Branch of Science: Chemistry
Concept: Acid/Base Reaction

BALLOON INFLATOR

Blowing up balloons can wear out your lungs. Let something else do the work. A little chemical reaction is all it takes.

You’ll Need:

• Balloon (not inflated)
• Funnel
• 1/8 cup (38 grams) baking soda
• Clean, empty pop bottle, 20 ounces (0.6 liter) or smaller
• Vinegar

Put It Together:

1. Place the tip of the funnel inside the balloon.

   

2. Pour the baking soda into the funnel. Shake the baking soda into the balloon.
3. Fill the bottle about half full of vinegar.
4. Remove the funnel. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the top of the bottle. Make sure none of the baking soda falls into the vinegar.

   

5. Hold the neck of the balloon tightly to the bottle. Tip the balloon to dump the baking soda into the vinegar. What happens?

Reusable Knowledge

Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda is a base. Acids and bases react to make a new product. In this case, carbon dioxide gas is made. You can’t always see a gas, but in this experiment the gas is easy to detect. It expands to fill the balloon. If you’ve ever made a cake, you’ve seen an acid and base reaction. Bubbles from reacting ingredients make the cake light and fluffy.

Recycling Soda Bottles

Think you’d look good wearing pop bottles? How about using them to decorate your home? That’s exactly where most recycled PET ends up. It is processed into many new materials including carpet fiber, T-shirt fabric, shoes, and luggage. It is also used to make new PET containers for food and nonfood products.