Why do some things explode?

Why do some things explode?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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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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Discussion: Baking Bubbles (part 1)

Look at the holes in this slice of banana bread. Each hole was made by a bubble that formed while this was baking. Those bubbles made the loaf rise. bananabread

Go to the next slide to discuss where those bubbles came from.

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Discussion: Baking Bubbles (part 2)

Here are the ingredients used to make banana bread:

  • vinegar
  • milk
  • butter
  • sugar
  • bananas
  • flour
  • baking soda
  • walnuts
  • eggs

    • Discuss:

    • Why do you think bubbles formed in the batter?
    • What do you think would happen if you left out the vinegar?

    See previous slide for a view of the holes in banana bread. See next slide for more about the bubbles in bread.

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    Discussion: Baking Bubbles (part 3)

    Any cake that rises as it bakes has bubbles in the batter. Take a look at some cake recipes. Can you figure out which ingredients make bubbles in each recipe?

    If you need help, check out this extensive discussion of leavening agents. (A leavening agent is a substance that produces gas to make bubbles in a batter.)

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    explosion


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    when something bursts outwards
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    Slide Image

    substance


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    a material that has specific properties
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    chemical reaction


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    a process where one or more substances form a new substance
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    states of matter


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    the different forms of matter that include solid, liquid, and gas
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    liquid


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    a state of matter, such as water when you can pour it
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    gas


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    a state of matter, such as water when it is steam
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    carbon dioxide


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    a type of gas that plants sometimes take in and that animals release when they breathe
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    oxygen


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    a type of gas that animals use to breathe and that plants release
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    particle


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    a very tiny thing, sometimes too small to be seen
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    experiment


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    a test used to discover new information about a question
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    model


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    a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
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    Lesson narration:
    English Spanish

    Activity Prep

    Print Prep

    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
    Number of students:

    I have a Mystery Pack

    Capturing Chaos worksheet 1 per student
    Stretchy Bag Templates printout 1 per group
    Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)
    		1 roll per class
    Scissors
    		1 pair per student
    Baking Soda
    		4 tablespoons per pair
    Dixie Cups (3 oz)
    		1 cup per student
    Measuring Cup
    		1 cup per class
    Plastic Plates (10")
    You can also use large, sturdy paper plates.
    		Details
    1 plate per pair
    Plastic Spoons
    		2 spoons per pair
    Solo Cups (9 oz)
    You can use any plastic container that can hold about 1/2 cup of liquid.
    		Details
    2 cups per group
    White Vinegar
    		1 cup per 8 students
    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.
    		Details
    1 bag per student
    Safety Glasses
    		1 pair per student
    Prep Instructions

    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.

    Prepare the Vinegar and Baking Soda

    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.

    Separate Supplies for Easy Distribution

    For the first activity, students will need the following supplies, plus a recommended pair of safety goggles for each person:

    Bag of Bubbles Supplies

    In the second activity, students will work in groups of four and will need the following materials:

    Bag of Bubbles Model Supplies

    You may want to separate these for ease of classroom distribution.

    Exploration

    11 mins

    Hands-On Activity

    30 mins

    Wrap-Up

    4 mins

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