Exploding Bags

Something fun to do, but it can cause a bit of a mess, so do this experiment in a tray or outside.

What you need:

• bicarb (baking) soda
• vinegar
• zip lock bag
• tissue
• a tray (optional)

What to do:

1. Put 4 heaped teaspoons of bicarb soda into the tissue.
2. Fold the edges of the tissue over to make a package.
3. Half fill the zip lock bag with vinegar, and put the bag in the tray.
4. Put the tissue containing the bicarb soda into the zip lock bag, and quickly seal the bag
5. Shake the bag until it fizzes. Then put the bag down and wait.

What happens:

With bicarb and vinegar combining, we get a chemical reaction where carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas is produced. When you have an air-tight container such as a zip lock bag, the gas has no where to go. The zip lock bag will expand, getting bigger and bigger, until it explodes. As long as it is air-tight, this will make a good noise and will surprise kids the first time you do it.