Materials and Procedure for Building Your Own Volcano Model
What is Volcano?
A Volcano is a rupture in the Earth's crust that emits out hot lava or magma, volcanic ash, and various gases. There is a magma chamber below the volcano which produces gases.
The Earth is made up of 17 major tectonic plates that float over a hot and soft layer of the mantle. The volcanoes of Earth are found on the boundaries of these tectonic plates. They are found where the plates are either diverging or converging. Most of the volcanoes are found underwater.
This theory of volcanism comes under the "plate hypothesis." The volcanoes which are located away from the tectonic plate boundaries are called mantle plumes.
These volcanic hotspots, like that of Hawaii, are said to be formed from the upwelling of magma from the core, mantle boundary, which is 3000 km below Earth's surface. Volcanoes are usually not created in the boundaries where two tectonic plates slide with each other.
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(Sabancaya volcano erupting, Peru in 2017)
Types of Volcano
Volcanoes are of various shapes and sizes. They are formed of different types of magma, and their behavior is also different depending upon their location.
A. Stratovolcanoes
Stratovolcanoes are the most usual kind and are also easily recognizable. These are steep-sloped and cone-shaped volcanoes. Stratovolcanoes are called composite volcanoes.
B. Shield Volcanoes
Shield volcanoes are generally a little shorter in height than stratovolcanoes, but still, they have sufficient height.
For example, Olympus Mons is a type of shield volcano on planet Mars. This volcano is the largest of our solar system. This volcano is around 25 kilometers tall, with diameters around 624 meters.
C. Cinder Cones
Cinder cones are small volcanoes and are made up of loose volcanic material. These volcanoes have a short life span and usually grow by the sides of large volcanoes.
These volcanoes are typically formed by an explosive eruption or lava fountain that comes out from a single vent.
D. Supervolcanoes
These are the largest and most explosive volcanoes found on Earth. Supervolcanoes are not scientifically defined.
These enormous volcanoes have the potential to produce giant calderas, the calderas are the volcanic craters which are formed when a volcano collapses within itself, and the magma chamber below the volcano becomes empty by the eruption.
How to Make a Volcano?
A volcanic eruption is among the huge and potent natural forces of Earth.
A miniature model of an erupting volcano is a great way to start learning about the basic geological features of a volcano.
A simple volcano model can be made from household items.
Read in the following written instructions if you want to know more about volcanoes.
How to Make a Model of Volcano?
Things Needed for a Volcano Model: volcano How to Make
● Two A3 sheets of card
● Paint and paintbrushes
● 200 ml plastic bottle
● Tape
● Scissors
● Pencil
For the Eruption
● Small bow
● 1 tbsp red food coloring
● Cup
● ½ cup vinegar
● 2 tbsp water
● 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
● 1 tbsp washing up liquid
Procedure:
1. Take a plain sheet of card, and place a bottle upside down rightly in the counter of the sheet, and draw a small circle around the neck of the bottle.
2. Cut the circle that you have drawn by the help of scissors.
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3. Overlap two sides of the card sheet to make it into the shape of a cone. Tape this into place, and make a hole where you can cut out the circle.
Cut around the base of the cone to make it flat so its base can fit perfectly, but make sure that the cone should be taller than your bottle.
4. Place the cone above the bottle. Fix the top of the cone with the neck of the bottle with the help of tape to hold it in place. Fix the base of the cone with another sheet of card with the help of a tape.
5. Decorate the cone by applying paint over it to make it look like a volcano. Allow your model to dry fully.
Cut the card from the base of the cone to make it flat.
6. Mix bicarbonate of soda and washing liquid in a bowl. Add water to it and mix it thoroughly. When your mixture is ready, pour it into your volcano.
7. Mix vinegar and food coloring together in a bowl.
8. When you're ready to do the experiment, pour vinegar into the bottle along with the bicarbonate. Wait for your volcano to erupt, then watch how the lava flows out of your volcano.
9. Experiment with different amounts of vinegar & bicarbonate to the change in the eruption of the volcano.
Take care while handling the ingredients of eruption, make sure to stand back while watching the eruption so that you don't get hurt due to the eruption and also avoid it getting into your eyes. Make sure you conduct your experiment in a well-ventilated area.
