This post was originally published on here
By Patty Rooks on December 27, 2025.
I do not know about you, but if you have had a houseful for a few days now, you may be looking for something to keep those young scientists busy! I have just the investigation, BUT be warned, this could get messy. Let’s get started!
*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.
Materials
– Baking soda
– Vinegar
– Measuring cups
– Measuring spoons
– Peppermint extract
– Dish soap
– Safety goggles
– Location to work/that can get messy
– Large tall cup or a container to act as your volcano
– Mixing bowl
Procedure
1. Put on your safety goggles just to be safe.
2. Find a location that is allowed to get messy and set your materials all up there.
3. Measure 30 mL 9two tablespoons of baking soda and place in the container.
4. Add 250 mL (one cup) of vinegar to the container.
5. Put in a few drops of peppermint extract into the vinegar – after all, this is a peppermint volcano!
6. Squirt in a bit of soap into the vinegar mixture. Gently mix this up – be careful you do not want it to foam up.
7. Pour the vinegar mixture into the baking soda.
8. Observe.
9. Repeat!
10. Clean up.
What is going on?
This experiment is a classic vinegar baking soda chemical reaction with a twist – it smells minty fresh. The baking soda is really a chemical reaction as it an acid (acetic acid/vinegar) reacting with a base (sodium bicarbonate/baking soda). The dish soap you put in is just to trap all the carbon dioxide bubbles creating a wonderful foam that erupts all over!
Registration for the 34th Annual Operation Minerva Conference on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 is now open! This on day conference for grade nine female students in STEM is a busy day of mentoring and workshops. If your school has not provided you with a registration package, please email Patty at [email protected]. Registration is limited, and deadline is January 1, 2026 so please sign up early.
Patty Rooks, senior scientific consultant Praxis Science Outreach Society. Praxis is located in the Community Futures Entre Corp Building at #202 556 Fourth St. SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0K8. For all your science needs, please email [email protected].
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