How To : Make a Fire Snake from Sugar & Baking Soda
A fire snake, also referred to as a black snake or sugar snake, is a classic science experiment you can do right in your own kitchen using a baking soda and sugar mixture and a fuel to ignite the reaction.
When the baking soda gets hot, it makes carbon dioxide gas. The pressure from this gas pushes the carbonate from the burning sugar out, producing the snake reminiscent of popular intumescent fireworks.
This food-based chemistry experiment is not to be confused with the carbon snake , which uses concentrated sulfuric acid instead of baking soda. In either case, don't eat the resulting snake, and only touch it once it has cooled completely.
To make your own fire snake at home like in the video above, you'll need 10 grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), 40 grams of sugar, and some type of fuel and a container to house the reaction in.
You can simply add the fuel to the mixture and light it on a smooth surface, but the reaction won't be as impressive . In this case, use a ceramic bowl packed with sand. The sand is doused with lighter fluid before putting the baking soda and sugar mixture on top.
To begin the experiment, add your sand to your bowl, then soak the sand with lighter fluid.
Mix the baking soda and sugar together, then pile it onto the soaked sand surface.
Next, just light it with a long-stick match or long-neck lighter. Keep some water nearby just in case you need to extinguish the fire.
As mentioned before, when the mixture burns, the baking soda gets hot, and it decomposes to release carbon dioxide gas. A lack of oxygen in the sugar from the combustion creates carbonate and water vapor. The pressure from the CO2 gas pushes this carbonate out to form the snake, which should continue growing for 20 minutes, give or take.
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It's fun but sometimes success sometimes fail. How should I correct it? I got spill ethanol at sugar and baking soda before burning. Or is it just because I spill ethanol on the sand surface until it is wet only? Or shouldn't I drop some ethanol when burning. Hope you can help me to solve it. Thank you.
Never EVER add flammable liquid to this experiment after the fire has been lit. People can and have been severely burned when that is done, even people standing some distance away. If you HAVE to do this demonstration, it would be best to be sure that any supply of flammable liquid is more than arms reach away, and better, in a different room, before you light the demonstration. Also, have a fire extinguisher handy.
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How to Make an Fire Carbon Snake?
Safety
- Adult supervision.
- Operate it in an open space with no flammable or explosive materials around it.
- Wear protective gloves and goggles.
- Prepare a fire extinguisher in case of fire.
Materials list
- 10g Baking soda
- 25ml 99.5% alcohol
- 50ml Beaker
Instruction
Troubleshooting
scientific description , extensions , disposal .
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Good article thanks for sharing! It very well might be because of the utilization of powdered sugar. The hole between the powdered sugar and the baking soft drink is excessively little, which isn't really great for consuming. gem sugar ought to be utilized.
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How to Make Black Snake Fireworks With & Without Fire
Introduction: How to Make Black Snake Fireworks With & Without Fire
- Experiments / Science
How to make a fire snake
by Ailsa Harvey · 06/06/2020
Create a snake using sugar, baking soda and an amazing chemical reaction
DON’T DO IT ALONE: If you’re under 18, make sure you have an adult with you.
1. Create your insulator
To make your snake, first get a large bowl and then fill it with sand. Ask an adult to douse it in lighter fluid. Sand is fireproof and works very well as an insulator, so it should keep the bowl protected when things start to heat up.
2. Prepare your mixture
The lighter fluid will act as fuel and helps maintain the heat of the flame for longer. Next you need to mix ten grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with 40 grams of sugar. Pour this mixture onto the sand.
3. Light it up
To light the mixture, you’ll need a long-necked match or a long-necked lighter. Ask an adult to help, and be very careful –the lighter fluid will ignite very quickly, so don’t get too close to the flame.
4. Snake attack!
After a little while, a large black blob will appear in the mixture and start to grow bigger. This is because as the baking soda and sugar get hot, they both release carbon dioxide gas, which begins to expand.
5. Carbon snake
The reaction also creates sodium carbonate, and as the carbon dioxide gas is created, the pressure pushes this upwards. The black colouring comes from the carbon in the mixture. It’s getting big now!
6. The snake's tail
After a while –probably around 20 minutes– the flames will start to go out and the snake will stop getting bigger. All of the baking soda and sugar have been used up at this stage, so there’s nothing left to burn.
(Illustrations by Ed Crooks)
The chemical reaction in the bowl is activated by heat energy. When the mixture gets hot, the baking soda breaks down into sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water vapour. The sugar breaks down into carbon dioxide and water vapour too, adding more expanding gas and helping propel the carbon snake upwards.
Disclaimer: Neither Future Publishing nor its employees can accept any liability for any adverse effects experienced during the course of carrying out these projects or at any time after. Always take care when handling potentially hazardous equipment or when working with electronics and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
This article was originally published in How It Works issue 130 , written by Stephen Ashby
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The Kitchen Pantry Scientist
Simple recipes for real science, flammable science: homemade black snake fireworks.
BE SAFE! Set this experiment up on a heat-proof surface like a concrete driveway and have a hose ready, just in case. Make sure long hair is pulled back, and don’t try this on a windy day.
You’ll need:
4 tsp. powdered sugar mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda .
To make your snakes: -Add the alcohol to the indentation in the sand.
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How To : Make Black Snake Fireworks With & Without Fire
In this video, I'll be showing you how classic black snakes work and how to make them at home. There are actually two methods covered in the video — one that uses fire and one that does not. So just choose the one that fits best for your situation.
Black Snake Version 1 (Fire)
- powdered sugar
- sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- lighter fluid or alcohol
Mix together a batch of 4 parts powdered sugar to 1 part baking soda. Add a little fuel to the mixture and ignite.
