We gathered up the last remaining bits of snow this afternoon to make a Baking Soda Volcano using snow!
We piled up a heap of snow around a small glass jar, making the top of the snow level with the top of the jar, added the ingredients for the baking soda and vinegar reaction and stood back to watch the fizz!
How to make a snow volcano
What you need
2 spoonfuls of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda )
1 spoonful washing up liquid ( dish soap )
a few drops of red food colouring
30 ml vinegar
Snow
Small container
Method
Add everything except the vinegar to the container.
Carefully shape a volcano shape around the container using snow.
Stand back, get ready……add the vinegar and watch the eruption! If it doesn’t work so well, add a bit more washing up liquid and vinegar and give it a good stir.
I loved how easy this was to make and how great the red looked against the snow! It was also super easy to clean up,
What do you think of our Baking Soda Volcano?
Extension Task
Can you make a different coloured snow volcano?
How does a baking soda volcano work?
Vinegar (an acid ) and bicarbonate of soda ( an alkali ) react together to neutralise each other. This reaction releases carbon dioxide, a gas which is the bubbles you see, these bubbles make the washing up liquid bubble up to give the reaction shown above.
You could also try making a multi-coloured snow volcano. To do this we used thick card to divide the central container in half and added yellow food colouring to one half and red food colouring to the other half.
More experiments using baking soda
Don’t forget to try some of our other easy Baking Soda Experiments
Or how about one of these easy ideas for using baking soda?
Fizzing rocks with baking soda
This post was first published on 21st Jan 2013. Updated 3rd Feb 2019
HELEN
January 21, 2013 at 10:26 pmooh I like it with the snow…I like it even more that it’s outside!
Rachel
January 22, 2013 at 9:05 amI would have never thought to do this outside with the snow… what a fun idea! I love it!!
TheBoyandMe
January 22, 2013 at 11:09 pmRight if I can get a snow day tomorrow I am trying this out!
TheBoyandMe
January 27, 2013 at 9:39 pmI was going to get out to do this with the last of the snow today, but it’s all muddy 🙁
maryanne @ mama smiles
January 23, 2013 at 9:56 pmI love this version of the classic volcano! Will have to give it a go with my kids!!!
@zingzingtree
January 24, 2013 at 10:32 amNow this is super fun and there isn’t the heart break of destroying a papier mache work of art 😉
@bluebearwood
January 24, 2013 at 10:32 amLove this. Just need to get some more snow. We had a dismal show this year 🙁
ScienceSparks
January 25, 2013 at 7:57 pmoh no, I hope you get some soon. x
Lauren
January 28, 2013 at 1:45 amGoing to try this next Winters, I think my kids would love to do this.
Susie
March 23, 2013 at 8:36 amHooray for snow in March. We’re trying this out later. Children (aged 3 and 6) very excited‼
International Elf Service
January 21, 2015 at 3:21 pmLove these ideas, thank you!!!!
denise Coon
February 6, 2015 at 11:06 pmWhat is washing up liquid?
Emma Vanstone
February 7, 2015 at 9:31 pmDish soap 🙂
Tricia Luker
January 18, 2018 at 3:24 pmWhat is washing up liquid?