Home Made Volcano

A VOLCANO is produced over thousands of years as heat a pressure build up. That aspect of a volcano is very difficult to recreate in a home experiment. However this volcano will give you an idea of what it might look like when a volcano erupts flowing lava. This is a classic experiment in which a CHEMICAL reaction can create the appearance of a PHYSICAL volcano eruption. You should look at pictures of volcanoes to be familiar with the different types. (A SHIELD volcano, for example is the most common kind of volcano, and yet few people know about them) The reaction will bubble up and flow down the side like a real volcano (only much faster!) Look for videos of volcanoes erupting and be sure that you understand how heat and pressure work to really make volcanoes erupt. Have fun!

Make Your Own Rock

The sugar crystals will grow for the next few weeks. When you mixed the water and sugar you made a SUPER SATURATED SOLUTION. This means that the water could only hold the sugar if both were very hot. As the water cools the sugar "comes out" of the solution back into sugar crystals on your string. The string and paper clip act as a "seed" that they start to grow on. With some luck and patience you will have a tasty scientific treat! Enjoy!

Is it Liquid or solid?

Basically in some instances a fluid structure can gain a more solidified form when energy is added. Kneading the mixture adds energy to the corn flour and water mix resulting in the formation of a more solid structure.

The Amazing Growing Egg!

Show your child what can happen to the enamel on your teeth if you don't clean them. If you have older children you can use this to explain the effects of acid rain on the environment