Category Archives: OSC At Home

The Chemistry of Pumpkins: How to Have a Green Halloween

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The Chemistry of Pumpkins: How to Have a Green Halloween

This October is Chemistry Month at Orlando Science Center, and with Halloween just around the corner, it's just about time to start prepping a pumpkin! But what happens once the trick-or-treaters are gone and your pumpkin starts to sag? By looking at the chemistry of decomposition and finding creative ways to reuse or recycle, you can make your Halloween scary, scrumptious, and sustainable all at the same time!

The Chemistry of Pumpkin Decomposition

Once carved, pumpkins quickly begin to break down thanks to microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. These microbes release enzymes that break large molecules in the pumpkin’s flesh, releasing carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients in the process. Oxygen in the air speeds up this process, allowing microbes to thrive. We call this oxygen-rich decomposition aerobic digestion.

Decomposition is essentially nature’s recycling system, but when pumpkins end up in landfills, the decomposition process shifts, cutting off oxygen as trash piles up and gets compacted. Without oxygen, microbes switch to anaerobic digestion, and begin producing methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂. In other contexts, anaerobic digestion can be harnessed to intentionally produce these biogases such that they can be used to generate heat, power, and more, but at a landfill, they are released into the air, contributing to an overabundance of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. That’s why disposing of pumpkins (as well as the rest of your organic waste) the right way is key to reducing their environmental impact. This Halloween, celebrate sustainably with the tips below, because going green is the best treat of all.

Eco-Friendly Disposal: Don’t Trash Your Pumpkin!

When you’re done, don’t toss your pumpkin in the garbage. Instead, try one of these eco-friendly disposal methods:

  • Composting: The best option. Your pumpkin will break down naturally, turning into fertilizer you can use to return nutrients to the soil in your yard, garden, or other plants. Be sure to remove candles or decorations, and cut into smaller chunks before composting your pumpkin. Request a free composter from the City of Orlando.

  • Wildlife Treats: Place small pumpkin chunks in your yard for squirrels, birds, or deer to enjoy. Skip this if you live in an area where it may attract unwanted animals like bears.

  • Community Drop-Offs Or Collection Services: Some cities offer seasonal composting or farm collection programs. Try O-Town Compost for automated collection services, or donate your pumpkins to a local farm with Pumpkins for Pigs.

How to Use Every Part of Your Pumpkin

Before your pumpkin reaches the compost bin, consider how you can make the most of it! Typically, pumpkins used for baking are smaller, sweeter, and have less of the stringy guts than a pumpkin for making jack-o'-lanterns, but they're all still usable! Make sure you plan ahead only use the fresh scraps; a carved jack-o'-lantern that has been sitting out is no longer fit for use in a recipe as it may contain harmful bacteria and fungus.

  • Seeds: Roast them with autumn spices for a healthy, crunchy snack!

  • Flesh: Use it in soups, breads, or pies. When you carve your jack-o’-lantern, the pieces you remove can be cooked or frozen for later use. 

  • Stringy Guts: They might seem messy, but the fibrous strands are one of the most versatile parts of the pumpkin. Check out this list of great ways you can use pumpkin guts.

TRY THESE RECIPIES AT HOME
 
 
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Science Matters is a public information campaign that promotes using the scientific method to make informed decisions while increasing confidence in science literacy. Trusted resources for information online and onsite activities help illustrate how the scientific method can help people better understand the impact of science on the major issues of the day.

 
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OSC at Home: Science Behind the Scenes

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There's science in every scene!

Have you ever seen a movie or TV show and wondered how it’s made? Every film you watch relies on hundreds of people using science and creativity to bring ideas to life! While we celebrate Fantasy Month at Orlando Science Center, let’s explore the science behind one of the most effect-ive VFX techniques in film: forced perspective.

You can read about it here, or skip to the bottom to try it for yourself!

What are Visual Effects?

Visual effects (VFX) in movies fall into three main categories:

  • Optical Effects – Visual illusions created with camera techniques. These effects don’t depend on what is being filmed, but rather how it is filmed. Examples include the dolly zoom, forced perspective, multiple exposures, and slow motion with high-speed cameras.
  • Practical Effects – Physical, real-world effects built on set with props, makeup, animatronics, miniatures, or pyrotechnics.
  • CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) – Digital effects created after filming. Modern CGI can do everything from subtle adjustments like color grading to entire photorealistic environments, physics simulations, and animated creatures.

What is Forced Perspective?

