Making a volcano in a soda bottle is a classic science experiment that deserves a little mess. A volcanic eruption can be made from a variety of materials. Two classic options are a soda and Mentos mints volcano (if done correctly, the eruption can be up to 50 centimeters high) and a volcano made from a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. With a few tools at your disposal, you can have a fun volcanic eruption in your backyard.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Decorating the Volcano
Step 1. Select the base of the volcano
This could be a plastic cutting board, an unwanted piece of wood, or some other hard, flat object. Do not use cardboard as it may not be strong enough.
If you use unnecessary material as a stand, you can additionally decorate it to resemble a picturesque landscape. Paint the base, cover it with moss, cover it with grass-like green cloth, attach miniature trees, and so on
Step 2. Attach a closed 2 liter soda bottle to the base
Since the volcano will erupt from the bottle, secure it in the center of the stand. The method depends on what exactly you are using as the base. If it's a cutting board, glue a lump of plasticine to it and lightly press the bottom of the bottle into it. If you have an unwanted wood board, use wood glue.
- Try to find a caramel-colored soda - it looks more like volcanic lava than clear drinks. Both regular and diet soda will work for this experiment, although the latter erupts higher.
- If you are gluing the bottle to the stand, wait for it to warm up to room temperature. The cold bottle is covered with moisture, which will prevent it from adhering properly. Do not use hot glue, as it can melt the bottom of the bottle and soda pop out.
- If you are going to make a volcano using baking soda and vinegar, attach an empty bottle to the stand.
Step 3. Build a volcano around the bottle
For a mountain-like shape, attach a wire mesh cone to the bottle and cover it with papier-mâché. Instead of papier-mâché, you can stick plasticine around the bottle. To make the structure look more like a mountain, use green, gray or brown plasticine.
Do not close the neck of the bottle, otherwise you will not be able to activate the volcano. You must have access to the neck so you can pour Mentos or baking soda into it
Step 4. Paint the volcano
After the papier-mâché is dry, paint it with acrylic paint (it will also help to retain moisture). Paint the top of the volcano brown and orange, and add a green that looks like grass at the bottom.
You can even press pebbles, earth, or moss into the volcano to give it a more natural look
Method 2 of 3: Using Soda Water and Mentos
Step 1. Prepare everything you need
For this volcano, you will need a two-liter bottle of Coca-Cola, a packet of Mentos mints and enough free space. It looks like Diet Coke is better suited for this purpose than regular Coca-Cola (and leaves behind a less sticky surface). The caramel-colored sparkling water looks more like lava than yellow or orange lemonade.
This experiment is best done outdoors. If you do it indoors, cover the floor with cellophane wrap or tarpaulin
Step 2. Place the volcano in a large enough area outside and open the bottle
Do not perform this experiment indoors, otherwise soda will splatter everything around. Set up a volcano outdoors - soda can spew quite high. Then open the bottle.
Warn prospective viewers to stay away
Step 3. Get ready to toss the whole pack of Mentos into the bottle
When Mentos comes in contact with soda, a reaction starts, as a result of which the carbon dioxide contained in the liquid pushes it out of the water. The more "Mentos" you immediately throw into the bottle, the stronger the eruption will be, but for this you have to try. There are several methods to throw Mentos pills into a bottle.
- Method 1: Fold paper into a tube the same width as the neck of the bottle. The tube should be long enough to accommodate any Mentos pills you are about to throw into the bottle. Place a cardboard card on the neck of the bottle, place a tube on top and pour Mentos into it. When you are ready for a volcanic eruption, yank out the card so that Mentos spills out into the bottle.
- Method 2. Loosely cover the Mentos dragee with tape. When the time is right, toss them directly into the bottle.
- Method 3. Insert a funnel into the bottle with a wide enough neck so that the dragee can pour freely through it. After that, fill in the "Mentos" funnel and immediately remove it as soon as it is in the bottle.
Step 4. Pour Mentos into the bottle and run to the side
It is quite difficult to pour all the dragees into the bottle at once. If you fail to do this, the liquid will rise only a few centimeters. Try tossing as many Mentos dragees as possible into the bottle several times until the soda runs out. After the "Mentos" falls into the bottle, run away from it about a meter and watch the eruption!
- If you are throwing Mentos through a paper tube, yank out the cardboard card that holds the pills in place so they all fall into the bottle at once.
- If you are using duct tape, simply throw the duct taped into the bottle.
- If you are using a funnel, pour all the dragees into it at the same time. Remove the funnel as soon as all the pills fall into the bottle and run to the side.
Method 3 of 3: Using baking soda and vinegar
Step 1. Prepare the required materials
For this volcano, you will need 400 milliliters of vinegar, 200 milliliters of water, a drop of liquid dish soap, a large spoonful of baking soda, an empty 2 liter bottle, and red food coloring.
- Experiment a bit to find the right amount of each ingredient to get the desired volcanic eruption.
- For a more natural lava color, use red wine vinegar. You can also take white vinegar and add red or orange food coloring to it.
- A smaller plastic bottle can also be used, but in this case all ingredients should be reduced accordingly.
Step 2. Mix vinegar, water and a drop of dish soap
Pour these ingredients into your volcano. The liquid soap will reduce the surface tension of the water, resulting in a more powerful eruption.
Step 3. Place the volcano on a table covered with plastic wrap or on a linoleum floor
Although this method will leave less dirt than the Mentos method, you probably don't want to clean up a carpet or rug of eruption marks.
Weather permitting, take the volcano outside
Step 4. Add a spoonful of baking soda to the mixture
The baking soda will react with the vinegar-containing solution, causing a volcanic eruption! If you want a stronger eruption, use more vinegar and baking soda.
Warnings
- If you drink soda and then swallow Mentos, do not worry - the acid in your mouth and stomach will prevent the reaction in your stomach from starting.
- Do not use a 3- or 1-liter bottle, as they have too wide a neck compared to the volume. A three-liter bottle will give a fountain about 15 centimeters high, and a one-liter bottle will just foam.
- Step aside as soon as the volcanic eruption starts so you don't get splashed.