Fizzy Balloon Bottles
Inflate a balloon without touching it! Learn the difference between an acid and a base, and explore chemical reactions!
When baking soda and vinegar — a base and an acid, respectively — mix, they cause a chemical reaction to occur. They react to make a brand new substance: carbon dioxide gas. A solid and a liquid reacted together to form a gas. This gas then rushed up the balloon to inflate it without you having to touch it.
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1. What is an acid?
Acids are found in sour things like lemon juice or vinegar. They are kind of “strong,” and if something is an acid, it is considered acidic. Acids like to give away tiny particles called H⁺, and we'll see what those can do later. Can you think of something that is acidic?
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2. What is a base?
Bases are found in soapy or powdery things like baking soda or toothpaste. They feel slippery or taste bitter. If something is a base, it is considered “basic” or “alkaline.” Bases like to grab onto those little H⁺ particles from acids. Can you think of something that is basic?
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3. The pH scale
pH stands for “potential of hydrogen.” This scale goes from 0 to 14 and measures how acidic or alkaline something is. A reading of 0 to 6 is considered acidic, while a reading from 8 to 14 is considered alkaline. A reading of 7 is considered neutral — a good example of something neutral is water.
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4. Chemical reactions
A chemical reaction is when two (or more) things mix and change into something new. Reactions can make gas, color changes, heat, light, and more — and the change cannot be undone easily. Example: baking soda and vinegar → carbon dioxide gas! Can you think of other chemical reactions? What happens when you bake cookie dough?
Self-Inflating Balloon
You'll need
- 1 empty bottle with a neck
- 1 cup of vinegar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 funnel
- 1 balloon
- (Optional) pH strips
Steps
- 1Remove the cap of your water bottle and fill it with vinegar.
- 2Funnel the baking soda into your balloon.
- 3Wrap your balloon over the opening of the bottle without spilling baking soda into the bottle. You should now have an enclosed bottle where no air can escape.
- 4Lift your balloon up, pouring the baking soda into the bottle.
- 5Watch your balloon inflate over time as the baking soda reacts with the vinegar, causing a chemical reaction.
- 6(Optional) If you have pH strips, test different liquids around your house to see if they are acidic or basic. Some things you can try: lemon juice, orange juice, soap, toothpaste, and so many more.
Does mixing baking soda and vinegar cause other reactions? Is there a new color? Did it create a smell? Is there less vinegar?