You’ve probably seen photos of people “holding up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa, pinching the tip of the Eiffel Tower, or standing shoulder to shoulder with the Statue of Liberty. These are playful examples of forced perspective, where distance and camera position make large objects look small, or small objects look large.

Normally, our brains keep track of size with context clues from the environment. But with clever staging, filmmakers can trick the eye and create convincing illusions. Forced perspective is one of the most common optical effects in movies, especially fantasy films. Let’s look at a famous example!

leaning tower of pisa tourist image

Making Elijah Wood Hobbit-Sized

In The Lord of the Rings, protagonist Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is a Hobbit. Hobbits are much smaller than humans, elves, and the other creatures Frodo encounters. Filmmakers used several techniques to shrink Frodo on screen, but forced perspective stands out.

Take the carriage scene with Frodo and Gandalf (Ian McKellen). From the audience’s view, Gandalf looks much larger than Frodo. Behind the scenes, the trick comes from both the camera angle and the set design. The carriage was built in two halves: Gandalf’s side at normal scale, and Frodo’s side pushed farther back and built at an oversized scale. This combination makes Frodo appear Hobbit-sized when filmed from just the right perspective.

in-camera view from the Lord of the rings carriage scene. Showcases perceived size difference between the two characters
BTS photo showing a custom carriage where Frodo's seat is further back to give the illusion that he is of Hobbit stature when filmed from the right angle

Try It Yourself at Home!

With a little creativity, you can try forced perspective using everyday items. Grab a camera, experiment with angles and distance, and see how you can play with scale. It’s a fun way to flex your imagination while learning some photography basics!

Find full instructions and examples at the link below.

VIEW INSTRUCTIONS

OSC at Home: DIY Origami Dice

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Make Your Own Twenty-Sided Origami Dice

We often think of dice as a modern invention, but would it surprise you to know that humans have been using dice for thousands of years? We use them now for fun and games, but throughout history, dice have been used for a wide range of purposes, including divination, developing mathematical theories, and, yes, Dungeons & Dragons. 

While we celebrate Fantasy Month at Orlando Science Center, enjoy the challenge of folding your own twenty-sided origami dice! Check below to learn more all about dice throughout history, and then try a fun dice experiment that you can do at home!

Download Printable Origami Patterns
History of Dice
Dice Probability Experiment
History of Dice
Dice Probability Experiment
Evaluate This Hypothesis:

If two six-sided dice are rolled a large number of times, then all outcomes will occur equally often.

Materials:
  • 2 Six-Sided Dice
  • Pen/Pencil and Paper
Experiment:

Roll 2 six-sided dice. After each roll, record the sum of the dice. Repeat at least 100 times. The more times the dice are rolled, the more accurate the results will be.

To visualize your data in real-time, plot each sum using a Dot Plot graph. 

Once all rolls have been recorded use the following formula to calculate the probability of each possible outcome (2-12) based on the data collected:

Percent Chance of Outcome = (# of occurrences ÷ # of total rolls) × 100

Was the hypothesis correct? Is each sum of the dice equally likely?

ANSWER

After enough throws of the dice, a pattern should emerge that shows the following probabilities for each possible outcome:

02 - 2.8% | 03 - 5.6% | 04 - 8.3% | 05 - 11.1% | 06 - 13.9% | 07 - 16.7% | 08 - 13.9% | 09 - 11.1% | 10 - 8.3% | 11 - 5.6% | 12 - 2.8%

a chart indicating a bell curve of dice probabilities.

EXPLANATION

For each possible sum of the two thrown dice, there are a set number of ways to reach that outcome. For example, a sum of 2 can only be achieved by rolling a 1 on both dice, but a sum of 7 can be achieved with 6 different combinations (1+6, 3+4, 2+5, 6+1, 4+3, and 5+2).  

CONTINUE THIS EXPERIMENT ON YOUR OWN

How many combinations are there to sum the other outcomes? Does this apply for other combinations of dice? How does the number of dice involved affect the results?

Using Science to Outsmart the Storm

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Using Science to Outsmart the Storm 

From June through November, Floridakeeps a close watch on the tropics—andfor good reason. Hurricanes, with windsstarting at 74 miles per hour, are amongthe most destructive forces in nature.According to the National Oceanic andAtmosphericAdministration, the Atlanticbasin averages 14 named storms, 7hurricanes, and 3 majorhurricaneseach year.  

Florida is no stranger to these storms,weathering Hurricane Charley (2004),Hurricane Michael (2018), and mostrecently, Hurricane Helene (2024)—among many others over the years.While it's always smart to evacuate if instructed to by local officials, sometimes we have to shelterin place.That’s why knowing how to staysafe at home is so important.  

