Baking Soda & Vinegar Volcano:
Use baking soda and vinegar to create an awesome chemical
reaction! Watch as it rapidly fizzes over the container and make sure you've
got some towels ready to clean up.
What you'll need:
- Baking Soda (make sure it's not baking powder)
- Vinegar
- A container to hold everything and avoid a big mess!
- Paper towels or a cloth (just in case)
Instructions:
- Place some of the baking soda into your container.
- Pour in some of the vinegar
- Watch as the reaction takes place!
What's happening?
The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while the
vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid. When they react together they form carbonic
acid which is very unstable, it instantly breaks apart into water and carbon
dioxide, which creates all the fizzing as it escapes the solution.
For extra effect you can make a realistic looking volcano.
It takes some craft skills but it will make your vinegar and baking soda
eruptions will look even more impressive!
Make a Big Dry Ice Bubble:
Have fun making a dry ice bubble that will grow and grow as
it fills with fog. This experiment is a great one for adults to do with kids.
Add water to the dry ice, cover it with a layer of soapy water and watch your
bubble grow, how big will it get before it bursts? Give it a try and find out!
What you'll need:
- Water
- A large bowl with a lip around the top (a smaller bowl or cup will work too)
- A strip of material or cloth
- Soapy mixture for making bubbles (water and some dishwashing liquid should do the trick)
- Dry ice - one piece for a cup, more for a bowl. Places where adults can buy dry ice include large grocery stores and Walmart. Butchers and ice cream stores might have some too.
Safety first! Be careful with dry ice as it can cause skin
damage if not used safely. Adults should handle dry ice with gloves and avoid
directly breathing in the vapor.
Instructions:
- Place your dry ice in the bowl and add some water (it should start looking like a spooky cauldron).
- Soak the material in your soapy mixture and run it around the lip of the bowl before dragging it across the top of the bowl to form a bubble layer over the dry ice.
- Stand back and watch your bubble grow!
What's happening?
Dry ice is carbon dioxide (CO2) in its solid form. At
temperatures above -56.4 °C (-69.5 °F), dry ice changes directly from a solid
to a gas, without ever being a liquid. This process is called sublimation. When
dry ice is put in water it accelerates the sublimation process, creating clouds
of fog that fill up your dry ice bubble until the pressure becomes too much and
the bubble explodes, spilling fog over the edge of the bowl. Dry ice is
sometimes used as part of theater productions and performances to create a
dense foggy effect. It is also used to preserve food, freeze lab samples and
even to make ice cream .
