Fireworks in a Jar

Activities

FIREWORKS SUPPLIES

 A see through glass/plastic jar  Baking soda  Vinegar  Cooking oil  Food colouring (we used red for Canada Day “fireworks”, but you could use red and blue, or whatever colour you like)  Water  An ice cube tray

FIREWORKS PREP

1. Several hours before the activity, measure about 1 tsp of baking soda into 3 or 4 ice cube compartments on your tray.

2. Fill the remaining space with water and add 4 or 5 drops of food colouring (whatever colour you want) to each. Mix until most of the baking soda is dissolved. Freeze!

3. Pour white vinegar into the see through jar to a depth of approximately 1 inch. Now slowly add cooking oil to a depth of 2 inches.

CREATING THE FIREWORKS

To start the reaction, have your child place the ice cubes, one at a time into the jar. As the ice cube drops down through the cooking oil, nothing happens until it hits the vinegar. Then all of a sudden, you get cool spherical coloured bubbles of carbon dioxide (created when the baking soda and vinegar react) rising up through the oil!