Erupting Apple Volcano Experiment

Erupting apple science for awesome fall activities for kids! After our PUMPKIN- CANO was a big hit, we wanted to try an APPLE-CANO or apple volcano too! Share a simple chemical reaction that the kiddos will love to try over and over again. Fall is an excellent time of the year to put a little twist on classic science experiments.

EXPLODING APPLE VOLCANO FOR AWESOME CHEMISTRY

APPLE SCIENCE 

Our erupting apple science activity is an awesome example of a chemical reaction, and kids will love this amazing chemistry just as much as adults! All you need to use are baking soda and vinegar for a fizzing chemical reaction.

You could also try lemon juice and baking soda and compare the results! Check out our lemon volcano too!

We have a whole season of fun apple science experiments for you to try! Doing experiments in different ways really helps to solidify understanding of the concepts being presented.

WHAT IS CHEMISTRY?

It might look like play, but it’s so much more! Read our series on Next Generation Science Standards.

Let’s keep it basic for our younger or junior scientists! Chemistry is all about the way different materials are put together, and how they are made up including atoms and molecules.

It’s also how these materials act under different conditions. Chemistry is often a base for physics so you will see overlap!

What might you experiment within chemistry? Classically we think of a mad scientist and lots of bubbling beakers, and yes there are reactions between bases and acids to enjoy!

Also, chemistry involves states of matter, changes, solutions, mixtures, and the list goes on and on.

We love exploring simple chemistry you can do at home or in the classroom that isn’t too crazy, but is still lots of fun for kids!

Check out>>> Chemistry Experiments For Kids

You can easily pair this apple volcano experiment with our parts of an apple activity too and a fun apple theme book or two.

Did you know you can also do this apple volcano experiment with mini pumpkins for Halloween or Thanksgiving?

Click below for your printable Apple STEM Activities

APPLE VOLCANO EXPERIMENT

Grab your apples! You can check out different color apples too. In fact, if you don’t want to waste food, grab some bad apples and give it ago. The first time we did this we took a couple of apples from the orchard that were going to be thrown out anyway.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Apples
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Container to catch the fizz
• Knife to carve out a hole (for adults to do!)

HOW TO SET UP AN APPLE VOLCANO

STEP 1. Put your apple on a dish, pie plate, or tray to catch the runoff.

An adult should use a knife to cut a hole or vessel in the top of the apple about halfway down.

STEP 2. You can then have the kiddos put a couple of spoons of baking soda into the hole.

Hint: Add a drop of dish soap if you want a foamier eruption! The chemical eruption will produce more bubbles with the added dish soap and create more runoff too!

STEP 3. Add a few drops of food coloring if you want. Mix it up and pair different colors with different apples.

STEP 4. You will want to pour your vinegar into an easy to use cup for the kiddos. Additionally, you can provide them with eye droppers or turkey basters for extra fun.

Pouring straight from a cup into the apple will produce a more dramatic volcano effect. While using a baster or eyedropper will have a smaller eruption. However, your kids will also have a blast exploring with these science tools.

Check out fizzing red and green apples with all sorts of colors!

BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR REACTION

Chemistry is all about states of matter including liquids, solids, and gasses. A chemical reaction occurs between two or more substances that change and form a new substance.

In this case, you have a liquid acid, vinegar and a base solid, baking soda. When they combine, they make a gas called carbon dioxide which produces the eruption you can see.

The carbon dioxide escapes the mixture in the form of bubbles. You can even hear them if you listen closely. The bubbles are heavier than air, so the carbon dioxide collects at the surface of the apple or overflows the apple because of the small vessel we have given it.

In this baking soda apple volcano, the dish soap is added to collect the gas and form bubbles that give it a more robust apple volcano lava like flow down the side! That equals more fun!

You don’t have to add dish soap but it’s worth it. You can even set up an experiment to see which eruption you like more, with dish soap or without.

You can experiment with a variety of containers to find your perfect volcano vessel or create a more traditional one. We have enjoyed a variety of volcano projects with different fruits as well as a LEGO volcano and an easy sandbox volcano.

MORE FUN APPLE EXPERIMENTS TO TRY

• Apple Races for Simple Fall Physics
• Why Do Apples Turn Brown?
• Balancing Apples (FREE PRINTABLE)
• Red Apple Slime
• Apple 5 Senses Activity For Preschoolers

ERUPTING APPLE VOLCANO FOR FALL CHEMISTRY

Click on the link or on the image below for the best science experiments all year round!