Museum of Science and Industry

Create Gas

Mix a solid and a liquid to produce ... well, see for yourself!

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Lesson at a glance

Chemistry often involves changing one kind of material into another through a chemical reaction. Combine these ingredients and see what happens!

Students Will Know:
Chemical reaction - When two or more substances are combined to produce another substance, usually with different properties or characteristics
Students Will Be Able To:
Observe a chemical reaction
Observe and describe a chemical reaction

Illinois Learning Standards

Late Elementary
State Goal 11: 11.A.2b, 11.A.2d
State Goal 12: 12.C.2b
Middle/Junior High School
State Goal 11: 11.A.3b; 11.A.3f
State Goal 12: 12.12C.3b

Background information

Combining the baking soda (a solid) and vinegar (a liquid) causes a chemical reaction that creates a gas called carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is invisible, except as the bubbles of gas you may have noticed when the vinegar and baking soda mixture began to fiz. This gas fills the balloon and makes it inflate!