volcano erupts instantaneously while ejecting out the carbon dioxide which is seen as the bubbles pushing out the lava. Your volcano will erupt immediately! When the vinegar reacts with the baking soda, carbon dioxide gas is formed and the bubbles push the "lava" out the "volcano."
Caution: The place becomes messy at the end of the experiment.
An alternative method for making a volcano.
Take a sheet of plywood about 10 inches wide and thick, to take a volcano. Take a 2-lter bottle and cover it around with plaster while leaving the lid off. Make the ridges and channels for the flow of the lava. Use small plants and twigs as trees.
Mix one tbsp of dishwashing liquid to one tbsp baking soda and add 4-5 drops of coloring agent taken in a cup. Pour this mixture into thye bottle without spillages. Now place this bottle outside and pour about one-fourth cup of white vinegar into the bottle.
See Also:
more info on how to make a volcano can be obtained from the school students of Yr 7 and above who do this as a project.
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