This is how to make a working model of volcano. Make your model upon a wipe-clean surface so that you may not face any problem while cleaning it.
Do You Know?
● The cool red lava that comes out of the volcano is the result of the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar.
● CO2 is produced in this reaction and is also emitted out of real volcanoes.
● When the carbon dioxide gas is produced in your model, pressure starts building inside the plastic bottle, and when it reacts with the detergent, the gas bubbles come out from the mouth of the volcano.
FAQs on How to Make a Volcano: Easy Physics Experiment
1. What is a volcano and what causes it to erupt in simple terms?
A volcano is a landform, usually a mountain, that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma) below the surface of the Earth. An eruption happens when immense pressure builds up deep within the Earth, pushing the magma, along with gases and rock, up through a central vent and out of the top. When this magma reaches the surface, it is called lava.
2. What are the basic steps to make a volcano model for a school project?
Making a volcano model involves two main stages: building the cone and creating the eruption. Here is a simple step-by-step guide:
- Build the Cone: Place a small plastic bottle or cup in the centre of a sturdy base (like cardboard or a tray). Mould clay, dough, or papier-mâché around the bottle to form the volcano's mountain shape, leaving the opening at the top clear.
- Prepare the 'Magma': Add about two tablespoons of baking soda, a few drops of dish soap, and some red or orange food colouring into the bottle.
- Create the Eruption: When ready, pour vinegar into the bottle and step back. The mixture will fizz and overflow, creating a 'lava' effect.
3. What materials are best for building the structure of a model volcano?
The best materials are those that are easy to shape and can hold the 'lava' mixture. Common choices include:
- Modelling Clay or Play-Dough: Excellent for creating a realistic, sturdy, and reusable volcano shape.
- Salt Dough: A simple homemade option made from flour, salt, and water that can be baked hard.
- Papier-Mâché: Made from strips of newspaper dipped in a flour-and-water paste, this method is lightweight when dry but requires more time to prepare.
- Cardboard or Paper: Can be used to create a basic cone shape but is not waterproof and may get damaged by the eruption.
4. How do you create the lava eruption in a homemade volcano?
The classic lava eruption is created using a simple and safe chemical reaction. Inside your volcano model's central chamber (a plastic bottle), mix baking soda (a base) with a bit of dish soap and food colouring. To trigger the eruption, pour in vinegar (an acid). The two chemicals react to produce carbon dioxide gas, which rapidly forms bubbles that push the soapy, coloured liquid up and out, simulating a lava flow.
5. Why does the mixture of baking soda and vinegar erupt like a real volcano?
This experiment mimics a real volcanic eruption through the principle of gas pressure. In a real volcano, dissolved gases in magma expand and create immense pressure that forces the magma out. In the model, the reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) rapidly produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas needs space to expand, so it forcefully pushes the liquid mixture out of the bottle's opening, just as volcanic gases expel lava.
6. What important safety precautions should be followed when making a volcano experiment?
While the baking soda and vinegar reaction is safe, it's wise to follow some precautions. Always build your volcano on a tray or in an area that is easy to clean, as the 'lava' will spill. It's best to perform the experiment outdoors or on a protected surface. Although the ingredients are non-toxic, avoid getting the mixture in your eyes and wash your hands after handling the materials.
7. How does a simple model volcano explain the main parts of a real volcano?
A model volcano is a great tool for understanding the basic anatomy of a real one. The plastic bottle inside represents the magma chamber where molten rock is stored. The opening of the bottle acts as the central vent, the main pathway for eruption. The 'lava' that flows down the side of your model simulates the lava flow that builds up the cone-like structure of a real volcano over time.
8. Besides baking soda and vinegar, are there other ways to make a model volcano erupt?
Yes, another popular method involves dropping Mentos mints into a bottle of diet soda (like Coke). This creates a physical reaction, not a chemical one, where the rough surface of the mints causes the dissolved carbon dioxide in the soda to be released all at once, resulting in a powerful jet. However, this method is much more explosive and messy than the baking soda and vinegar reaction and is best done outdoors with adult supervision.
