Activity
Baking Soda and Vinegar’s Reaction
An experiment for students who are blind or visually impaired using balloons to determine if different vinegars react differently with baking soda.
This science project was done by Marina, who is a student at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI).
Question
What effect will different vinegars have on the baking soda/vinegar reaction? Will the balloon blow up more?
Hypothesis
The white vinegar will blow up the balloon the most.
Materials
- apple cider vinegar
- white vinegar
- white wine vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- rice vinegar (with seasoning)
- rice vinegar (no seasoning)
- 6 small mylar balloons
- 2 funnels
- baking soda
- measuring spoons
- string
- ruler (in cm)
- 6 wine spouts
Procedure
*Note in regard to procedure: I made changes to the procedure several times. The first time, the balloon didn’t blow up enough to measure, so I doubled the amount of vinegar and baking soda. Then, all of the balloons blew up completely so there was no difference between any of the balloons. I decided to increase the amount of baking soda and vinegar by only 50% and this worked.
- Measure 15 ml of baking soda using a measuring spoon. Pour the baking soda into the balloon using a funnel.
- Measure 45 ml of vinegar and pour it into a water bottle.
- Put the mouth of the balloon on the wine spout to keep the baking soda in the balloon. (The balloon will be flopped to one side.)
- Lift the balloon up and pour the baking soda into the bottle of vinegar.
- Observe for 1 minute
- Repeat for each type of vinegar.
- Measure the circumference of the balloon by wrapping string around the balloon and then measuring it with a piece of string.
- Record the data.
- Make the data into a graph.
Results
Final trial on 5-12-15
Circumference of balloons:
- Rice vinegar with seasoning – 23 cm
- White vinegar – 23 cm
- Rice vinegar without seasoning – 12 cm
- Apple cider vinegar – 24 cm
- White wine vinegar – 24 cm
- Balsamic vinegar – 18.5 cm
Conclusion
My results did support my hypothesis because the white vinegar blew up the most.
Variations
Other vinegars could have also been tested.
NGSS Standards:
- Plan and conduct an investigation individually and collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, and in the design: decide on types, how much, and accuracy of data needed to produce reliable measurements and consider limitations on the precision of the data (e.g., number of trials, cost, risk, time), and refine the design accordingly. (HS-ESS2-5)
By Laura Hospitál
Return to Accessible Science main page.
