Bicarbonate of soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

Food colour ( any colour of your choose, but I prefer red)

A glass or plastic soda bottle

Some clay, modelling clay or sand can be used to build your volcano

A tray to build your volcano on or you could just use a piece of wood.

Once you have all your ingredients together you can get started with the experiment. Always remember safety first - goggles, lab coat etc. Check out this previous post it you are unsure. Think safety first when doing science experiments at home

First take your bottle and with the clay or modelling clay mold the shape of a volcano around the bottle until you are happy with it.

Pour the bicarbonate of soda in to the bottle inside your volcano.

Now pour the vinegar into a jug and add the the food colouring of your choose to the vinegar. This will give the effect of lava.

Make sure you now have your volcano on a firm base, a tray or large tupperware to avoid all the liquid going on the floor. Now pour in the vinegar until it starts fizzing out of your volcano stand back and watch your volcano erupt.

Now for the sciencey bit…

The reason it gives the effect of an erupting volcano is when you mix vinegar with bicarbonate of soda it creates a cemical reaction creating carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gases bubble and build in the bottle, forcing the liquid ‘ mixture out the bottle and down the sides of your volcano.

Hope you have had as much fun as I did with the kids and thank you for reading.

Alex