How to Make a Volcano

A volcano is place in the earth's surface through which molten rock and other materials reach the surface. In an eruption, magma (lava) comes to the earth's surface, along with ash, dust, bombs, and cinders. In this activity, you will make your own model of a volcano.

Materials

• 6 cups of flour
• 2 cups of salt
• 4 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 2 cups of water
• large bowl.
• food can
• vinegar
• warm water
  
• baking soda
  
• spoon
  
• red food coloring
• liquid detergent
• 15"x15” piece of plywood
• logbook and pencil

Procedure

• Mix 6 cups of flour, 2 cups of salt, 4 tablespoons of cooking oil, and 2 cups of water in a large bowl.
• Work the ingredients with your hands until smooth and firm. Add more water to the mixture if needed.
• Placing your can in the center of your board.
  
• Mold the play dough around the can making the slopes of the volcano up to the open end of the can.
• Fill the can most of the way with warm water mixed with a little red food colouring.
• Put 6 drops of the liquid detergent into the bottle and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda
• Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle and stand back...

How it Works

A nice bubbly red 'lava' should flow out of your volcano. This happens because of the baking soda and vinegar undergo a chemical reaction (a chemical reaction is a process in which one substance is chemically converted to another - all chemical reactions involve the formation or destruction of bonds between atoms) in which carbon dioxide gas is produced. The gas bubbles build up in the bottle, forcing the liquid 'lava' mixture out and down the sides of your volcano.

1. Find out about a real volcano near you. When did it last erupt?
2. Are volcanos evenly spread out around the Earth or can there be many in one place (what is the "Ring of Fire")?
3. What should you do if there is a volcanic eruption near you?
4. Often volcanic ash is acidic. What colour would Universal Indicator change to if some ash was in a sample of river water?

source: http://tipnet.taranaki.ac.nz/~mfenton/TRAIN/volcano.htm