Science Saturday . . . Our weekly STEM article

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The Scientific Method

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When scientists design experiments, they must think very clearly. They way they think about problems is called the Scientific Method. The Scientific Method is a step-by-step way of finding answers to specific questions. The process looks something like this:

Step One: A scientist gathers the facts and makes an observation about on particular thing.

Step Two: The scientist comes up with a question that is not answered by all the observations and facts.

Step Three: The scientist creates a hypothesis. This is a statement of what the scientist thinks is probably the answer to the question.

Step Four: The scientist test the hypothesis is correct. The scientist does the experiment and writes down what happens.

Step Five: The scientist draws a conclusion based on how the experiment turned out. The conclusion might be that the hypothesis is correct. Sometimes, though, the hypotheses is not correct. In that case, the scientist might develop a new hypothesis and another experiment.

Step Six: The scientist reports the results. 

A FUN EXPERIMENT: BIG . . . BIGGER . . . BOOM!

Ziplock bags are pretty strong - unless you fill them with two chemicals that produce lots of gas. So mix, shake and STAND BACK!

Warning: This experiment could have EXPLOSIVE results. Nothing dangerous. But to be on the safe side, wear protective eye wear, dress in old clothes and have an adult there to help you.

Things Needed:

1 tablespoon of baking soda

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup warm water

quart size ziplock bag

paper towel

measuring spoon

measuring cup

Steps

1. Cover your work area with plastic or newspaper and put on your eye protection.

2. Cut a square pice of paper towel about 8" x 8". Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda in the middle of the paper bowl, and fold the towel in both directions so the the baking soda is trapped in a little packet. Don't tape the packet because you want it to releasee the baking soda.

3. Pour in the 3/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup warm water. Seal the bag and shake.

4. Open the bag. Insert the baking soda packet. Seal the bag completely.

5. Let the baking soda packet drop in the vinegar and water solution, then quickly set it down (This is best done outside). Quickly step away. What happens? What do you think is going on?

So . . . What is going on?

Why does mixing baking soda and vinegar make so many bubbles? When baking soda (known to chemists as sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (a weak acid) get together, they go through a chemical change. A chemical change happens when two or more chemicals rearrange and change into a different chemical or chemicals. The chemicals that make up baking soda and those in vinegar trade their tiny parts and create new substances: a liquid (water), a solid dissolved in the water (sodium acetate), and a gas (carbon dioxide).

As you probably know, carbon dioxide is one of the gases you breathe out - and plants breathe in. All explosions are chemical reactions that produce a lot of gas very rapidly.

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