Volcanoes

Supplies:
vinegar
baking soda
red food coloring
liquid dish soap
play dough
paper plates
Dixie cups
measuring utensils

Play Dough Recipe
2 c. flour
1 c. salt
1 c. colored water
1 tsp. alum (optional to preserve)

Alternate Play Dough Recipe
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 Tbsp. cream of tartar
1 c. water
1 Tpsp oil
Optional: add vanilla or peppermint extract before cooking. Smell is our strongest link to memory.
(mix and cook over skillet on low/medium heat for 3-5 minutes)

Concept: Vinegar causes the baking soda to bubble and turn into a gas (carbon dioxide). The dish soap slows down the chemical reaction to form the lava.

Procedure: Place Dixie cup on center of paper plate. Use play dough to form base of volcano. Have student measure 1 Tbs. of baking soda. Place into Dixie cup inside crater of volcano. Squirt one squirt of liquid soap into crater of volcano. Take volcanoes outside for eruption time. Let students pour one Dixie cup full of vinegar into volcano (can be repeated by adding more vinegar).

Extension: Experiment with different materials to form volcano. Add more or less dish soap, baking soda, vinegar and observe.

Application to Real World: Why do volcanoes erupt? A volcano is a vent through which molten rock escapes to the earth's surface. Unlike other mountains, which are pushed up from below, volcanoes are built by surface accumulation of their eruptive products - layers of lava, ashflows, and ash. When pressure from gases within the molten rock becomes too great, an eruption occurs. Volcanic hazards include gases, lava and pyroclastic flows, landslides, earthquakes, and explosive eruptions.

Balloon Blow Up

Supplies

1. empty plastic bottle filled half way with vinegar
2. 1 Tbs. of baking soda
3. balloon(s)

Procedure: Place balloon on funnel. Have students measure and pour 1 Tbs. of baking soda into the funnel. Have students gently remove balloon from funnel. Set balloon with baking soda aside. Use funnel in bottle and let student pour about 1/2 the bottle with vinegar. Use marker to mark measurement on bottle. Carefully place balloon over mouth of bottle, make sure the baking soda does not pour into vinegar, yet. On the count of 3, have students lift balloons and let baking soda fall into the bottle.

Concept: Chemical Reactions- Carbon Dioxide gas. Tip the bottle upside down and let all the ingredients fill the balloon. Touch the bottom of balloon to feel how cold these chemicals get.

Extension: Use yeast to replace baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to replace vinegar to make a different gas (oxygen). This experiment makes heat. It does not produce as much gas, but is much warmer.

Application to Real World: Why do helium balloons rise? Helium rises because it is less dense than the air. If it is less dense, then it will rise above the air until it meets a gas lighter than it. There are other gases lighter than air. You should experiment with other gases inside balloons.

Baggie Bombs

Supplies

1. 1 Tbs. baking soda
2. Zip Lock bag
3. Dixie cup full of vinegar

Concept: Chemical Reactions- Baking soda and vinegar make a gas (carbon dioxide) and heat was absorbed (it gets cold).

Procedure: Have students place 1 Tbs.of baking soda in Zip Lock bag, pour Dixie cup of vinegar into bag and zip tightly.

Extension: Use yeast instead of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide instead of vinegar to make a different gas (oxygen). This experiment will produce heat.

Application to Real World: We breath in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, while trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen out into the environment.