So I tried that classic baking soda and vinegar volcano with my kids last weekend, and honestly, it was a bit of a fizzy dud. I see all these amazing eruptions online, but ours just kind of burbled over the side. I’m wondering if the type of vinegar matters, or maybe the ratio we used was off? I used plain white vinegar straight from the cupboard. I just want to see a proper explosion next time.
That sounds rough I hear you wanting a proper eruption from the baking soda and vinegar volcano Instead of pure white vinegar try warming the vinegar a bit and use a splash of dish soap with a touch of color to help the foam shoot out
On paper the vinegar type matters but not by a lot Most kitchen vinegars carry similar acidity so the bigger difference comes from how much baking soda you use and whether a bit of dish soap is in the mix The gas production is real but the wow comes from foam
That online boom looks dramatic because of closeups and clever setup not the same as a simple home batch It might still be worth chasing the same effect but with tweaks
Maybe think of it as a science demo about gas release not a fireworks moment The goal could be to test how temperature color and mixing affect the swirl rather than chasing a big blast
Quick thought I would try a larger surface area container and add the baking soda a bit at a time while the kids watch the foam grow
The kids and I learned the process matters as much as the splash the result might be wobblier than a movie but that is still a win for curiosity
Did you have dish soap or color in there already?