2 Activity: Self Inflating Sandwich Bag

Supplies per student:

1 slide-closure plastic sandwich bag

1 tbsp baking soda

1/3 cup vinegar

Question: What do you think will happen when we add vinegar to baking soda and close up the bag?

Directions: Distribute a sandwich bag to each student that has baking soda already added. Add vinegar and instruct students to quickly close up the bag. The contents should produce bubbles and inflate the bag.

Theory: Baking soda reacts with vinegar creating carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate, thus inflating the bag.

Grades: 1st – 4th graders.

Time: 10 minutes

Clean Up: Contents can be put down the drain. Bags may be washed and reused.

Notes and Hints: Advise the students to leave the bags on the table as they inflate. This may be done outside. The baking soda may be rolled up in a small amount of toilet paper and added to the bag to slow the reaction. This gives students time to close up the bag and trap the maximum amount of gas.

Image Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIGLCwSASEI