See our STEAM TEAM take on this fun balloon experiment!
Watch the video here!
Overview
We have so much fun transforming everyday household items into unexpected experiences. Baking soda mixed with many things brings about innumerable delights.
Our favorite is a simple experiment of baking soda and vinegar balloons. A few household items can transform into a cool experiment.
What You Need
Materials
- 1 empty bottle
- 1 balloon
- 1 funnel (if you don’t have one you can fashion one with paper and tape!)
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- 1 cup vinegar
Time
This fun and easy experiment takes about 10-20 minutes total.
Special Notes
As with any DIY experiment, adult supervision is recommended. Be sure to cover any surfaces first in case of spillage.
Balloon Experiment How-To
- Stretch the opening of the balloon over the end of the funnel. Pour the baking soda into the funnel and shake it into the balloon.
- Clean off the funnel, and then use the funnel to pour the vinegar into a bottle.
- Carefully stretch the opening of the balloon over the top of the bottle. The balloon should drape to the side so the baking soda does not fall into the bottle.
- When you are ready to watch the reaction, lift the balloon so that it is completely upright allowing all of the baking soda into the vinegar in the bottle.
- Watch the balloon inflate & delight!
Transform the Balloon Experiment!
How does temperature affect it?
Try it with vinegar that is chilled, room temperature, or warm: which one fills up faster?
Does the size of the bottle matter?
Does a smaller water bottle or a larger two-liter bottle fill up faster?
Does the shape of the balloon impact it?
What happens if you have different shaped balloons?
What happens if you increase the amount of baking soda?
What happens if you increase the baking soda, (just a bit, so it does not rocket across your kitchen!).
How it Works
The vinegar and the baking soda mix together to make an acid-base reaction. The reaction of the two chemicals creates a carbon dioxide gas that bubbles up from the mixture. Because gasses need a lot of room to spread out, the gas expands out of the bottle and inflates the balloon.
Another cool thing you’ll notice is that because carbon dioxide is heavier than air, when you drop the balloon, it falls to the ground faster than a regular balloon filled with air!
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