Location: Iceland
Scientist: Victor Helguson, Volcanologist

Lesson Summary

Students imagine they are in Iceland meeting volcanologist Victor Helguson,who explains that gases are released by volcanoes. Students then conduct a chemical reaction to produce one of the primary volcanic gases—carbon dioxide. For their “chemistry challenge,” students use this chemical reaction to make a column of foam rise to the top of a vial without spilling over.

Key Concepts

  • Production of a gas is a clue that a chemical reaction may have occurred.
  • The substances that combine in a chemical reaction are called reactants.
  • The substances that are produced in a chemical reaction are called products.
  • Changing the amount of reactants affects the amount of products produced in a chemical reaction.

Materials for Lesson 1

The Chemistry Continues

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