Here’s a really cool experiment to celebrate the fourth of July/ Independence Day involving baking soda, vinegar, and balloons! Also, learn a little bit of chemistry of how the fireworks get their colors!
Materials Needed:
Balloons- Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple (white and silver if you are able to get those as well)
Balloon Pump
Baking Soda
Vinegar
2 Funnels
1 Tablespoon
Test Tubes
Permanent Marker
Goggles
Instructions:
1- Put on goggles
2- Blow up each balloon slightly. Write the names of each element with a permanent maker. (Red=Strontium, Orange=Calcium, Yellow=Sodium, Green=Barium, Blue=Copper, Purple= Copper+Strontium.)
3- Deflate each balloon.
4- Using the funnel, take the open end of the balloon and insert the narrow part of the funnel end into it.
5- Add in one tablespoon of baking soda into the balloon via the funnel. Do this with each balloon and set aside.
6-Fill in each test tube halfway with vinegar.
7-Carefully stretch open the end of the balloon with baking soda in it, and apply it around the opening of the test tube. Make sure to stabilize the test tube holder so it doesn’t tilt over. DO NOT FLIP THE BALLOON/ BAKING SODA STRAIGHT UP. This will create the reaction to take place before all balloons are ready…unless you want to do it one by one. 🙂 Do this with all of the balloons and test tubes.
8- When all balloons are on the test tubes, carefully flip each balloon straight up to let the baking soda fall into the vinegar. This creates a chemical reaction where carbon dioxide is created and it fills the balloon up!
9-Have fun flipping over the balloon multiple times, while still stabilizing the test tube holder.
We tied off our balloons and the kids analyzed how heavy the balloons were due to the CO2 instead of air inside of the balloons. What else did you notice? I hope you enjoyed this experiment!
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*Adult Supervision Is Required For All Activities*