How to Build an Active Model Volcano


Building a model active volcano can be fun. It’s a great way to keep the children busy over school breaks and a classic science fair project. Volcanoes can be classified in 3 forms: caldera, shield and composite volcanoes. Caldera volcanoes are the most dangerous and largest of all the volcanoes. Yellowstone National Park was the result of a caldera volcanoes activity about 600,00 years ago.  Shield volcanoes are common to places like Hawaii and spew magma from a central vent. Composite volcanoes have the cone shape we all associate with volcanoes. Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Saint Helen are composite volcanoes. Making a model volcano at home is easy. Here’s how.

Things You’ll Need:

  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Flour — 6 cups
  • Salt — 2 cups
  • Cooking oil — 4 tablespoons
  • Water — 2 cups
  • Mixing bowl
  • 2 liter bottle
  • Large disposable roasting pan
  • Funnel
  • Red food coloring
  • Liquid detergent
  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl combine the 6 cups of white flour with 2 cups of table salt. Mix well.

Step 2

Add 4 TBSP cooking oil to the flour and salt dry mixture.

Step 3

Add 2 cups water to the flour mixture to make a dough. Mix the dough well.

Step 4

Place your 2 liter soda bottle in the center of your aluminum roasting pan.

Step 5

Make sure the top is secure on the bottle. You don’t want any dough to get placed inside the soda bottle.

Step 6

Take the dough mix and shape it around the bottle. This creates the cone shape desired for the volcano. If you do not have enough dough to cover the bottle, then make more dough following the previous steps.

Step 7

After the bottle is covered with dough, allow it to sit out and fry overnight.

Step 8

After the volcano is completely dry, remove the bottle top from the soda bottle.

Step 9

Add  cups of warm water carefully into the bottle. Be careful not to get the dough wet.

Step 10

Add 10 drops of red food coloring to give the effect of magma when the volcano erupts.

Step 11

We need to add 10 drops of liquid detergent to the water. This will also help to create the appearance magma.

Step 12

Add 2 TBSP of baking soda to the mixture. You need the baking soda as a erupting agent.

Step 13

This is the explosive, or erupting part. Add 1 cup of vinegar. The baking soda and vinegar combines will react and cause magma to flow from your volcano.

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment

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About the Author: Cody Riffel is a regular contributor to MegaHowTo. She likes to write on variety of topics, whatever interests her. She also likes to share what she learns over the Internet and her day-to-day life.

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