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DISCUSS:
What makes these things explode? What’s going on?
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DISCUSS:
Why do you think the containers were shattering?
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DISCUSS:
On the back of your worksheet, draw a picture using a particle model to explain why the bag exploded. (Or you can label or add to the picture you drew earlier.)
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In this lesson, students investigate and model how gases cause explosions. In the activity, Bag of Bubbles, students experiment by combining baking soda and vinegar inside a sealed bag and observe how the gas bubbles produced cause the bag to inflate–and sometimes pop!
Preview activity| Capturing Chaos worksheet | 30 copies |
| Stretchy Bag Templates printout | Print 8 copies |
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Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)
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1 roll |
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Safety Glasses
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30 pairs |
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Scissors
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30 pairs |
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Baking Soda
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4 cups |
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Dixie Cups (3 oz)
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30 cups |
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Measuring Cup
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1 cup |
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Plastic Plates (10")
You can also use large, sturdy paper plates.
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Details
15 plates
|
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Plastic Spoons
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30 spoons |
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Solo Cups (9 oz)
You can use any plastic container that can hold about 1/2 cup of liquid.
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Details
16 cups
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White Vinegar
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4 cups |
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Ziploc Bags (Snack Size)
We do not suggest using sandwich size bags because they need more vinegar and baking soda to inflate, and the resulting explosion is likely to overflow the plastic plate.
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Details
30 bags
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We strongly recommend that students wear eye protection for this activity.
We suggest students work in pairs for the first activity, and in groups of four for the second activity. Students working alone will need a partner for the first activity, and a few friends to help with the second activity.
Divide your plastic cups (or plastic containers) in half. For each of the cups in one of the piles, pour about ½ cup of vinegar. For the other cups, pour about ½ cup of baking soda into each.
For the first activity, students will need the following supplies, plus a recommended pair of safety goggles for each person:
In the second activity, students will work in groups of four and will need the following materials:
You may want to separate these for ease of classroom distribution.
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