After the black snake is lit, the firework smokes and creates ash resembling a snake. This happens due to an intumescent reaction. The sodium bicarbonate produces carbon dioxide gas, while the sugar creates carbon containing ash.
Your snake will stay on the ground and will not do any fancy fireworks stuff like emit sparks or flares, and it won't produce any sound, but there will be smoke.
Black Snake Version 2 (No Fire)
- sulfuric acid (drain cleaner)
- this experiment should be performed outside or in a fumehood
In a glass beaker or other sturdy canister with sugar lining the bottom, pour in a little sulfuric acid until the sugar is completely covered, then just sit back and watch the reaction. The sugar will change from white to dark brown, then to black carbon.
Sugar is a carbohydrate, so when you remove water from the molecule using the sulfuric acid (an excellent dehydrating agent), you're basically just left with elemental carbon.
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How to Make a Fire Snake Science Experiment with Kids
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My boys really love science experiments – especially when it comes to ones that have fire! This easy tutorial below will show you how to make a fire snake science experiment with kids! It’s great to pair with tea bag rockets too if you’re looking for other STEM science experiments with fire.
Doing science experiments with kids is an important tool of investigation that will really captivate your child’s interest. Growing up I was obsessed with science (and nature!) – in fact my favorite “toy” growing up was my REAL chemistry set! (you know, the ones they aren’t allowed to sell anymore?!)
There are plenty of “WOW” science experiments for kids that will have them whooping with excitement and begging to do the experiment over and over again. This fire snake experiment is one of them! Below are the materials, directions, and a video so that you can recreate the experience in your own home!
Fire Snake Science Experiment Materials:
Baking soda, lighter fluid, glass bowl or aluminum tin.
By following the fire snake directions below you can try your fire snake science experiment in TWO different ways for different results! Try them both and let us know which way you preferred!
How to Make a Fire Snake Directions:
First, start by filling the bottom of your glass bowl or aluminum tin with sand.
Most directions tell you to then saturate your sand with lighter fluid BUT we did ours differently because we wanted “baby snakes” everywhere! I recommend trying this fun science experiment both ways! (perfect if you have two kids that want to light the fire!)
Add 4 Tablespoons of sugar and 1 Tablespoon of baking soda in a pile on top of the sand. You can use any amount of sugar and baking soda as long as you keep to the 4:1 ratio. We used a small funnel to help us pour the sugar and baking soda but that is totally optional.
THEN squirt lighter fluid onto your sugar/baking soda mixture (unless of course you’ve saturated your sand instead). Essentially what you will see is baby snakes popping up anywhere your lighter fluid is once you have lit the mixture.
You don’t want to short yourself on the lighter fluid – feel free to saturate it well!
Go ahead and use your lighter where the lighter fluid has been placed! My goodness the results are mesmerizing to watch! Little black “snakes” will start popping up everywhere you light…..AND grow!
Once the snakes have COMPLETELY cooled off they are perfect safe to touch! Although be forewarned – they might leave you a little messy! It makes a great tactile sensory experience though for kids to investigate!
We did this experiment several times – pretty much until we ran out of supplies – because it is SO FUN to watch! Definitely check out the video we posted – it’s a great close up overview of what you will expect when you do this experiment.
What a great hands on activity that kids can participate in! My boys LOVE fire so this is an easy safer science experiment for them to do with fire. Especially since the “fire” is so contained – there is little risk of real danger.
Here’s a close up of the fire “snakes” that are created. The sand itself doesn’t react to anything in the science experiment aside from distributing some heat. Although the snakes look hard and solid, they will crumble if you start messing with them.
Every time you do this experiment although you have the same reaction, the art design will look different! It provides plenty of texture if your kids want to draw what each bowl looks like after you have created your snakes!
As with anything relating to fire, please make sure to have adult supervision available. We have free fire safety resources available too!
More STEM Activities for Kids:
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Black Fire Snake – Amazing Science Experiment
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36 Comments
can we use another type of sand?
Black Fire Snake – Amazing Science Experiment
"mom I was doing a science project and accidentally summoned satan.."
DOES IT HAVE TO BE ZIPPO LIGHTER FLUID OR CAN IT BE DIFFERENT LIGHTER FLUID
what kind of sand is it
and was that a glass bowl
home science what kind of sand did u use
home science what kind of sand did u use, or is it beach sand
WOOD STYLE DEEP FOREST EMERGENCE HASHIRAMA SENJU
you should rename this video to "The most satisfying vide ever"
Kimya deneyi için harika
looks like the old demon king from dark souls 3
Do you absolutely need the sand? I was thinking of doing this on my driveway; would it work there?
Can I ask something?
how can I fasten this process?? wat kind of chemical to fasten this process?
it looks like it's coming from hell tbh
A snake came out of hell nice
ItsYeBoi? Anyone?
Pour that powder on a city light it on fire and there's the start of an apocolips
from where i bring zippo fluid plz anyone say
How it's made; Groot
スカッシュさんとは全然違うwwwwwすごい！
スカッシュから来た人！ これ凄い！
looks like ashy coochie at first.
everybody wish there's came out like this
more like satan's old, crusty shit
is it safe to do at school for science fair
the black snake comes out faster if you put in less sugar and baking soda(my theory)
Did anyone else get a boner?
can u use ronsonol lighter fluid instead of zippo lighter fluid
Add human hair and blood and it will come to life :)
Can you use rubbing alcohol instead of the liquid igniter thing?
Satan Summoning Beginner's Pack.
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