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
Explore more chemistry related to this lesson!