A basic hurricane kit with extra clothes,important documents, flashlights, andnon-perishable food is a good start. Butprotecting your home can make a bigdifference too. Here are five science-based ways to prepare: 

 1. Protect Structural Integrity 

Closing all interior doors during astorm might seem minor, but it helpsreduce pressure on your roof. If awindow or door breaks, air rushesin and pushes upward, like inflating aballoon inside your home. 

This added pressure can cause majorroof damage. According to theInsurance Institute for Business andHome Safety, keeping interior doorsclosed can reduce that pressure by upto 30%. 

2. Bring the Outside In 

Outdoor items like chairs, toys, andtrash cans can become dangerousprojectiles during strong winds. TheNational Hurricane Center warnsthat wind-borne debris is a leadingcause of damage during hurricanes.As wind speed increases, so does thekinetic energy behind objects it lifts.Even small items can break windowsor cause injuries. Bring in anything thatcould get picked up by the wind, andanchor heavier items like grills andpropane tanks. 

3. Keep Water Out 

Flooding is one of the mostcommon—and costly—effects ofhurricanes, especially in low-lyingareas. Just a few inches of water cancause serious damage. Use sandbagsor plastic sheeting to block doorwaysand prevent water from seeping inside.FEMA recommends using sandbagswith plastic liners to better directwater flow away from your home.Sandbags absorb water and act liketemporary levees. 

4. Emergency Water Supply 

When power outages strike, so canwater issues. That’s why it’s smart tostore clean water ahead of time, notjust for drinking, but also for flushingtoilets and bathing. Filling bathtubs,buckets, or large storage containerswith water before a storm ensuresyou’ll have what you need for basicsanitation. The Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention recommendsat least one gallon of water per personper day for three days. 

5. Power Up the Essentials 

Hurricanes often cause power outages.Keep flashlights, portable chargers, andbattery-powered radios handy. If celltowers go down, radios help you stayinformed. Also, think about food safety:a fridge without power keeps food safefor about 4 hours; a full freezer, up to48 hours. Keep the doors closed anduse a thermometer to make sure foodstays under 40°F. 

Hurricanes can be intimidating, butknowledge is one of our best defenses.And, if schools remain closed once theskies clear and the power comes backon, we’ve got your family covered withour Hurricane Camps, filled with learningand fun for the little ones. Stay safe,stay smart, and let’s weather the seasontogether. 

Learn About Our Break Camps!

DIY Pinhole Viewer

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Try this at Home - Eclipse Pinhole Viewer 

This DIY pinhole viewer can be used to observe the sun any time, but it will be especially useful for the solar eclipse on April 8th! For more information about how to experience the eclipse at the Science Center, visit www.osc.org/eclipse.

What is an annular solar eclipse? 

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on the planet. However, there are different types of solar eclipses. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely blocks the face of the Sun, causing a brief period of darkness during the day. A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon, Sun, and Earth are not perfectly aligned, causing only a part of the Sun to be covered and giving it a crescent shape. An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth, making it appear smaller than the Sun in our sky. This creates a ring effect around the Moon. The term "annular" refers to this ring effect.

What is going to happen?

The April solar eclipse will begin at 1:46 pm, peak at 3:03 pm, and end at 4:17 pm giving viewers an adequate amount of time to see this celestial event as it happens. ⚠️ IT IS NEVER SAFE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN DURING A PARTIAL ECLIPSE WITHOUT SPECIALIZED EYE PROTECTION! This can cause severe retina damage. Our staff will be on hand to highlight how to correctly use solar eclipse glasses.


You can use this DIY pinhole viewer to safely experience the eclipse from anywhere!

Materials:

  • Cardboard box (like a cereal box, skinny delivery box, etc.) 
  • Aluminum foil 
  • Paper
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Pointy thing 

How to make your DIY pinhole viewer! 

  • Figure out where your pinhole will be! You want sunlight to shine through the hole and travel as long as possible inside the box before hitting the other side. 
  • Trace the bottom of the box on a piece of paper. Cut out the paper and tape it to the inside of thebox. This is your projection screen! 
  • Carefully cut two holes in the top of the box. One will be your viewing window, and the other the pinhole.  
  • Cover one of theholes with tin foil and poke a tiny hole to make your pinhole. 
  • Now just head outside! Hold the box so you are looking down through the viewing window and position yourself so that the sun shines onto the projection screen. 

