First grade chemists will study matter throughout the year. In this lab, two groups of lab partners at a time poured two liquids (1/2 cup of warm water and 1/2 cup of vinegar) into a quart size Ziploc bag. Then I folded a tablespoon of solid baking soda inside a small piece of Kleenex, dropped the Kleenex into the bag of liquids, and quickly sealed the bag. Immediately, we watched the bag inflate as a chemical reaction occurred and the bags filled up with carbon dioxide gas. There was so much force on the bags, some of them exploded! Fun!!

Then we tried the experiment a different way. I poured 3 T of vinegar into a bottle and 3 T of baking soda inside a balloon. I turned the balloon upside down and the baking soda fell into the bottle. What blew up the balloon? Click here to watch a video to learn more.