Kitchen Chemistry Experiment 1
Dancing Spaghetti
Spaghetti
is more dense than water but when placed in a solution of baking
soda and vinegar, the carbon dioxide gas that is released adheres
to the spaghetti causing it to rise to the surface. When the
spaghetti reaches the surface, the gas is released and the spaghetti
sinks once again.
| Materials |
Substitutions |
| 1 1000-mL
beaker |
1 glass
mixing bowl |
| 10 g
sodium bicarbonate |
3 Tsp
baking soda |
| 45 mL
3% acetic acid |
4-5 Tbsp
vinegar |
| 10 2-cm
pieces of vermacelli |
water |
Procedure
- Fill
your clear container 3/4 with of water. Add baking soda and stir
to dissolve.
- Break
the vermacelli into 2-cm (one inch) pieces and add to the container.
- Add the
vinegar. If the vermacelli does not begin to "dance"
after a few minutes, then add more baking soda and vinegar.
- Raisens
or mothballs can be used with similar results.
Teacher's
Notes
1. Vinegar
( HC2H3O2 ) is a solution of acetic acid. It reacts with baking
soda, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 ), to produce carbon dioxide
gas (CO2) and an aqueous solution of sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2).
The reaction can be written as follows.
NaHCO3
(aq) + HC2H3O2 (aq) ------> CO2 (g) + H2O (l) + NaC2H3O2 (aq)
Bubbles
of carbon dioxide gas attach to the surface of the spaghetti.
The result is that the density of the spaghetti and the gas is
less than that of the water solution so the pieces rise to the
surface. Many of the bubbles "pop" at the surface and
the density is once again greater than that of water so the spaghetti
sinks. Childrens "water-wings" operate on the same
principle by increasing the volume of the child without increasing
the mass considerably.
2. Amounts
of baking soda and vinegar are approximate and depend on the
type of container used. If a larger container is used, increase
the amount of baking soda and vinegar.
3. Raisins
or mothballs can be used in addition to, or in place of, the
spaghetti. Remember to make provisions for solids be placed in
the trash instead of your sinks!!
4. Add
a drop of food coloring to your water to enhance "dance"
movement.