One Hand Washes The Other: Co-Evolution of Science and Technology

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Which came first, science or technology?

In truth, they are symbiotic processes, each disciple feeding from and expounding upon the other. Science and technology have co-evolved, and one of the best examples of this was the invention of the laser.

In 1917, Einstein published a fundamental science paper detailing how the absorption and emission of light occurs. He also introduced a new concept called stimulated emission. This would be key to the development of lasers later on. The word laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. (One photon becomes two, the two become four, etc. with a resulting beam that would be very directional and of a single wavelength or frequency.)

Einstein’s scientific publication was ahead of the time. It was not until1954 that the MASER (M is for microwave) would be successfully demonstrated by Charles Townes, who also coined the acronym. Townes’ breakthrough was to inject a controlled stream of ammonia gas (CH3) in an excited state into a metal box. Critical to this success was new technology that he and others developed during WWII in radar research. At about the same time, a similar approach by Basov and Prokhorov in the USSR would also be successful. Basov, Prokhorov, and Townes shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964 for the invention and applications of MASERs. 

The big technological breakthrough was the ruby laser, developed by Ted Meiman at Hughes Research Labs in 1962. Meiman’s laser was much less complicated than masers (the excitation source was a simple photographer’s strobe) and it produced amplified visible light, thus causing Townes to change the acronym to from maser to laser (l for light) - something we’re all familiar with today.

Press photo by...
1960 Press Photo Dr. Theodore H. Maiman

At the press conference announcing the laser, a reporter asked, “What is it good for?” After a pause Meiman said, “It is a solution looking for a problem.” The dam broke as this burst of highly intense light stimulated an explosion of new technology and new lasers! New laser materials, new materials for mirrors, lenses, and windows were developed. 

In 2013, a report of the National Academy of Science documented that lasers and photonics enabled 15% of the world’s GDP. Hyperbole? Not! Lasers provide almost all of the world’s telecommunications via fiber optics. 

Lasers are the basis for lithography, which in turn makes microchips for computers, cell phones, cars, appliances, etc. Lasers are the basis of new medical diagnostic instruments and treatments, and various manufacturing processes (precision laser machines produce more than a dozen components of iPhones.) The list of applications is exponentially increasing.

The feedback of new technology and innovations have resulted in over a dozen laser-enabled Nobel Prizes. That new science is producing new technologies and innovations and human progress accelerates. 

On Dec. 5, 2022, the Laurence Livermore National Labs demonstrated controlled nuclear fusion ignition with the world’s most powerful laser (500 trillion watts of peak power), which in turn promises new energy sources for our future. 

As the continued development of laser technology demonstrates, technology puts science to work and in turn inspires new scientific pursuits. Put another way: one hand washes the other, and both benefit! 

Very Large Telescope (VLT). Photo credit: ESO/A. Ghizzi Panizza (www.albertoghizzipanizza.com)

What happens to rain after a storm?

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What happens to rain after a storm? 

Make a model that shows how water flows over different land shapes! 

A topographic map shows different land features, like mountains, ravines, and plains, using curved lines or colors to show altitude. It’s an easy way to show a 3D view of something on a flat surface. Topo maps are commonly used by hikers, surveyors, government workers, and engineers, among other people.  

Our model won’t be flat so it isn’t exactly like a topo map, but it will show the same type of information! 

Ready to make your own? Follow the written steps below! 

Materials you will need: 

  • Half sheet of paper 
  • Washable marker 
  • Dropper bottle (your adult can also make one by using a thumb tack to poke a whole in a water bottle cap) 
  • Tray or towel to catch any water spills 

Directions: 

Step 1: Crumple up a piece of paper and gently open it most of the way. It should still show ridges (high points) and valleys (low points.)

Step 2: Choose one of the ridges and color the whole ridgeline with a washable marker. Use lots of ink! (It’s easier if you use the flat side of the marker.)


Step 3: Place the paper on the towel or tray. 

Step 4: Use the dropper to pour water onto the peak, simulating a rainstorm.

Step 5: Repeat this experiment with more ridges on your crumpled paper.

The colored water is following the path of the watershed! 


The Science of Paper Mountains 

    • Watersheds are parts of land, like mountains, that drain rain water and snow melt into rivers and lakes. This water can carry particles from the land into big bodies of water. 
    • Marker ink moves with the water similarly to surface particles that are carried through a watershed. 
    • Surface waste like trash on streets, exposed soil from landslides or construction, or pollution from mines or farms, is picked up by rainwater and carried to the closest body of water. ​ 
    • What happens upstream always influences the water quality and processes downstream. 
    • Does your mountain have a dry side? A rain shadow is a dry area of a mountain that is caused by rain falling before the wind can carry it to the other side of the mountain. 

