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Balloon Blow Up Science Experiment
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I wanted to share with you all one of my families favorite science experiments! One nice thing about this experiment is that it is perfect for multiple ages.
Summary: Vinegar is placed in a soda bottle and a baking sod a filled balloon is attached. The mixing of the baking soda and vinegar results in the balloon expanding.
Estimated Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Materials Needed:
- 1 .5 L (16.9 oz) clean, empty, plastic soda bottle
- 1 tsp baking soda (4g sodium bicarbonate)
- 2 tbsp vinegar (30 ml of 3% acetic acid)
- paper towels (for cleanup)
Safety Notes: Protective eye wear is recommended in case the balloon explodes. Never point the bottle and balloon at anyone. We do not recommend ingesting any materials. Balloons should stay away from mouths as they can cause choking.
Introduction: You just learned about carbon dioxide in the introduction. You claim that carbon dioxide exists but you can’t show it to me. I can’t pick it up. I can’t see it. We are going to make carbon dioxide using vinegar and baking soda. We will be careful about how we make it so that we can catch it.
- Place the bottle on the table and remove the lid. Carefully pour or spoon 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the bottle.
- Open up the mouth of the balloon (put the first two fingers, not the thumb, on each hand inside the mouth of the balloon and stretch). Have a friend put 1 teaspoon of baking soda into the balloon with the spoon you have not used.
- Without spilling any of the baking soda, stretch the mouth of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
- What is happening inside the bottle?
- What is happening to the balloon? Why? How do you know?
Think About It:
Elementary Level: Baking soda is a chemical called sodium bicarbonate and it reacts with vinegar. Vinegar is called acetic acid. These two chemicals react and form something new. You can see that a reaction is happening. What things happened? The baking soda and vinegar fizzed and you may have seen some bubbles. The bottle probably feels cool around the mixture. The balloon blew up. All of these observations tell us that a reaction occurred.
Scientists know a lot about what makes up baking soda and vinegar. They wrote an equation that tells us what is made when we mix them. One of the things that is made is carbon dioxide gas. How could we see the carbon dioxide? It blew up the balloon. We captured the carbon dioxide inside the balloon. We see the space it takes up.
Middle/High School Level: Vinegar (HC 2 H 3 O 2 ) is a solution of acetic acid. It reacts with baking soda, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ), to produce carbon dioxide gas (CO 2 ) and an aqueous solution of sodium acetate (NaC 2 H 3 O 2 ). The reaction can be written as follows:
NaHCO 3 (aq) + HC 2 H 3 O 2 (aq) ——> CO 2 (g) + H 2 O (l) + NaC 2 H 3 O 2 (aq)
The carbon dioxide filled up the balloon, causing it to expand. We saw the volume change caused by the carbon dioxide in this activity. What might have happened if we had capped the bottle off, leaving no place for the carbon dioxide to go? It would have built up pressure because carbon dioxide takes up space. Why do you think the bottle felt cold? The reaction needs heat to make it happen so it takes heat, leaving the bottle feeling cold. A reaction that needs heat to make it happen is called endothermic. How did you know that your reaction finished? What might have caused the reaction to stop? Your reaction stops when you run out of reactants. The reactants are the things on the left of our reaction equation above. Our reactants were baking soda and vinegar. When one of these is used up completely, the reaction will stop.
Teaching Tips:
- Typically we have students complete this activity in groups of 2-4. The baking soda and vinegar fit nicely into 2-oz plastic cups. You can get these at school supply stores, craft stores or food stores. The containers we use are called ramekins and come with plastic lids. These are great because things can be portioned ahead of time and stacked. We recommend that you pre-measure ingredients for young students.
- The amounts of baking soda and vinegar are approximate and depend on the bottle used. If a larger container is used, increase the amounts of baking soda and vinegar.
- If the balloon does not begin to expand right away, shake the soda bottle slightly to mix the baking soda and vinegar.
Experiment courtesy of:
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Blow-up balloon
If a chemical reaction produces a gas, you might not notice it, unless the gas has a colour or a smell. This activity will show how you can capture the gas produced in a chemical reaction in a visually exciting way.
Printable downloads
Follow these steps….
Think and talk about…
- What can you see happening in the bottle?
- What is making the balloon inflate?
- Is it blowing up faster or slower than when you use your mouth??
Investigate…
- What happens if you use more baking soda? Or more vinegar?
- Time how long it takes to inflate and then repeat the experiment. Were the times similar?
- Try using a different size balloon and see what effect it has.
- What happens if you use a bigger or smaller bottle?
Did you know?
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Natural sources include volcanoes, decomposing vegetation and respiration from living organisms. Human sources include the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
What’s the science?
Because the balloon forms a seal around the bottle, the gas produced cannot escape, so it fills up the balloon.
Science in your world
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Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloon Experiment
Combine a fizzing baking soda and vinegar reaction with balloon play with this easy-to-set-up balloon science experiment for kids . Find out how to blow up a balloon with baking soda and vinegar. Grab a few simple ingredients from the kitchen, and you have fantastic chemistry for kids.
BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR BALLOON EXPERIMENT
Don’t have vinegar for this experiment? Try a citric acid like lemon juice, and check out our citric acid and baking soda experiment here.
- Baking Soda
- Empty Water Bottles
- Measuring Spoons
- Funnel {optional but helpful)
BLOW-UP BALLOON EXPERIMENT SETUP:
Step 1. Blow up the balloon a bit to stretch it out some, and use the funnel and teaspoon to add baking soda to the balloon. We started with two teaspoons and added a teaspoon for each balloon.
