How to Build a Volcano for a School Project

A volcano can be a fun science experiment to do for a school project or event. Typically created using items you can find in your home, a homemade volcano can be an impressive addition to any school science fair. If you've never made your own volcano, building one is fairly easy to do and will have you erupting in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Old plastic soda bottle
• 6 cups of flour
• 2 cups of salt
• 4 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• Food coloring
• Bowl
• Small bottle of dishwashing detergent
• Small box of baking soda
• Small bottle of vinegar

Instructions

1. Place the soda bottle on a cookie sheet, or any other surface where you would like to create your volcano that will not leak after it erupts.

2. Mix together the flour, salt, oil and water in a bowl to create a dough with which to build the outside of your volcano. Add a drop or two of food coloring to the mix to create a colored volcano.

3. Mold the dough around your soda bottle to create your volcano. Allow the dough to dry overnight.

4. Fill your soda bottle halfway with water and add six drops of detergent and 2 tbsp. of baking soda when you're ready to make your volcano erupt.

5. Slowly pour in vinegar to make the volcano erupt.

References

• MBMG: Let's Make a Volcano
• Discovery Kids: Make a Volcano