======Lava Flow Races======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Volcano Lava Flow Simulation
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Place a flat board at an angle to act as a slope.  
  - Pour about 5 tablespoons of golden syrup into three cups.  
  - Leave one cup as plain syrup (runny lava).  
  - Mix sprinkles into the second cup (lava with crystals).  
  - Mix mini marshmallows into the third cup (lava with rock fragments).  
  - At the top of the slope, pour out each mixture. If in a group, pour all three at the same time to race; if alone, pour one at a time and use a timer.  
  - Observe which lava flow travels fastest and which moves slowest.  
  - Clean up surfaces immediately to avoid sticky spills.



====Links==== 
Lava Flow Races - Earth and Solar System: 
{{youtube>57FO9ZDz_vg?}}\\

VISCOSITY RACES investigating the flow of liquids experiment - Kids Fun Science: 
{{youtube>ubGxkWWWiIg?}}\\

📄 Lava Flow Races - Earth and Solar System: [[https://earthandsolarsystem.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/lava-flow-races-1.pdf]]\\

====Variations====
  *Measure the distance and time of each flow to calculate speed.
  *Test with different amounts of crystals or marshmallows to see how viscosity changes.
  *Use different substances e.g. honey, cooking oil etc.
  *Compare flow on slopes with different steepness.
  *Add weight (e.g., small objects) to the board to simulate structures in the lava’s path.



====Safety Precautions====
  *Do not eat any experiment materials.
  *Cover surfaces with newspaper, plastic, or do the experiment outside.
  *Clean up syrup spills quickly to prevent slipping.
  *If outside, be cautious as syrup may attract bees or wasps; those with allergies should observe from a safe distance.
  *Dispose of all materials properly and wash hands afterward.




====Questions to Consider====
  *Which lava flow was fastest? Which was slowest?
  *How did crystals and rocks affect the speed of the lava flow?
  *Why does increasing viscosity slow down lava? 
  *What might this experiment suggest about real volcanic lava as it cools?