======Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Jar======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** The Greenhouse Effect
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Label five jars: Air (control), Vinegar (control), Baking Soda (control), Reaction (sealed), and Reaction (unsealed).  
  - Cover the first four jars with clear plastic wrap secured with elastic bands. Leave one reaction jar open.  
  - Add vinegar to the vinegar jar and baking soda to the baking soda jar, then cover them.  
  - For the sealed reaction jar, quickly mix baking soda and vinegar together, then immediately cover tightly with plastic wrap to trap the CO2 gas.  
  - Place all jars in front of a heat source (a sunny window or lamp). Ensure they receive equal heating.  
  - After 5–10 minutes, measure temperatures inside the jars using thermometers (infrared or inserted through a small slit in the plastic).  
  - Compare the results: the sealed reaction jar should be warmer than the others, showing the greenhouse effect of trapped CO2.



====Links==== 
Greenhouse Effect Experiment for Kids exploring Climate Change  - STEAM Powered Family: 
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📄 The Greenhouse Effect Experiment - STEAM Powered Family: [[https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/the-greenhouse-effect-experiment/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Try different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to change the amount of CO2 produced.  
  * Compare results using glass versus plastic jars.  
  * Use one heat lamp per jar to ensure consistent heating.  
  * Test how long the CO2 effect lasts by measuring temperatures over a longer period.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Perform the reaction on a stable surface to avoid spills.  
  * Work quickly when sealing the reaction jar to trap gases.  
  * Handle glass jars carefully to prevent breakage.  
  * Do not drink or taste the vinegar, baking soda, or reaction mixture.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why is the sealed reaction jar warmer than the controls? (The trapped CO2 gas absorbs and re-emits heat, simulating greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.)  
  * Why is the open reaction jar the coldest? (The baking soda–vinegar reaction is endothermic, lowering the temperature without trapping heat.)  
  * How does this model show the role of CO2 in global warming? (It demonstrates that increased CO2 concentration traps additional heat, raising temperatures.)  
  * What real-life activities increase CO2 in the atmosphere? (Burning fossil fuels, transportation, deforestation, and industrial processes.)  
  * Why are control jars important in this experiment? (They show that the effect comes from CO2, not just vinegar, baking soda, or heat alone.)