We had an exciting morning experimenting with kitchen ingredients to simulate larva in a volcano. It was heaps of fun and the kids really enjoyed it, trying it several more times after the initial eruption.

Below is everything you need to know to conduct the experiment yourself. It is really fun. Suggestion: do it outside on the grass so you have less clean up in the kitchen.

20141217 Volcano experiment: Some of the Ingredients used in the experiment

You will need:

• 6 Cups of flour,
• 2 Cups of salt
• 4 Tablespoons of cooking oil
• 2 Tablespoons of baking soda
• detergent
• red food colouring (not essential, but makes it fun)
• vinegar
• baking pan
• empty bottle (we used a small one)

Method:

To make the volcano cone:

• Mix together the flour, salt, oil and water to make a dough for the volcano’s cone (add water as necessary to make a nice dough that sticks together but is not sticky or too dry)

Organising the eruption apparatus:

• fill the bottle to four-fifths full with warm water, a little detergent and some food colour

Putting it all together:

• Stand the bottle in the pan and mould the cone around it. Don’t cover the hole.
• Taking the experiment outside is a good idea at this point
• Add 2 Table spoons of baking soda, then slowly add vinegar
• Observe the eruption

20141217 Volcano experiment: Pouring in the vinegar to the water, detergent, baking soda, food colour mix

20141217 Volcano experiment: eruption (with added colour)

20141217 Volcano experiment: conducting the experiment a second time on their own

20141217 Volcano experiment: blowing air on the volcano to see what happens next

20141217 Volcano experiment: near the end of the volcano’s short life, watching the last larva pour out before it got composted. The experiments with baking soda, vinegar and various other ingredients including dam water, sugar, and just plain baking soda and vinegar continued.

Have fun experimenting.