VOLCANO EXPERIMENT FACTSHEET
| Theme | pH, Acid-base reactions |
| Category | Home Experiments, Experiments for children |
| Main product | Citric Acid, Baking Soda |
| Short description | One of the homemade experiments for children best known is the volcano experiment. The success of the volcano experiment is based on the fact that it is simple, it is safe and it is eye-catching. Behind this simple experiment lies a very important theoretical basis for chemistry, the acid-base reactions. You can see it below this entry. |
MATERIALS FOR THE VOLCANO EXPERIMENT
- Citric Acid (or vinegar)
- Sodium bicarbonate
Additionally you can use auxiliary materials such as:
- Test tubes
- Laboratory rack
- Food colours
- Pipette
VOLCANO EXPERIMENT STEP BY STEP
The volcano experiment consists of mixing citric acid (or vinegar) with sodium bicarbonate and seeing how a reaction is generated where CO2 is released and therefore a very colourful reaction is generated.
- Place some citric acid in a test tube (or beaker).
- Pour baking soda in the same proportion into the test tube (or beaker).
- At the same time, in another test tube or beaker, add water and (optionally) some food colouring powder to give it colour.
- Pour the water on top of the citric acid and baking soda mixture.
- Wait, have fun and then go back to making it by modifying the colour and changing the proportions.
NOTE: If you are going to use vinegar instead of citric acid, you may not need water and just pour the baking soda directly over the vinegar to generate the reaction.
Vinegar is much more smelly and messier than citric acid, which is why we use citric acid here.
VIDEO EXPERIMENT:
TECHNICAL EXPLANATION. ACID-BASE REACTION
The volcano experiment between citric acid and sodium bicarbonate is a response to one of the most important reactions in chemistry, which is the acid-base reaction.
The reaction between citric acid and bicarbonate is as follows:
C6H5O7Na3(aq) + 3 H2CO3(aq) C6H5O7Na3(aq) + 3 H2O(l) + 3 CO2(g)
The result is therefore a salt, water and carbon dioxide.
The experiment is very good, well known, simple and easy, it is very well written step by step....
Which salt produces this reaction?
What is its common name?
sodium citrate