Modeling Mini Volcanoes
How does magma spread and erupt from within volcanoes? Although they are often a
destructive force, volcanoes are an amazing facet of creation. Volcanoes erupt when magma, red-
hot liquid rock, seeps up through a vent in the earth. These vents can be at the top of a mountain
or on a flat area. Volcanoes can even erupt underwater if there is a vent in the ocean floor.
Magma is formed when part of the earth’s mantle gets hot enough to melt. Violent eruptions can
occur when pyroclastic material—a mixture of magma, rocks, ash, and hot gases—explodes
upward by pressure caused by underground gases and magma. There are over 1,500 volcanoes
around the world today that are considered active, meaning it can erupt at any time. A dormant
volcano (like the one in Yellowstone National Park) may become active again, but not for many
hundreds or even thousands of years. An extinct volcano no longer has a lava supply and is very
unlikely to ever erupt again. Creating a mini volcano will help explain the dynamics of magma/
lava flow.
Inside of a Volcano
Procedure
Materials: Groups of 2
Lime Green Jell-O Cup (no fruit inside)
Karo Corn Syrup “Dark”
Scissors (sharp/small)
Wooden Skewer
100 mL Beaker
Plastic Syringe (ie. 10+ cc) – no needle
Tray
Steps:
1. Gather all necessary materials as directed.
2. Hold the Jell-O cup (volcano/crust) up-side-down.
3. Without touching/damaging the Jell-O, cut and remove the upper 2/3rds of the plastic cup.
2
4. Using a wooden skewer, create a “central vent” by puncturing a hole all the way through the
middle of the Jell-O (but, NOT through foil lid/top). Best to twirl the skewer a few times to
make sure you have a clean pathway. What this does is provide “weak” areas within the
volcano that magma typically travels through.
5. Using the same wooden skewer, create a “side vent” by puncturing at an angle a hole along the
side to and just a little bit passed the “central vent” created earlier (but, NOT through foil
lid/top).
6. Place about 25 mL of syrup into a 100 mL beaker. Using the syringe with the plunger closed,
extract a syringe full of syrup (magma/lava) from the beaker by pulling up on the plunger.
7. While over a tray, place the tip of the syringe into the “central vent” you created on top of the
Jell-O and slowly add syrup down into the magma chamber; at the same time, slowly pull the
syringe out.
8. Repeat step #7; however, do it with the “side vent”. Get more syrup if necessary.
9. Add some syrup on top of the vents to simulate lava.
10. After answering the answer sheet (1-5), clean up all materials as directed. Do not ingest/eat
any food produces.
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Underwater Volcano
Procedure
Materials: Groups of 4
400 mL Beaker
Ruler
Red/Orange Wax Melts
Sand (ie Reptile Sand); best if White
Ring Stand w/ Screen/Gauze Mesh
Sterno Fuel Can
Lighter / Matches
Goggles
Steps:
1. Gather all necessary materials as directed.
2. Place a single wax melt (magma/lava) into a 400 mL beaker.
3. Place about 3-4 centimeters of sand (Earth’s crust) over the wax melt in the beaker.
4. Fill the beaker with water until the beaker is about 3/4 full. Wait of everything to settle; ie. no
cloudy water.
5. Place the beaker on the ring stand and just over the cooking fuel (core of Earth; heat from
breakdown of radioactive elements). The location of the fuel is a lot like where the mid-ocean
ridge (ie. Atlantic) or a hot spot (ie. Hawaii) can be found.
6. When ready and with goggles, ask to have the fuel-can ignited and watch what happens for
about 10 minutes as the sand is heated in order to allow the “magma” to escape easily. The
floating “magma” is due to the fact that the hot/warm “molten rock” is less dense than the
water and crust; thus, helping the now lava (out of ground) to rise and form new land masses.
7. After about 10 minutes, carefully move the ring stand and/or beaker slightly to a new
position over the flame (do not move the fuel-can) to simulate platonic movement. Note what
happens inside the beaker after a few minutes.
8. After answering the answer sheet (6-10; Conclusion), clean up all materials as directed.
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Modeling Mini Volcanoes Answer Sheet
Inside a Volcano
Place all answers on a separate sheet of paper with your name and period
Using your notes, text, and/or lab, answer the following questions: 2 points each
1. Vents were created in order to simulate weak or strong areas for magma to travel through?
2. Once the magma reached the top of the volcano, the molten rock then becomes what?
3. Name the two (2) vent types created by the simulation:
4. What is the name of the top of the main vent called?
5. The syrup simulated mainly what?
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Underwater Volcano
6. In the simulation, what did the fuel, wax, “and” sand all represent?
7. Under water volcanoes help to create new oceanic crustal floor and what else?
8. Once the wax (magma) enters the water and cools, the wax then simulates what?
9. By moving the ring stand and/or beaker slightly to one side over the flame, an oceanic ridge, trench,
or hot spot was best simulated?
10. What was less dense than the water, the warm or cool magma/lava “and” how was this proven?
KEY /40
Modeling Mini Volcanoes Answer Sheet
Place all answers on a separate sheet of paper with your name and period
Using your notes, text, and/or lab, answer the following questions: 2 points each
1. Vents were created in order to simulate weak or strong areas for magma to travel through?
WEAK
2. Once the magma reached the top of the volcano, the molten rock then becomes what?
LAVA
3. Name the two (2) vent types created by the simulation:
CENTER (or MAIN) VENT “and” SIDE VENT
4. What is the name of the top of the main vent called?
CRATER
5. The syrup simulated mainly what?
MAGMA
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6. In the simulation, what did the fuel, wax, “and” sand all represent?
FUEL = CORE/HEAT SOURCE; WAX = MAGMA/LAVA; SAND = CRUST
7. Under water volcanoes help to create new oceanic crustal floor and what else?
ISLANDS
8. Once the wax (magma) enters the water and cools, the wax then simulates what?
LAVA
9. By moving the ring stand and/or beaker slightly to one side over the flame, an oceanic ridge, trench,
or hot spot was best simulated?
HOT SPOT(S)
10. What was less dense than the water, the warm or cool magma/lava “and” how was this proven?
WARM; FLOATED TO THE TOP