Expand on This Activity: 

Ask Your Scientist the Following Questions: 

  • Which direction is the water flowing? 
  • Does height make a difference? 
  • Which parts of the paper stayed dry? 

Keep Experimenting: 

  • If you have one at home, try putting a Monopoly house or similar small object on different parts of the mountain. See how its location affects the house during heavy rain. 
  • Test different heights for your mountain. When you keep the paper more crinkled you have higher peaks, does the water flow differently than if you flatten the paper more? 

Explore a topo map here: 

New Zealand Topographic Map - NZ Topo Map 

The Science of AI Art

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A picture is worth LESS than a thousand words, and we can prove it! 

Our brand-new OSC Flight Lab workshop, Painting with Pixels, will teach you how to get the most out of image generators that use Artificial Intelligence! 

The Science of AI Generated Art 

What is AI? 

According to IBM, AI, or Artificial Intelligence, “leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind.”This definition provides a good understanding of the purpose of AI, but it doesn’t really provide a good perspective on just how ubiquitous AI has become in modern society. You likely use AI in one form or another every single day:  

  • Nearly every aspect of your smartphones uses AI to give you the best possible user experience, from improvements to your photo quality and filters on your selfie camera, to autogenerated text-message responses.  
  • Navigation systems like Google Maps and Apple maps use AI to optimize routes based on real-time traffic data.  
  • Online shopping and video streaming platforms use AI to make recommendations based on your browsing and purchase history.  
  • Even your modern smart-home appliances use AI to learn user behavior and make automatic adjustments. 
  • And more! 

As it turns out, every AI that has ever existed falls into only one category, called Narrow AI (aka Weak AI). Narrow AI systems are designed to excel at one particular task or set of tasks. 

How does AI generate Art? 

The AI starts with an image that is just pure noise – literal random pixels of random colors. When a prompt gets submitted to the program, it is first sent through an encoder – essentially a translator to make sure the input you give the AI is in a format it can understand. Then, using this translated prompt, it does something called diffusion, a process in which the pixels of the random noise are manipulated to create recognizable shapes over time. 

There has never been an artist on Earth that has made good art without doing a lot of bad practice art first, and the same applies to AI. Every AI needs to go through training to be able to perform the task it’s built for! This concept is the basis of Machine Learning. We train AI that is designed to generate art by progressively feeding the AI noisier and noisier images of different types of objects with the goal of having the AI successfully denoise those images into something that is recognizable as the original image. The images that it successfully creates get fed back into the data it’s trained on, the images that it fails on get thrown out, and this process is repeated thousands of times until the AI is sufficiently trained. 

Diffusion Animated GIF

You can make AI art of your own at home! 

Things you’ll need: 

  • A computer or smartphone with internet access 
  • Adult supervision 

Directions: 

Step 1: Open an internet browser, navigate to the Bing Image Creator, and log in. 

Step 2:Next, think about the image you want to create and come up with a prompt using the Perfect Prompt Formula found below. 

Step 3:Type your prompt into the Bing Image Creator and submit.  

Step 4:Wait while the image generates and enjoy! 

The Perfect Prompt Formula: 

Coming up with a creative prompt for your image generator can be hard, but using the following four ideas in your prompt can help you take advantage of the AI’s capabilities and make better art! 

The best prompts on average have about 40 words and follow this structure: 

“A __[Perspective]__ view of a _ [Description of Subject]__ in the style of __ [Stylization]__, background is __ [Description of Background]__, feelings of __ [Emotion]__.” 

Perspective
Stylization
A Well-Defined Scene
Emotion
Perspective
Stylization
A Well-Defined Scene
Emotion

We always want our art to evoke some sort of emotion in the viewer. If you look at a piece of art and feel neutral, that is likely an ineffective piece of art. You can subtly inject colors, shapes, themes, and emotion into your art by putting the keywords "feelings of” in your prompt.Sticking to the standard emotions (i.e., sad, happy, angry) often leads makes the AI just giving everything faces, which may or may not be what you want, so feel free to get abstract with this. 

graphical user interface, application, website

Want to dive deeper? Check out these articles: 

https://www.paepper.com/blog/posts/how-and-why-stable-diffusion-works-for-text-to-image-generation/ 

https://www.lexisnexis.com/community/insights/legal/practical-guidance-journal/b/pa/posts/ai-can-create-art-but-can-it-own-copyright-in-it-or-infringe 

https://research.aimultiple.com/data-collection/ 
https://towardsdatascience.com/what-is-an-encoder-decoder-model-86b3d57c5e1a 

https://www.masterborn.com/blog/art-of-ai-will-ai-art-generators-displace-human-creativity 

Popsicle Catapult

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Use a simple machine to turn potential energy into kinetic energy. 

