HOW DO YOU CREATE A VOLCANO?
A. Materials needed:
- Vinegar
- Baking soda or saltpetre
- Dish soap
- Water
- Plastic bottle
B. Instructions:
1. Mix the vinegar with water and some dish soap in the bottle.
2. Pour in some baking soda or saltpetre.
3. The volcano is made.
SO WHAT CAUSES THE VOLCANO?
The vinegar is essentially acetic acid (CH?COOH) whilst baking soda is alkaline (NaHCO3). When the two react, carbon dioxide and water is formed in the process as shown in the equation below:
CH3COOH + NaHCO3 = CH3COONa + CO2 + H2O.
The reaction between an acid and a base is called a neutralization reaction. The CO2 formed causes the soap bubbles to foam, forming the volcano.
TAKING IT FURTHER
The chemical formula for saltpetre (potassium nitrate) is KNO3. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of between saltpetre and vinegar.
What effect does the amount of either reactant have on the size of the volcano formed?