2 Experiments: 1 Pass, 1 Fail (Part Two: the Pass)

I think I am sufficiently recovered to go on. Immediately after I took the debacle that was the cake yack blobs out to the trash, I see No Thank You Boy/Science Boy picking through it. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You KNOW those things are gross! Get OUT of there! NOW! Turns out that he wasn’t looking for the blops he was looking for a soda bottle. He had taken a book out of the school media center about science experiments (I think it was called Really Messy Loud and Stinky Exploding Experiments You Can Do In The Comfort of Your Own Home), and was gathering materials to make an Exploding Volcano. I knew he was collecting materials because the kitchen chair was pulled up next to the open doors of the pantry and all my stuff had been rifled through. Exploding Volcano. Sigh. As long as it’s outside, I’m too tired to argue and I need something to cheer me up and no you may not use my paste food coloring, use the drops.

Directions to make an Exploding Volcano. You will need:

Empty 2 liter soda bottle
¼ cup baking soda
1 Tbsp. dishwashing liquid (in the cow :))
Food coloring (liquid)
½ cup vinegar

Add the baking soda, (note the fresh "swimmer hair" on the left)

dishwashing liquid,

and a few (I said a FEW!) drops of food coloring to the soda bottle. Take the bottle outside (or in the sink or bathtub) and slowly pour the vinegar into the bottle.

You may need to shake it to get things going.

The reaction of the baking soda and vinegar mixed with the soap will create bubbles that will spew out of the bottle (note: spew, not explode). The kids were able to squeeze the bottle and make them come out a little faster (and into their faces). The experiment created a very lovely yellow patch in the grass, but considereing that we're in a drought and it's half dead anyway, this is not a tragedy.

PASS. This was easy – much easier (and neater) than I thought it was going to be. Thank goodness. I will re-tackle those cake balls though, and soon. You have been warned.