<strong>This is how chemical reaction takes place between baking soda and sugar </strong>
Chemistry can get a little difficult for kids to understand if taught only theoretically. However, through experimentation, it is possible to demonstrate how chemistry works in a practical, fun and engaging way. This DIY carbon snake experiment is a great way to teach kids how chemical reactions take place, specifically between baking soda and sugar. Read on to find out what materials you will require for it, along with a detailed step-by-step procedure to conduct it at home.
What you will need
Ask your budding scientist to help you gather all these supplies.
- 1 pie tin
- Sand
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 tsp powdered sugar
- 1 small mixing bowl
- Lighter fluid
- Lighter/ matchbox
- A bowl
How to
Since this DIY uses heat, please ensure that you have safe fireproof base in a well-ventilated area. Follow this step-by-step guide for the experiment.
- Mix 4 tsp of powdered sugar with 1 tsp of baking soda in a bowl. Ensure that they are properly combined.
- Fill up the entire pie tin with sand. Ensure that it is full to its capacity.
- Now it’s time to get a little messy! Make a small mound in the middle of the sand using your hands. Then, create an indent in the middle of it using your knuckle.
- Slowly, pour the lighter fluid into the indent of the mound. Ensure that the sand is well soaked in the fluid.
- Transfer the sugar and baking soda mixture into the middle of the mound.
- Very carefully light the sand that is in the middle and drenched in the fluid.
- You will observe the sugar and baking soda mixture bubbling and also turning black in colour. As the mixture burns further, it will start to take the form of a snake. Remember that this can be a slow process, and it may even take as many as 20 minutes for the entire snake-like structure to form.
What exactly is happening in this experiment?
This experiment portrays a total of three chemical reactions taking place in succession. Firstly, the sugar combusts or burns in the presence of oxygen, which leads to the formation of carbon dioxide and water vapour. Due to this, the sugar and baking soda mixture gets pushed upwards. Some portion of the sugar heats up but does not get exposed to oxygen. Thus, instead of going through combustion, it goes through the process of thermal decomposition. As it result, more solid carbon and water vapour are produced. The solid carbon is responsible for forming the snake-like structure, and also gives it the black colour. Along with this, the baking soda, due to the heat provided, decomposes and further produces solid sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water vapour.