The Lil Divas LOVED, LOVED, LOVED
they also adore balloons (I always have to keep some on hand)
so I knew they would get a kick out of this one!
Exploring Gas w/Balloons, Baking Soda & Vinegar
What You Need:
baking soda
vinegar
plastic bottle
balloon
funnels (we used 2)
What To Do:
1. Using your funnel pour vinegar into your bottle.
You only need to fill about 1/3 of the bottle.
2. Using another (dry) funnel pour baking soda into your balloon.
Fill the balloon approx. 1/2 way.
3. Cover the top of the bottle with you balloon.
Make sure you don't let the baking soda spill into the bottle prematurely.
4. When ready, lift your balloon and let the baking soda fall into the vinegar.
5. Watch as the mixture fizzes, bubbles & expands your balloon!
6. Discuss how the baking soda & vinegar produce a gas which fills the balloon.
7. Repeat! Believe me, your kids will want to do this more than once.
It was lots of fun for the Lil Divas to watch the ingredients combine
and form a reaction that was so visual - blowing up the balloon.
FUN!
The science behind it - Baking soda and the vinegar create an ACID-BASE reaction. When combined/mixed they create a gas - carbon dioxide. Gasses need room to spread, so the carbon dioxide fills the bottle and then moves into the balloon inflating it.
** Due to lots of comments left below I feel the need to add (for clarity) that this does NOT produce helium. Carbon Dioxide gas will inflate the balloons but they do not "fly" like helium inflated balloons as it is not the same kind of gas. This is meant to be a fun science experiment/demonstration. **
Go ahead have fun inflating some balloons!
Bern
Another easy science experiment we haven't tried yet. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteBrittney
www.moms-heart.blogspot.com
Love this easy idea! We might just try this today since we had to cancel our other plans. Also, I shared it on Facebook too.
ReplyDeleteMommy Cameron | Raising the Cameron Clan
thanks so much for sharing it on FB. I hope you had fun with it!
DeleteThanks for this! My kids will love it. We loved the other experiment mixing the baking soda & vinegar with food coloring.
ReplyDeleteisn't baking soda & vinegar GREAT?! So much more you can do - I could have done a week of just that - maybe I might in the future! My girls LOVED all the fun things we did over the past 2 weeks.
DeleteA brilliant experiment!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!
Maggy
I know somebody who loves baking soda and vinegar! We are definitely going to try it. Blowing balloons is my daughters fav. too!
ReplyDeleteEsther - I have had to re-stock our supply! The girls can't get enough! :)
DeleteAwesome. We did this very experiment this week. Then we made a volcano. We also filled one balloon with air, and the other with carbon dioxide and dropped them at the same time to see which one was denser / heavier. A nice add on.
ReplyDeleteoh, I like the add-ons! thanks for sharing. We made a simple volcano too - they loved that.
Deletehave had this on our "to do" list for homeschool for a while now...thanks for the reminder! Great job! Always love your blog!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
The Joys of Home Educating
thanks for the sweet comment! :) We love having you with us.
DeleteThis is great! Would you please share this with our readers for Fun Stuff Fridays? http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2012/01/fun-stuff-fridays-6.html
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to try this experiment but we never buy soda! I'll have to make an exception (to the kids' probable delight) so we can give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteI think the pic shows BAKING SODA not cola soda!!! am I wrong???
DeleteYes It is BAKING SODA!!!! Vinegar and Sprite would just make a NASTY drink.
DeleteTHis is sooooo cool!! What a simple, fun experiment!! We are going to try this this week!! Thanks for linking up to TGIF! See you next week,
ReplyDeleteBeth =-)
Anything with baking soda and vinegar is fun! Thanks for linking to Science Sunday!
ReplyDeleteWhen I tried this it didn't blow up nearly so well! Thanks for linking to Fun Sparks. x
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know I featured this at TGIF Linky Party here - http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/2012/01/tgif-linky-party-13.html - As this is your 2nd feature I have a special button for you!! Email me at livinglifeintentionallyblog @gmail.com to get the code =-) Thanks for sharing your creativing with all of us!!
