Next, students should add 6 drops of liquid detergent to the bottle. Have students add the baking soda to the bottle, using the funnel. Also using the funnel, have students pour the vinegar slowly into the bottle. Tell students that the mixture represents the lava that flows down the sides of a real volcano. Either explain to students how their models resemble a real volcano, or challenge them to do research to come up with their own explanations.
Extreme heat can cause bubbles of carbon dioxide gas in magma to expand.
The expanding gas pushes the magma into the vent, or opening, of a volcano and up to Earth's surface. A volcanic eruption occurs when the magma overflows. The overflowing magma is called lava . Vinegar and baking soda, when mixed together, react chemically to create carbon dioxide gas. The gas bubbles build up inside the bottle, forcing the liquid out of the bottle.