How To Make A 3D Volcano For A High School Project

The live volcano experiment is a basic experiment performed both by teachers as demonstrations and students as science projects. A volcano is not overly difficult to make, but you will need a wide-open space, and you will have plenty to clean up afterward.

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, cooking oil and water.

Step 2

Mix the ingredients, working the dough with your hands so it becomes firm enough to spread around the exterior of your bottle.

Step 3

Place your bottle into the bowl with the dough. Start forming the dough around the bottle until it hardens and gives the likeness of a real volcano exterior–wide at the bottom, then narrowing as it goes upward to the bottle's mouth. Do not allow dough to cover or get into the bottle.

Step 1

Place the volcano in a large plastic container or large baking pan, and set up the volcano in a wide-open area.

Step 2

Pour warm water and red food coloring into the volcano bottle until filled to the top.

Step 3

Add liquid detergent and baking soda.

Step 4

Pour vinegar in and take a couple steps back. The chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar will cause the "lava" to spew from the volcano.