ReplyDeleteBeth =)
Can't wait to try this! Do they fly like helium ballons?
ReplyDeleteNo, Carbon Dioxide is produced by the baking soda/vinegar reaction and is not lighter than air.
DeleteDenser, please not lighter.
DeleteActually atomic weight wise, it is not lighter than air. So the helpful comment was in no way incorrect. The word dense does not need to be used, Anonymous #2. Also if you are going to nit-pick a reply, make sure your own reply uses punctuation correctly. :)
DeleteI just want you to know that I teach preschool and we have done a ton of your experiments and our kids LOVE them!!! Thank you so much for posting. I enjoy them as much as the kids :)
ReplyDeleteChristie,
DeleteYAY! Your comment has made my day! I love to hear that others are having fun experimenting and have been inspired by our little posts. :)
I can't wait to share this with my kids next week. They'll get a big kick out if it for sure. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really fun! We're about to try it. Thanks for sharing your great ideas!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like it would be right up my grandsons alley. This combination is also a great drain cleaner.
ReplyDeleteHow long will these stay inflated?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I can't give you a specific/definite answer. We inflated our balloons for the purpose of the experiment/demonstration. My girls played with the balloons that day and inevitably popped them. We did not use them as decoration so they weren't around long enough for me to know how much time they would remain full of air. Sorry I can't be of more help.
DeleteI was wondering the same thing.
ReplyDeleteAs was I since I am preparing for a party and having a hard time finding a helium tank big enough to fill my tall order.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't make balloons fly like helium....so don't plan on this and then be stuck on party day in a pinch!!
DeleteA great alternative to use when you can't use helium due to being allergic to it as I am!
ReplyDeleteHow many balloons does it blow up ?
This does not make balloons fly like helium.
DeleteCorrect, this makes carbon dioxide gas as stated not helium.
DeleteGreat new idea for an old trick!! My son will love it and it's much safer than the 'rocket' we have.
ReplyDeleteNeat. Can't wait to try this.
ReplyDeleteVery cool! I might have to try this. You said it creates an Acid Base, is that dangerous if it spills?
ReplyDeleteNo, it's just vinegar and baking soda which is used to clean things so spills are easy to wipe up and it won't "burn" through - just lots of fizz.
DeleteExcellent! thanks, this looks like it'll be a lot of fun for my 3.5 year old, and at least fun for my 19month to watch :).. I just pinned this on Pinterest too :)
DeleteThe acid-base reaction is between the vinegar (acetic acid) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) which is a base. The products are neutralized; carbon dioxide and sodium acetate. Very harmless products.
DeleteWe just formed a volcano to set off later this week. I saw this and was so excited that we can do this to show the gas that the vinegar and baking soda mixture creates!! Sooo cool! My girls love playing with balloons too so I know they will be super excited to see this!!! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteAn extension for this activity could be to take the carbon dioxide gas from the balloon and use it to extinguish a candle flame. You could discuss the three necessary parts to have a fire and how many fire extinguishers utilize carbon dioxide to put out fires.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing a fun extension idea!
DeleteLove it thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this! I really love that you do this with your girls. I sometimes notice that moms with girls shy away from science activities (probably not even on purpose). So great!
ReplyDeleteHow long do the balloons stay in the air?
ReplyDeleteNever mind I read more above to see they don't actually float
DeleteCareful with this one. Don't let the kids try inhaling the CO2 as they would helium.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your concern. Of course as with any experiments, adults should always supervise. My daughters are always closely supervised as we do all of our experimenting together.
DeleteDo you kids a favor and discuss how this creates CO2 and not helium!
ReplyDeleteCO2 is a dense gas, which means it will sink to the floor/ground.
Yes, we did discuss how this combination of vinegar and baking soda creates carbon dioxide (it is in the post above). The great thing was that they experienced firsthand that the balloons do not float like helium filled balloons do! It is a very hands-on and visual experiment which is great! Thank you.
DeleteGood idea -- my son would love this! He absolutely loves creating a "volcano" w/baking soda and vinegar. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletecool we did a project similar
ReplyDelete