An at-home activity tested by Sarah, our marketing manager, with her kids.
Supplies: White vinegar, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), a balloon, a funnel and a narrow-necked bottle
Step 1: Pour some vinegar into the narrow-necked bottle until it is about a quarter full (we used 1 cup vinegar in a 1-liter olive oil bottle)
Step 2: Using a funnel, fill the balloon with sodium bicarbonate powder (we used about 2 T in our balloon)
Step 3: Stretch the neck of the balloon over the neck of the bottle (don’t let the sodium bicarbonate escape from the balloon).
Step 4: Lift the balloon so that the sodium bicarbonate falls into the bottle. The vinegar begins to fizz and the balloon slowly starts to inflate.
How does it work? The vinegar reacts with the sodium bicarbonate to release bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. As more gas forms, its pressure increases and the balloon expands.
Would I recommend it? Yes. It was easy and impressive to see the balloon appear to inflate magically. You can also hear the sounds of the fizzing reaction and gas moving into the balloon, which adds another fun element to the experience. Plus, the blown-up balloon made for some great post-experiment volleyball in the backyard.
