Hooked on science: Balloon blow-up

What happens when you mix vinegar with baking soda? It creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas that will blow up a balloon. Make sure an adult is present.

Ingredients

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Balloon
• Bottle with a narrow neck

Instructions

STEP 1: Using a funnel, add 3 teaspoons of baking soda to each balloon.

STEP 2: Fill each bottle 1/3 full with vinegar

STEP 3: Without dropping in the baking soda, fit the balloon over the bottle opening

STEP 4: Hold up the balloon and let the baking soda fall into the vinegar

STEP 5: Watch as the baking soda mixes with the vinegar to make carbon dioxide gas and blow up the balloon.

Explanation

When you mixed the baking soda with the vinegar you caused a chemical reaction that created carbon dioxide gas. The carbon dioxide gas caused the balloon to expand.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator for the Bootheel Youth Museum. Check out his Web site "Hooked On Science" at hookedonscience.org.

for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@bootheelyouthmuseum.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.