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Sharing the explosive fun of science.
Here is a fun and interactive home
science experiment that is guaranteed to get a reaction with your
kids this summer. The following steps teach kids about chemical
reactions while experimenting with how far they can pop their
stopper.
Materials:
Procedure:
Step 1: Fill the pop bottle 1/8 of the way full with vinegar.
Step 2:
Take the sheet of toilet paper and sprinkle a pile of baking soda
about the size of a quarter into the middle of it.
Step 3:
Fold the paper about six times so that it winds up being small
enough to fit in the mouth of the pop bottle without too much of a
problem.
Step 4:
Push the toilet paper down into the top of the pop bottle and then
seal the bottle with the rubber or cork stopper.
Step 5:
Give the bottle a good shake, being careful to aim it at an open
space where it will not hurt anyone.
Step 6:
Replace the stopper and see if it will pop off again.
Step 7:
Experiment with the quantities of both vinegar and baking soda to
determine the optimal “formula” for popping the stopper off and
sending it the furthest distance.
Take a moment to discuss with your kids the science behind what is
happening.
It is important to first talk about how everything around them is
made of atoms. If they could break down their favorite shirt or
soda pop into the smallest elements it is made of, they would find
an atom. Explain that different substances have different chemical
properties or arrangements of atoms.
Kids should understand the difference between physical change and
chemical change. Physical change is a change that does not
transform one substance into another. One example is how freezing
water is a physical change because both water and ice are H2O.
Mixing salt and water together will give you a salt-water solution
where, although mixed together, they retain their chemical
properties and as a result can be separated by physical means.
This is unlike a chemical change or reaction that involves a
rearrangement of atoms. It is not always easy to know if a
chemical reaction occurs when substances are mixed together. A
chemical change may result in a product of a different color, give
off heat, or produce an odor.
Basically the baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, reacts with the
vinegar, or acetic acid, and creates carbon dioxide gas. The
chemical change or reaction is proven when the rapidly expanding
gas in the pop bottle pops the rubber or cork stopper out of the
tube.
Mad Science aims to spark the imagination and curiosity of
children by providing them with fun, entertaining and educational
activities that instill a clear understanding of what science is
really about and how it affects the world around them . For more
information about our Birthday Parties, After-School programs,
In-Class workshops, Pre-school programs, Summer Camps, Corporate
events and more call (727) 895-5595 or (813) 655-6643 or visit our
website at
www.MadScience.org/wsTampaBay
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