Volcano Eruption Effect?

Question

Hey all...

I have a question. I am teaching a summer school class over the summer right now and we are doing a unit on Hawaii. Unfortunately, I am a high school English Teacher teaching 6th grade science.

We have built a volcano in class, and I really want to make a SPECTACULAR effect because of all of the work we have put into it so far. I would really like to do something that is more exciting than a simple baking soda and vinegar reaction.

We have engineered the device with an 8oz styrofoam cup at the top for the materials. Another plastic cup fit inside would certainly mitigate anything that eats styrofoam (which I understand is quite a lot).

The simpler and less expensive the better folks. Thanks so much! I hope to have an answer by tonight so that I can buy the materials for tomorrow morning.

Thanks a lot!!!!!

P.S. FIreworks are illegal in the state I live in, in case anyone was suggesting that...

Answer 1

You could try Mentos mints and Coke (see first link). Experiment (outside, not in your volcano) with a small amount of Coke in a 12oz bottle and a couple mints to see the reaction level, so you can get it right with the volcano.

The effect should be the same with something like carbonated fruit punch (a nice red lava effect). But, it MUST be carbonated for this to work, diet if possible.

Here's why it works: when you drop the Mentos into the soda, the gelatin and gum arabic from the dissolving candy break the surface tension. This disrupts the water mesh, so that it takes less work to expand and form new bubbles. Each Mentos candy has thousands of tiny pits all over the surface which are where the carbon dioxide bubbles form. As soon as the Mentos hit the soda, bubbles form all over the surface of the candy. But, since they sink to the bottom of the soda, when all this gas is released, it literally pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle in an incredible soda blast.
(Check out the second link for more info on why the reaction takes place so you can explain it to the class.)

Answer 2

protect volcanos, like in Hawaii, with their skinny, runny lava, result from low-silica magma it truly is function of warm spots the position you've were given raw magma from the mantle. Stratovolcanos, on the different hand (Mount Saint Helens, as an celebration), have extreme-silica, very sticky, very viscous lava, subsequently of their magma originating with in part melted crust it truly is at the moment being subducted under them. because the magma is so thick and sticky, it leads to an explosive eruption. frequently one of those volcano is got here upon close to subduction zones consisting of the "ring of fireplace".

Answer 3

don't knock baking soda and vinegar. if you do it right you get a great result. without the background in chemistry i'd stick to the basics or you'll get hurt.

the mentos/soda might work, but it won't look right. if you use food coloring in the vinegar you can get it to look however you want

Answer 4

Here is a picture of mento and cola effect. You can 'water' it down to something that emulate a volcano eruption.