Step 2. Fill the container with vinegar halfway.
Step 3. When your balloons are all made up, attach them to the containers making sure you have a good seal!
Step 4. Next, lift up the balloon to dump the baking soda into the container of vinegar. Watch your balloon blow up!
To get the most gas out of it, we swirled around the container to get it all going!
Optional Art: Go ahead and use a sharpie to draw emojis, shapes, or fun pictures on your balloons before filling them with baking soda.
BALLOON EXPERIMENT TIPS
My son suggested we try different amounts of baking soda in our experiment to see what would happen. Also, will the balloon size grow bigger if more vinegar is in the bottle?
Always encourage your kids to ask questions and wonder what will happen if…
This is also a great way to encourage inquiry, observation, and critical thinking skills. You can read more about teaching the scientific method to kids here.
Make predictions! Ask questions! Share observations!
Be cautious with the amount of baking soda you add, as the reaction will get bigger each time. Safety goggles are always great for young scientists!
You could see the difference in the baking soda we put in the balloons! The red balloon with the least baking soda inflated the least. The blue balloon with the most inflated the most.
What else can you do with baking soda? Check out these unique baking soda experiments !
HOW DOES THE BALLOON EXPERIMENT WORK?
The science behind this baking soda and vinegar balloon science experiment is a chemical reaction between an acid and base . The base is the baking soda and the acid is vinegar. When the two ingredients mix, the balloon baking soda experiment gets its lift!
That lift is gas, 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. Check out states of matter experiments !
The gas has nowhere to go and is pushing against the balloon it blows it up. Similar to how we exhale carbon dioxide when we blow up balloons ourselves.
We love exploring simple chemistry you can do at home or in the classroom. Science that isn’t too crazy but is still lots of fun for kids! You can check out more cool chemistry experiments .
Read more about the science behind baking soda and vinegar experiments .
WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD FOR KIDS?
The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is tested with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity. Sounds heavy…
What in the world does that mean?!? The scientific method should be used as a guide to help lead the process. It’s not set in stone.
You don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.
As kids develop practices that involve creating, gathering data evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation.
Learn more about the scientific method and how to use it.
Even though the scientific method feels like it is just for big kids…
This method can be used with kids of all ages! Have a casual conversation with younger kiddos or do a more formal notebook entry with older kiddos!
Click here to get your FREE Science Challenge Calendar
MORE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS WITH BALLOONS
Have leftover balloons? Why not try one of these fun and easy balloon science experiments below!
- Explore physics with a balloon rocket
- Try this screaming balloon experiment
- Make a balloon-powered car
- Try a pop rocks and soda balloon experiment
- Learn about static electricity with a balloon and cornstarch experiment
- Bend water with a balloon.
Helpful Science Resources To Get You Started
Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.
- Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
- Science Vocabulary
- 8 Science Books for Kids
- All About Scientists
- Free Science Worksheets
- Science Supplies List
- Science Tools for Kids
- Scientific Method for Kids
- Easy Science Fair Projects
- Citizen Science Guide
- Join us in the Club
Printable Science Projects For Kids
If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!
- 90+ classic science activities with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information. NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
- Best science practices posters and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
- Be a Collector activities pack introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
- Know the Words Science vocabulary pack includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
- My science journal writing prompts explore what it means to be a scientist!!
- Bonus STEAM Project Pack: Art meets science with doable projects!
- Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics
42 Comments
Need more info on experiments. Thanks, Miranda
What information would you like?
thanks a lot very funny experiment
Your welcome!
(I was thinking that the pint bottle was going to blow up I got really scared first time I saw a science magic) but I can make smoke come out of my mouth it is very simple
I’m doing a Science Fair Project on this, but I don’t know and how to do the table and graphs, like the data and stuff. Can you help me?
And it’s due May 18, 2016 🙁
this is cool thanks you verry much
Your welcome! Try drawing on the balloons too!
Does the size of the container or size of balloon have any affect on how the balloon will blow up?
Yes, it will because of the space the gas has to fill once the baking soda and vinegar are combined. Great experiment to try different sizes using the same amounts of both vinegar and baking soda.
my team did the balloon inflating thing and it was fun
Is it safe for kids to do this experiment in school
I would think it would be as it is just baking soda and vinegar. You would need to use your best judgement of course. We have never had a balloon explode.
hi this is STEM project . can anyone explain how to connect – T technology E Engineering M mathematics through this experiment . thanks in advance
I will look into my information. Remember a STEM project does not need to contain each of the 4 pillars of STEM but at least two. I can tell you we used math {measuring} and science {chemical reaction}.
Definitely is cool
i love yo stuff
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If we wanted to use this for a science fair project what would the Question asking be?
How much baking soda/vinegar is needed to inflate balloon completely. Or, which acid is better vinegar or lemon juice? Do different shape balloons fill better?
We just did this experiment, but we only used one balloon. My kids are 2.5, 4 and 7 so we have a range of ability levels, but I wanted to add my kids’ favorite part! We took the balloon off the bottle and tied it shut, careful not to lose the gas. And then I blew a balloon up the same size, I asked them which one they thought would hit the ground first as I held them even in the air. Try it out!!
That’s awesome! We will def have to try that. What a great idea!
Where did you find your containers to hold the baking soda and vinegar?
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