Experiment #7: Volcano Effect with Baking Soda and Vinegar

I feel terrible that I have neglected this space for quite sometime. Life has been getting busy and my kids are growing up fast. Katli is 4 + years old now and when I started this blog more than a year ago, he was that tiny, timid boy. Now he has grown to a pre-KG student who walks around with his curious eyes and lots of questions in mind. We have been doing science experiments from simple kitchen ingredients every Wednesday. We are also busy testing recipes for my pop-up dinners in San Francisco and San Mateo. My next one is on 07Mar2015 and I am hosting this meal to celebrate  International Women's Day. Yes, we dedicated one day in a week for mini science projects. I am sure that every kitchen will carry baking soda and vinegar. So I planned the experiment using it. We have already done an experiment with the exact same concept here.

 

 

 

Aim: To create volcano effect in the kitchen using baking soda and vinegar

Things needed: 

1. 1 small empty glass tumbler  or plastic bottle
2. 3-4 tablespoon baking soda
3. 1/2 cup vinegar
4. Play Dough (any color)
5. Larger container to prevent spilling
6. Kitchen tissues to clean

Directions:

1. Let the child cover the container with play dough or you can use a small plastic bottle and create a mountain with brown coloured play dough. 
2. Place it over a bowl. This will catch the excess vinegar that will overflow.
3. Ask the child to add few spoons of baking soda to the glass/plastic container. 
4. Gently pour the vinegar and watch the fizz.
5. Pour the vinegar in batches to create a volcano effect.

 

 

What actually happens?

It is a simple acid-base reaction. When baking soda and vinegar comes in contact they react to produce carbon dioxide. The gas spreads out and reaches the top and overflows with a fizz. 

I explained in a much simpler way to my four year old son. I said when this white powder touches the vinegar, magic happens. I told him to watch the fizz and see how bubbles reach the rim of the containers and spills over. He loved it and we repeated the experiment thrice. Yes, practice and repetition is key.