Volcano Eggs

What kid doesn't love something exploding?! Well, you can make your own volcano eruption at home using baking soda and vinegar! Plus it is a nice science and chemistry lesson for all ages too. I remember doing these experiments as a kid and teenager and having so much fun with it! I'm a total science nerd, so I love this type of stuff!

Here's what you need:
Vinegar (acetic acid-- an acid)
Baking soda (bicarbonate-- a base)
Plastic eggs
Cupcake pan


**First, here are the definitions of acids and bases.

Acid- a compound usually having a sour taste and capable of neutralizing alkalis and reddening blue litmus paper, containing hydrogen that can be replaced by a metal or an electropositive group to form a salt, or containing an atom that can accept a pair of electrons from a base. Acids are proton donors that yield hydronium ions in water solution, or electron-pair acceptors that combine with electron-pair donors or bases.

Source: http://m.dictionary.com/definition/acid

Base- A class of compounds whose aqueous solutions have a bitter taste and ability to turn litmus blue. They react with acids to form salts. They yield hydroxyl ions when dissolved in water and act as a proton acceptors.

Source: http://thesciencedictionary.org/base-2/

How to make volcano eggs:

1. First, place the eggs in the cupcake pan and fill them up with vinegar.


2. Next, fill each egg with 1 tablespoon of baking soda.. Harry and I took turns filling the eggs.


3. Watch the eruption taking place! The vinegar and baking soda should start to bubble and fizz creating a foamy volcanic like reaction.



So why does this volcanic reaction occur?? Well, we know vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid, and baking soda (bicarbonate) is a base. When you mix the two together, they change into sodium acetate and carbonic acid. This is because the baking soda takes the vinegar's hydrogen ions which is why a new substance is formed. The carbonic acid then changes into carbon dioxide which escapes during the fizzing. This is why you see the bubbles.

In simple terms for toddlers and preschoolers... Vinegar and baking soda are made up of tiny pieces. When you mix them together, the pieces combine, and make something new called a gas. The gas is inside the bubbles!