How to Make a Vinegar and Baking Soda Volcano

Learn how to create a classic erupting volcano using simple household ingredients and a bit of chemistry magic. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Build your mountain. Place your plastic bottle in the center of your tray. Build a mountain around the bottle using clay or crumpled newspaper taped into a cone shape, making sure the opening of the bottle is at the very top.
2. Add the base ingredients. Using a spoon, add the baking soda into the bottle. Ask a grown-up to help you stir in the dish soap and a few drops of food coloring.
3. Trigger the eruption. Pour the vinegar into the bottle quickly and step back to watch the reaction. The baking soda and vinegar will create carbon dioxide gas, which pushes the soapy liquid out of the top like lava.