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Luke Powell

Mrs. Stevens

Physical Science

12 December 2018

Does Distilled White Vinegar or Rice Wine Vinegar

Create a Faster Explosion With Baking Soda?

Have you ever tried to make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar? Have you ever

wondered how baking soda and vinegar react? Have you ever tried to put that combination in a

confined space? I did! I thought that when you put the mixture in a plastic bottle that it would

end up exploding. I thought that it would make a big explosion and I wanted to see if a different

type of vinegar made a difference.​ I thought that if I put baking soda and different types of

vinegar in a confined space then it would explode.

Why Does Vinegar React With Baking Soda?

They react because it is an acid based reaction. They exchange protons and when baking

soda receives the proton, it becomes carbon dioxide and water. Since baking soda is a base, it

wants to receive a proton. Vinegar is an acid, so it wants to give a proton away. The elements in

baking soda and in vinegar react with each other because they are looking to receive or lose a

proton.(Why) When added together they create carbon dioxide and come to the surface as

bubbles which then releases the carbon dioxide into the air. (Helmenstine) The chemical reaction

gives off gas because the protons in each do not go well with each other. (Kazarin)

What Is the Difference Between Distilled White Vinegar and Rice Wine Vinegar?

Rice wine vinegar is fermented from rice. White vinegar is made from grain based
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ethanol. Rice wine vinegar is clear or a light yellow color. White vinegar is a cloudy color. Rice

wine vinegar originates from Japan. White wine vinegar originates from America. (Alleman)

Why Does Vinegar and Baking Soda Cause an Explosion?

When enclosed in a space, the mixture gives off carbon dioxide which then causes the

bottle to expand, then explode because it cannot stand the pressure. (LaCombe) Two different

reactions are happening extremely fast in this chemical reaction. (What) When the two

substances come in contact with each other, they rearrange or change to create a brand new

substance. (Carrie) Because of the reaction, the substance that is given off is carbon dioxide

which has a much greater volume than the substance it came from. If the cap is off, then the

carbon dioxide would easily escape. (Is) When the chemical reaction occurs, it gives off a gas

and that gas must escape, if it cannot escape, the bottle will explode. (Kazarin)

What Is Gas Pressure?

Gas pressure is the force of a gas against the walls containing it. Pressure can be

determined by the flow of mass and the amount of pressure that there is in each region. Gas

pressure builds up against the walls forcing the container to expand, then once it can’t expand

anymore, it has to break and explode. (Libertexts) Gas pressure can be measured in pounds or in

kilopascals. Gases are fluids so the ones that have more gas or higher gas temperature also have a

higher gas pressure. Creating higher gas pressure is made by heating up the container or adding

more gas. (Markgraf)

Does the Amount Of Gas Pressure, When Confined In Space, Effect the Size Of Explosion?

When the molecules collide, they create pressure against the walls. Since it adds pressure

against the walls, it expands and eventually will explode. (Science) Even though there was more
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gas pressure, which means more kinetic energy, it doesn't affect the size of the explosion. The

more gas there is the less space for particles to spread and create gas pressure, but it does not

affect the size of the explosion. Having gas pressure is what causes the explosion. (Bagley) The

size will be the same regardless of the gas pressure, but it would happen at different speeds.

(Kazarin)

How Do You Accurately Measure Reaction Speed?

You can time it using a stopwatch or a timer on a phone. (Kazarin) Reaction time is how

fast or slowly a reaction takes place. The rate is usually found by watching the disappearance or

the appearance of a product. (Mott) It can be recorded differently depending on what reaction is

going to happen. Based on change over time, it must be found in an experimental way. The

reaction speed starts when the reactant or reactants come in contact with each other. (Measuring)

I thought that if I put different types of vinegar with baking soda in a bottle that it would

then explode.​ My opinion was that the bottle would explode because of the carbon dioxide that is

given off. I have come to the conclusion that the plastic was too thick and there was not enough

gas given off when the two substances came in contact with each other. The reaction is not

severe enough to give off enough gas to create a plastic barrier break. For my prediction to have

been correct, it would have had to be in a sealed ziplock bag because the plastic is a lot less

thick. I have learned that this reaction of vinegar and baking soda does not give enough gas off to

break through a plastic bottle.

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Works Cited

Alleman, Gayle A. A. “Ultimate Guide to Vinegar.” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 8 Dec.

2006, recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-vinegar-works1.htm.

Bagley, Mary. “Properties of Matter: Gases.” LiveScience, Purch, 7 Jan. 2016,

www.livescience.com/53304-gases.html.

Carrie. “Science Experiment: Chemical Reaction - Exploding Ziploc.” Kids' Blog, 23 Sept. 2018,

www.indypl.org/kids/blog/?p=9584.

Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Equation for the Reaction Between Baking Soda and

Vinegar." ThoughtCo, Sep. 24, 2018,

thoughtco.com/equation-for-the-reaction-of-baking-soda-and-vinegar-604043.

“Is the Only Way to Make an Explosion with the Ingredients Baking Soda and Vinegar?” UCSB

Science Line, 23 Oct. 2017, scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=6024.

Kazarin, Marc. “Science Fair Project.” 10 Nov. 2018.

LaCombe, Ronnie. “Why Do Baking Soda and Vinegar 'Explode'?” Columbia Daily Tribune,

Columbia Daily Tribune, 10 Oct. 2017, 10:29am,

www.columbiatribune.com/news/20171010/why-do-baking-soda-and-vinegar-explode​.

Libretexts, et al. “Gas Pressure.” Chemistry LibreTexts, National Science Foundation, 21 July

2016,

chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_M

aps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties

_of_Matter/States_of_Matter/Properties_of_Gases/Gas_Pressure.
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Libretexts. “Measuring Reaction Rates.” Chemistry LibreTexts, National Science Foundation, 26

Nov. 2018,

chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_M

aps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Kinetics/Reaction_R

ates/Experimental_Determination_of_Kinetcs/Measuring_Reaction_Rates.

Markgraf, Bert. "What Causes Gas Pressure?" Sciencing,

https://sciencing.com/what-causes-gas-pressure-13710256.html. 09 March 2018.

Mott, Vallerie. “Introduction to Chemistry.” Lumen Learning, Lumen,

courses.lumenlearning.com/introchem/chapter/measuring-reaction-rates/

Science, Ck12. “Factors Affecting Gas Pressure.” CK-12 Foundation, CK-12 Foundation, 15

Aug. 2018,

www.ck12.org/chemistry/Factors-Affecting-Gas-Pressure/lesson/Factors-Affecting-Gas-

Pressure-CHEM/.

“What Happens When You Mix Vinegar and Baking Soda?” Wonderopolis,

wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-happens-when-you-mix-vinegar-and-baking-soda.

“Why Do Baking Soda and Vinegar React to Each Other?” UCSB Science Line, 9 Sept. 2013,

scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=4147.
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