Volcano eruption

Procedure

• Add 100 mL of vinegar to a beaker.
• In the Erlenmeyer flask, add 50 g of baking soda, 50 mL of distilled water, 2 drops of food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap.
• Place the Erlenmeyer flask on the plastic container.
• Mix well for a couple of minutes. Not all of it will dissolve, but some will.
• Finally, quickly introduce the vinegar into the volcano.
• Quickly move away!

Theoretical explanation

A volcano is a fissure in the Earth’s crust that is in contact with a magmatic zone and under certain conditions allows the release of fluid or solid materials at high temperatures (between 700 and 1500°C), namely lava. Volcanoes are fed by magma through conduits called chimneys. These pipes can extend up to about 200 km deep. Volcanic eruptions occur due to an increase in internal pressure in the conduits that originate from the Earth’s magma and reach the surface. When the pressure is high enough, these conduits cannot withstand it and break at their weakest point, causing an eruption of molten rock (lava) to erupt at high speed.

This experiment recreates the functioning of a volcano through chemical reactions. By adding vinegar (acetic acid) to the mixture containing baking soda (a base), a chemical reaction occurs that releases a large amount of carbon dioxide gas (CO2), observed in the foamy red solution produced. The reaction can be represented as follows:

CH3COOH + NaHCO3  —> CO2 + H2O + CH3COONa

Did you know…? The word “volcano” originates from the name of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. While you read this, there are more than 20 active volcanoes erupting in various parts of the world.