Hooked on Science: 'Black Snake' experiment

Have you ever played with the "Black Snake?" It's a firework, when lit, it smokes and creates ash resembling a snake. You can create your own by using a few ingredients from around the house.

Materials

* Baking soda

* Sand

* Isopropyl alcohol

* Sugar

* Grill lighter

Instructions

STEP 1: Mix 4 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of baking soda.

STEP 2: Using the sand, create a mound and then a depression in the center of the sand mound.

STEP 3: Pour some of the isopropyl alcohol into the depression.

STEP 4: Pour the sugar and baking soda mixture into the depression.

STEP 5: Using the grill lighter, ignite the sugar and baking soda mixture and observe.

Explanation

When baking soda is heated to a specific temperature carbon dioxide gas is released. The pressure created from the release of the carbon dioxide gas causes the snake to grow. The snake gets its black appearance due to the sugar being caramelized by the heat.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.