A simple machine is a device that allows people to do more work with less energy. It specifically applies to making things move and works by using physics to its advantage. 

When an object is moving, it has kinetic energy. ​​For example, as a ball rolls down a hill, its kinetic energy increases. Potential energy is energy that results from your position. ​If you start from the bottom of the mountain and climb up, the potential energy at the bottom of the mountain will be zero, while it will be a lot at the top of the mountain. ​As you climb the mountain, you gain potential energy. 

A catapult combines these two concepts to launch heavy objects long distances. The catapult you’ll be making today is much smaller than a real one but works exactly the same way. 

Ready to make your own? Follow the written steps below! 

Materials you will need: 

  • Popsicle sticks 
  • Rubber bands 
  • A bottle cap 
  • Glue (hot glue works best) 
  • Pompom balls 

Directions: 

Step 1: Glue the bottle cap onto one end of one of the popsicle sticks, leaving a bit of space above the cap. Let the glue dry. ​

Step 2: Stack 5 popsicle sticks on top of each other. ​

Step 3: Put the popsicle stick with the bottle cap on it perpendicularly – i.e., so it makes a cross – between first and second stick and another one between last and second to last. Leave ¾ of the stick on the other side of the stack.​


Step 4: Tie rubber bands on both sides of the stack of sticks to hold it together.

Step 5: Tie the two perpendicular sticks together with a rubber band.

Step 6:  Put the pompom ball into the bottle cap.​

Step 7: Push down on the part of the stick behind the bottle cap and release.  Watch the pompom ball fly!


The Science of Popsicle Stick Catapult 

  • When you push the stick with the ball down, you are putting potential energy into the ball. ​ 
  • When you release the stick, the potential energy in the ball turns into kinetic energy. ​ 
  • The ball doesn’t go forever because it eventually loses kinetic energy due to the force of gravity. 

Baking Soda Eruption

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What’s causing this chemical reaction? 

Try this experiment at home and learn what causes a chemical reaction! A chemical reaction is when one or more substances react to form an entirely new substance with different properties.  

There are 5 signs that a chemical reaction has occurred. These signs are easy to remember…just think about F.A.R.T.S. To identify whether a chemical reaction has occurred, at least one of these 5 changes: 

  • Fizzes: Did the reaction produce bubbles or gas?  
  • Aroma: Did the reaction produce a smell?  
  • Re-color: Did the reaction produce a new color? 
  • Temperature: Did the reaction produce a temperature change or release light?  
  • New Substance: Did the reaction produce a new substance like water or a solid? 

Ready to make your own? Follow the written steps below! 

Materials you will need:

  • Vinegar 
  • Baking soda 
  • Any container (an empty plastic water bottle or small bowl works best) 
  • A tray or something to catch the mess 

Directions:

Step 1:

 Pour some baking soda into the container (you don't need a lot)

Step 2:

Carefully pour some vinegar onto the baking soda and watch it fizz. You can pour more vinegar to make it erupt again until all the baking soda has dissolved. 


Step 3:

 Clean up, and if you want, try again.

The Science of Baking Soda and Vinegar

  • Mixing vinegar and baking soda causes an acid-base reaction that releases carbon dioxide. 
  • The chemical equation looks like this: NaHCO3(s) + CH3COOH(l) → CO2(g) + H2O(l) + Na+(aq) + CH3COO–(aq) 
  • This is an example of an acid-base neutralization reaction, where the reaction forms water and a salt as products. 

Expand on This Activity:

  • Ask Your Scientist the Following Questions: 
    • Which of the changes from F.A.R.T.S. did you notice in the reaction? 
    • What else produces carbon dioxide (CO2)? 
  • Keep Experimenting: 
    • If you have food coloring, you can add a few drops to your baking soda before you pour the vinegar to get a colorful eruption. 
    • You often see this reaction used to demonstrate a volcano erupting. Can you make a volcano out of things you have at home? You could use clay, papier mache, you can even make one outside out of dirt (just watch out for ants!)