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Simple Science Experiment For Kids

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Can You Blow Up a Balloon in a Bottle?

Here’s what you’ll need:  a balloon, a 2-liter plastic bottle (I used a 16 oz. bottle, but the 2-liter will work
better), a thumbtack, and a nail.

Begin by asking the following question:  Can you blow up a balloon inside a bottle?  Try it
out…

1.  Put your balloon into the top of your bottle and stretch the neck over the bottle opening.  
Try to blow the balloon up while it is still in the bottle.

Does it work? Nope, the balloon will barely budge.

Try this…

Use a thumbtack to puncture a hole in the bottom of your plastic bottle.  Use a nail to make
the hole larger, to there it is at least 1/4 inch in diameter.

Again, place the balloon in the top of the bottle and stretch the neck over the bottle opening.
Try blowing it up again.

It worked!

The Science Behind It:

In order for a balloon to blow up, you must force air inside it.  However, when you try
to blow the balloon up inside an “empty” bottle, you can’t because the bottle is actually
already filled with air!  Our lungs don’t exert enough pressure to force the air out of the
bottle.  Once you poke a hole in the bottle, some of the air can escape as you blow more
air into the balloon!

Dancing Rice Experiment


This was more interesting and exciting to watch than I expected! And even more importantly, my daughter was
obsessed. We actually did this ‘experiment’ more than once. It was THAT exciting.

Materials Needed
 White Vinegar
 Baking Soda
 Rice
 Clear Jar
 Water
 Food Coloring (Optional)

How To
1. Fill the Clear Jar 3/4 Way Full Of Water. If desired, mix in food coloring.
2. Add in 1 TBS of Baking Soda and Stir. Mix completely.
3. 1/4 Cup Of Uncooked Rice.
4. Add in 1-2 TBS of White Vinegar.

The reaction didn’t happen at first, I had to add in a little more vinegar than I had initially expected. When we
did, though, it was awesome. The top fizzed slightly but then the rice just started dancing around the jar. It was
fantastic.

I am glad we added in food coloring. It made the effect look even more cool. It almost looked like a black light
show or some sort of light show. This experiment truly was fun.

This can be a fantastic example for children to show cause and effect as well as chain reactions. A reaction can
occur with just baking soda and vinegar, but when the other ingredients are added a different reaction occurs.

This science experiment would be excellent in a preschool or lower level elementary classroom setting or at
home. Children will enjoy the dancing of the rice. Maybe even turn on some music and tell kids to dance like
the rice.

Balloon Blowing

SUPPLIES
 Baking Soda
Vinegar
Containers
Balloons
Teaspoon
Funnel {optional but helpful)

 Step 1: Blow up balloon a bit to stretch it out some.


 Step 2: Use the funnel and teaspoon to add baking soda to the balloon. We started with 2 teaspoons and
added a teaspoon for each balloon.
 Step 3: Fill container with Vinegar  half way
 Step 4: When your balloons are all made attach to containers making sure you have a good seal!
 Step 5: Lift up balloon to dump baking soda into the container of vinegar
 Step 6: Watch the balloon fill up
 Step 7: To get the most gas out of it, we swirled around the container to get it all going!
SIMPLE SCIENCE: BLOWING UP BALLOONS WITH CO2

 The science, behind this balloon baking soda experiment, is the chemical reaction between the base
{baking soda} and the acid {vinegar}. When the two ingredients mix together the balloon baking soda
experiment gets it’s lift!
 The gas produced from the two ingredients is carbon dioxide or CO2. As the gas tries to leave the plastic
container, it goes up into the balloon because of the tight seal you have created. Because the gas has no
where to go and is pushing against the balloon it inflates it!  Similarly, we exhale carbon dioxide when
we blow up balloons.

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