STEM Saturdays

Program Type:

Science & STEAM

Age Group:

All Ages
Please note you are looking at an event that has already happened.

Event Description

Librarians Breanna and Chelsee walk you through fun STEM projects you can do at home - using items you may already have around the house.  Every Saturday this summer, enjoy a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program.  A listing supplies and steps will be available prior to the program so you can try this at home. 

You can view STEM Saturday on Facebook, IGTV, and YouTube.

 

This week's activity is on Chemical Reactions.

 

Supplies:

  • Balloon
  • Plastic Bottle
  • Vinegar
  • Baking Soda
  • Funnel
  • Measuring Cups

 

Directions:

  1. Add 1/3 cup of baking soda into balloon using the funnel
  2. Pour 1 cup vinegar into plastic bottle using the funnel
  3. Attach balloon to plastic bottle
  4. Dump the balloon's contents into plastic bottle
  5. Watch the chemical reaction!

 

How it works:

Adding vinegar to baking soda creates a chemical reaction. Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. When the two are combined, they create a gas called carbon dioxide. Gas tends to fill the shape of its container. Once the carbon dioxide has filled the bottle, it looks for another place to go and begins to inflate the balloon. 

 

Experiment at Home:

  • Does the acid's temperature affect how fast the balloon fills up?
  • Does the size of the bottle affect how much the balloon fills? (***Was this apparent from our video? If so, please remove!)
  • Can the amount the balloon fills up be controlled by the amount of vinegar or baking soda?
  • Can you blow up a balloon with other acid ingredients, such as lemon juice or Kool-Aid? 

 

Books and Learning Resources: