Fun & Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Science Experiments

Published:
July 5, 2022

Contributor:
Jeannette Tuionetoa

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If you have baking soda and vinegar at home, it is all you need for super science fun. These baking soda and vinegar science experiments are easy to do and your kids will love them!

kids doing science experiments

Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

What is the best thing about vinegar and baking soda science experiments? You have everything you need right in your pantry! These fun and cheap science experiments may be super easy, yet they will still add excitement to your science lessons.

Basic Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

If you are looking for a simple baking soda and vinegar experiment, try this classic.

Classic Vinegar and Baking Soda Science Experiment

Here are the materials needed for this classic science experiment:

  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Tall and narrow plastic container
  • Rimmed tray to make sure it captures any overflows
  • Food coloring

Vinegar and Baking Soda Experiment Directions

  1. Pour baking soda into the plastic container and add a few drops of the food coloring.
  2. Pour vinegar over the baking soda and drops of food coloring with a medicine dropper.
  3. Watch in awe as the reaction bubbles up and fizzles over the edge of the container. Add props like Legos or toys to make a whole scene of bubbly, fizzy fun.

Homemade Fizzy Sidewalk Paint

Here are the materials needed for the Homemade Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint science experiment:

  • 2 cups of baking soda
  • 1 cup of cornstarch
  • Water
  • Vinegar
  • Food dyes

Fizzy Sidewalk Paint Directions

  1. Grab a squirt or squeeze bottle, muffin tins, and paint brushes.
  2. Mix the ingredients all together and pour them into the muffin tins. Of course, do this a few times with different colors.
  3. Grab paint brushes, get outdoors and start your creations.

Baking Soda Vinegar Volcano

I am sure you have seen a baking and soda and vinegar volcano, right? This easy baking soda and vinegar volcano eruption is fun and your kids can do it independently.

This experiment only takes about three minutes to prep. Here are the materials needed for easy baking soda and vinegar volcano eruption for kids:

  • Plastic cup
  • Water
  • 4 tbs of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of dish soap
  • ½ oz to 2 oz of washable paint
  • 1 cup  of vinegar (8 oz of vinegar that will start your eruption)

baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment

How to Make Your Volcano Erupt

  1. Have your young children make a mound of gravel and place the cup on top of it with gravel developing it into a mountain shape.
  2. Combine all the ingredients together.
  3. Pour the mixture into the cup and then the vinegar when you are ready for eruption.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment for Kids

This is a fun take on a simple experiment. Check out this baking soda and vinegar powered boat.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Powered Boat

Here are the materials needed for Baking Soda and Vinegar Powered Boat experiment:

  • Small empty plastic water bottle
  • Baking soda
  • Kitchen paper roll
  • Straw vinegar
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Bath or large tub/container
  • Water

Directions for Baking Soda and Vinegar Powered Boat Experiment

  1. Pierce a hole in the water bottle for the star to go through it. Tape up the gap to prevent any air from escaping the water bottle.
  2. Pour vinegar into the plastic bottle and then replace the lid.
  3. Tap some baking soda on a small piece of kitchen roll.
  4. Stuff the tissue-wrapped baking soda in the bottle and swiftly cover it with the lid.
  5. Place the plastic bottle in the water and just watch it zoom away.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Reaction

So, what exactly happens with a baking soda and vinegar reaction? Mixing vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) together cause a chemical reaction that makes salt (sodium acetate), water, and carbon dioxide gas. These experiments are exciting for students to do.

There are two separate reactions when baking soda and vinegar mix. There is an acid base reaction and a decomposition reaction.

Acid-based reaction – Hydrogen ions and vinegar react with the sodium and bicarbonate ions that are in baking soda. The result is two chemicals called carbonic acid and sodium acetate.

Decomposition reaction – The carbonic acid and sodium acetate from the acid-based reaction decompose into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide gas.

Baking Soda And Vinegar Science Experiments FAQ

Here are some common questions people ask when mixing baking soda and vinegar.

What happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar and water?

Mixing baking soda and vinegar and water produces carbon dioxide gas which forms bubbles in the foaming mixture. It forms a fizzing reaction of carbon dioxide that consequently is awesome for cleaning and freshening sinks and drains.

What happens if you mix baking soda vinegar and food coloring?

It is important to listen in when mixing the baking soda vinegar and food coloring to hear the fizz. Mixing these three items develops a fizzy foam full of food coloring colors. Make a rainbow or use your young scientist’s favorite colors for a super cool colourful chemical reaction science experiment.

What science experiments can you do with baking soda?

Here is a list of experiments that can be done with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

  • Baking soda paint
  • Blow-up balloon science
  • Fizzing Dinosaur Eggs
  • Fizzing Sidewalk Paint
  • Sandbox Eruption
  • Slime Volcano

baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment

What science experiments can I do with vinegar?

Here is a list of experiments that can be done with vinegar (acetic acid).

  • Vinegar and Milk Shapes
  • Color Mixing Science Activity
  • Vinegar Penny Magic
  • Nails, Wire, and Vinegar
  • Gas, bubbles, eruption!
  • Fizzing Rubber Band Snap Art

In Conclusion

Big kids and even a busy toddler will have a great time enjoying these exciting experiments that are super easy, but loads of learning fun. 

You might also enjoy mason jar science experiments, and easy science experiments for kids.