One of my favorite “how to” lava lamp tricks is to make and easy volcano experiment at home. This is great fun for families to do together. All you need is some clay, a ball of scotch tape, some paper towels, and an easy to assemble (and tear apart) lava lamp. This easy volcano experiment is easy enough for kids to try, and you won’t need any special toys to get this project rolling.
First, cut the head off of a half-lit volcano. Then set the half-lit volcano on the desired location for your easy volcano experiment. Using a rubber or latex ball, cover the entire surface of the volcano with scotch tape. First cover the whole surface with a piece of scotch tape, and then use the other piece of scotch tape to seal the edges around the ball. Place the ball inside the volcano, making sure it is within easy reach of young kids.
For this easy volcano experiment, you’ll need some liquid dish soap, some baking soda, a small zip lock bag, and some petroleum jelly. Simply mix mix some dish soap, a small scoop of baking soda, some petroleum jelly, and some clean dry rags, such as tea towels. Once you’ve gathered these items, place them in the zip-lock bag and light a match. Allow the combination to burn for a few minutes, and then take out the unlit candle. If the candle is still lit when the mixture has burned out completely, you’ve successfully made and easy volcano experiment.
You might want to consider an even easier way to make this kind of science experiment, though. In fact, you might be surprised at just what you can make with household items that you already have lying around the house! For instance, did you know that you can create a glass bowl by pouring some water in it, shaking it to mix it up, and then pouring in some sand? This is an easy volcano science experiment that kids will love, and it’s something that they’ll also be able to take home!
In order to make this easy volcano experiment work, you’ll need some clean rags, a cup of warm water, and some new things. First, get some new children’s bath towels and some dish soap. Arrange them on top of a flat sheet of cardboard, and then roll out some card stock to use as a base. Next, place some baking soda into a zip-lock bag, and then arrange some new objects onto the baking soda. For example, if you want to make a hole in the middle, stick some rocks in the hole. Make sure that you cover the objects with the new, dry towels, so that the children can’t touch the objects once they’re stuck in the bag!
After you’ve set everything up, have the kids pour the rags and baking soda into their mason jars, and then place the bags over the baking soda. Then, close the jar’s lid, and watch as the objects float to the surface of the jar. You can try to keep adding objects to the jar until you reach the bottom, which will form a mound that will eventually erupt! It’s a very entertaining and easy volcano experiment for kids to enjoy!
You don’t need a lot of supplies to create this fun science project for your kids. However, there are a few tools that you will need to make this one really spectacular. For instance, you will definitely need a funnel to pour the liquid into the mason jar, but you also need a thermometer to check the temperature. Another tool that you will definitely need is a funnel, because you will definitely need to pour the melted wax into the jar. And lastly, you will definitely need some paper towels to dry off any excess wax or melt away any overflow from pouring the liquid into the jar.
The next time you consider an erupting volcano science experiment for your kids, consider using dish soap instead of vinegar. Why? Simply because dish soap has a lower boiling point than vinegar, and it will stay liquid at room temperature. The only drawback is that it doesn’t smell as nice as some of the other mason jars with vinegar in them. However, this fun experiment for kids is definitely a good way to learn about the concepts of thermodynamics, boiling points, and pH.