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Balloon inflator #1

Objective

To use vinegar and baking soda to inflate a balloon

Materials

Small plastic bottle (i.e. 300-500ml)

Balloon

Measuring cup & measuring spoons

Funnels

1/2 cup (about 125ml) vinegar (doesn't matter if it's malt or white)

2 tsp baking soda

Difficulty:

Time: 10-15 minutes

Adult supervision: minimal

Dangers: none

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Instructions

  1. Pour vinegar into the small plastic bottle (use a funnel if necessary)

  2. Pre-stretch the balloon by inflating and deflating

  3. Use a small, clean dry funnel to put the baking soda into the balloon

  4. Carefully put the end of the balloon (while keeping the baking soda inside the balloon) over the top of the bottle

  5. While holding onto the bottle, empty the baking soda from the balloon into the bottle

  6. A chemical reaction occurs and the resulting gas should inflate your balloon.

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Step 3

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Step 4

The Science

Vinegar is also known as acetic acid. Baking soda is also known as bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate, which is an alkali.

When these react with each other, a gas, carbon dioxide is formed. CO2 is invisible but we know it's there because the balloon inflates.

Here's the chemical reaction:

C2H4O2     +

acetic acid 

NaHCO3               ----->

sodium bicarbonate 

NaC2H3        + 

sodium acetate 

H2O     +

water  

CO2  

carbon dioxide

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