STEM Tuesdays:
Chemical Reactions
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Let’s learn about chemical reactions with one of Professor Labcoat’s favorite experiments! We’re going to use some simple chemicals to create a bubbly explosion.
Before we get started, make sure you have what Professor Labcoat calls the two Gs: glasses to protect your eyes and a grownup to help out!
Materials & Instructions
Baking soda
10 oz Vinegar
Glass cup or vase
Optional: food coloring and glitter
Step 1: Pour the vinegar into your glass or vase. This experiment gets messy, so you may want to do this outside, in a tray, or in a sink. If you want to give your vinegar a little pizzazz, you can add a few drops of food coloring and some glitter during this step.
Step 2: Pour your baking soda into the vinegar. At CMA, we like to count down to this step with “Three…two…one…SCIENCE!”
Step 3: Enjoy your bubbly volcano!
What happened?
Our experiment was something called a chemical reaction. Chemical reactions happen when we mix together two or more chemicals and end up with a completely different chemical.
When we mixed together our vinegar and food coloring, was that a chemical reaction? No! Our vinegar was still vinegar, it was just sparkly. We didn’t create a new chemical.
Today, we mixed together vinegar and baking soda and ended up with two different chemicals: carbon dioxide gas and water. The carbon dioxide gas created all of those foamy bubbles!
Reminder: Never mix together chemicals on your own. Always have a responsible grown-up with you for your chemistry experiments!
Vocab List
CHEMISTRY: Chemistry is a kind of science that studies matter (everything around us!) and how it changes.
CHEMICALS: Chemicals are everywhere! They’re in your clothes, in your hair, in the floor, in the grass. Everything around us is made out of chemicals. Any liquid, solid, or gas is made out of chemicals.
CHEMIST: Chemists are scientists who study chemicals and chemistry.
CHEMICAL REACTION: A chemical reaction happens when you mix two or more chemicals together to create a completely new chemical.
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