3. Fun with Science

CHAPTER 3 FUN WITH SCIENCE Early that same morning, George and Harold were sitting in their 10:15A.M. science class making silly noises. "Meeowwwww," George mewed softly, without moving his lips. "Rrrr-rrr-rrrr," growled Harold, without opening his mouth. "There it is again!" exclaimed their science teacher, Mr. Fyde. "I distinctly heard a cat and a dog in here!" "We didn't hear anything," the children said, trying not to laugh.

"I-I must be hearing things again," Mr. Fyde worried. "Maybe you should leave and go see a doctor," said George with concern. "I can't," said Mr. Fyde. "Today is the day of the big volcano experiment." The children all groaned. Mr. Fyde's science experiments were usually the most idiotic things on earth. They almost never worked and were always boring. But today's experiment was different. Mr. Fyde brought in a large, fake-looking volcano that he had made out of papier- måché. He filled the volcano with a box of ordinary baking soda.

"Baking soda is also called 'sodium bicarbonate,'" explained Mr. Fyde. "Meeeeowwwwwww." "Umm..." said Mr. Fyde, "did any of you children just hear—umm, uh... never mind." Mr. Fyde opened up a bottle of clear liquid. "Now watch what happens when I pour vinegar into the baking soda," he said.

The children watched as the tiny volcano started to rumble. Soon, a large glob of foamy goop spurted out the top. The goop poured over the desk and dripped onto the floor, creating a huge mess. "Oops," said Mr. Fyde. "I guess I used too much baking soda."

George and Harold were stunned. "How did you do that?" asked Harold. "Well," said Mr. Fyde, "the vinegar acts as a liberating agent, which releases the gaseous carbonate radical element of the sodium bicarbo—" "Meeeeooowwwwwwww." "Umm... uh," Mr. Fyde paused. "Uh, e-excuse me, children. I-I've got to go and see a doctor."

Mr. Fyde put on his coat and hurried out the door. George and Harold got up and studied the messy volcano experiment with great interest. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked George. "I think I'm thinking what you're thinking," said Harold.