How to Build a Volcano
Whether your goal is top prize in a Science Fair, or to entertain classmates and friends, volcano projects can create quite a sensation! These interesting projects can be the star attraction, or the featured landmark on a model island. Use your creativity and challenge your horizons with this fun volcano model!
Required Materials
- Acrylic or craft paints
- 1 Tablespoon liquid dish detergent
- ¼ cup vinegar (white)
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda
- Acrylic sealant, spray or brush-on
- 20 sheets newspaper, torn into strips, 4 cups flour, and 1 cup water to make paper mache
- OR
- 4 cups Flour, 1-½ cups water, and 2 cups salt or
- OR
- 1 box Plaster of Paris mix and water
- Newspaper
- 2 to 3 drops food dye, red
- Clean, empty 2-Liter soda bottle
- Artificial plants or flowers (optional)
Required Tools
- Paintbrushes
- Square of plywood board, at least 12” wider than your planned project
- Popsicle stick
- Craft glue or rubber cement (if plants or flowers are used)
Starting your Project
- Lay the plywood down, face up, on top of your work surface.
- Remove the lid, wrapper, and all contents from the soda bottle. Wash it and allow it to dry. Throw away the lid. Place the clean, dry bottle in the center of the plywood.
- If you choose to use Plaster of Paris: Mix the container in a glass bowl according to the directions on the box. Add enough water to create a thick, paste-like substance. Spread this around your soda bottle so that the plaster completely covers the bottle. The result should resemble a cone-shaped mountain with only the very tip of the bottle opening visible. Using the popsicle stick, carve ridges and valleys into the sides of the volcano, starting at the mouth and carving down to the volcano’s base. Allow it to dry.
- If you choose to use flour: Add 4 cups of flour to 2 cups of salt. Mix in 1-½ cups of water, until the resulting mixture has dough like consistency. Spread this around the soda bottle until the doughy mixture completely covers the bottle. The result should resemble a cone-shaped mountain with only the very tip of the bottle opening visible. Using the popsicle stick, carve ridges and valleys into the sides of the volcano, starting at the mouth and carving down to the volcano’s base. Allow it to dry. Allow it to dry.
- If you choose to make paper-mache: mix the flour and water together until the resulting mixture is a runny paste like consistency. Form the strips of newspaper into a cone-shaped mountain around the circumference of the soda bottle. Coat the newspaper with paste and allow it to dry. Add more newspaper if needed until the bottle is completely hidden and the project resembles a mountain with an open mouth. If you are using paper mache, you will need to form the ridges and valleys in the sides of your mountains with folded newspaper and coat it with paste. Use your fingers to pinch the folds together, and run a finger along the inside of the valleys to smooth the appearance of the newspaper and paste.
- After the volcano is dry, paint the mountain with acrylic or craft paints. Use your imagination, but try to make the mountain as realistic as possible. Shades of brown are most effective. Add artificial plants or flowers if desired by attaching them to the sides and base of the volcano with craft glue or rubber cement. Allow the paint and glue to dry.
- Use the spray or brush-on sealant to seal the volcano. Open a window or make sure you have adequate ventilation before beginning.
- Combine the dish detergent, baking soda, and food coloring in a glass or disposable plastic container. Pour the mixture into the bottle, being careful not to spill it.
- Clear a space around the volcano or take it outside and set it on a flat surface.
- Pour the vinegar into the mouth of the soda bottle, and stand back. Enjoy the eruption!
Tips and Warnings
- Allow the project to dry thoroughly, for at least two days, before allowing your volcano to erupt.
- Use acrylic sealant and paints only in well-ventilated areas.
- Never try to stopper the bottle; the lava mixture and vinegar combination could explode.
- Clean the volcano with a clean, damp rag between eruptions.
- Use your imagination - add houses, animals, or other scenery items to the volcano and surrounding island area.