Balloon Baking Soda Experiment
An engaging and educational experiment that combines baking soda and vinegar to create a chemical reaction that inflates a balloon.
Ingredients
Materials
- 1 bottle Plastic bottle (empty and clean, preferably 16 oz)
- 2 tablespoons Baking soda Approximately
- 1 cup Vinegar Approximately
- 1 funnel Funnel Optional, for easier pouring
- various balloons Balloons (various colors)
- as needed drops Food coloring Optional for a colorful effect
- as needed spoons Measuring cups and spoons For accurate measurements
Instructions
Preparation
- Stretch the balloon a little bit to make it easier to inflate later.
- Use the funnel to carefully pour baking soda into the balloon until it’s about 1/3 full.
- Pour the vinegar into the plastic bottle. If you want a colorful effect, add a few drops of food coloring to the vinegar.
Setup
- Carefully stretch the neck of the balloon over the opening of the bottle, ensuring none of the baking soda spills into the vinegar just yet.
Execute the Experiment
- Lift the balloon, allowing the baking soda to fall into the vinegar.
- Step back and watch the reaction unfold!
Observation
- Watch the vinegar react with the baking soda, creating bubbles of carbon dioxide gas that inflate the balloon.
- Listen to the fizzing sound and watch the balloon grow.
Notes
For a sparkly effect, add a pinch of glitter to the balloon. Try using larger or smaller balloons to see how the reaction differs. Store any unused baking soda and vinegar in airtight containers.