demonstrations:baking_soda_vinegar_balloon
Blowing Up a Balloon with Baking Soda and Vinegar
Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
Categories: Chemical Reactions, Gases
Alternative titles: Self-Inflating Balloons, Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloons
Summary
When baking soda inside a balloon is released into vinegar in a bottle, an acid-base reaction produces carbon dioxide gas. The gas expands and inflates the balloon without using air from your lungs.
Procedure
- Use a funnel to add baking soda into a balloon.
- Partly fill a plastic water or soda bottle with vinegar.
- Stretch the balloon opening over the bottle’s mouth, keeping the baking soda inside the balloon.
- Lift the balloon upright so the baking soda falls into the vinegar.
- Observe the fizzing reaction and watch as the balloon inflates with carbon dioxide gas.
Links
Baking Soda + Vinegar Balloon Experiment! - Education.com:
📄 Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloons - One Little Project: https://onelittleproject.com/baking-soda-and-vinegar-balloons/
Variations
- Adjust the amounts of vinegar and baking soda to test how gas production changes.
- Add food coloring to the vinegar for a colorful reaction.
- Compare balloons filled with carbon dioxide to those filled with air - drop them and see which falls faster.
Safety Precautions
- Perform the experiment over a sink or tray to catch spills and foam.
- Do not overfill with baking soda and vinegar, as the balloon may pop.
- Avoid touching your eyes after handling vinegar or baking soda. Wash hands afterward.
- Use supervision with younger children handling balloons and liquids.
Questions to Consider
- What type of chemical reaction occurs between vinegar and baking soda?
- What gas is produced, and how do you know?
- Why does the balloon inflate without anyone blowing into it?
- Why does a carbon dioxide–filled balloon fall faster than an air-filled balloon?
- How could you design an experiment to measure the exact amount of gas produced?