3-2-1 Lift Off! DIY Alka-Seltzer Rockets!

Patria Lincoln Posted On Jun 7, 2018 | Science

The perfect summer afternoon science experiment has arrived: Alka-Seltzer rockets! What better way to get the kids outside than with rockets they can make themselves!
DIY Rocket
Similar to baking soda and vinegar science, this engaging activity really puts on the pressure…and the results are a real blast!
You will need:

Film canisters with lids or any other small plastic container with a tight-fitting lid
A package of Alka-Seltzer
Water

*Important to Note: All were surprised on how far these little rockets can fly, so make sure small inquiring minds step back and wear safety goggles. For certain, this activity must be adult-supervised.

Fill the film canisters about 2/3 full with water. Change a variable by adjusting the water temperature to see how the experiment changes. Does warmer water make a difference? Have the kids write down their process and findings.
DIY Rocket

Next, break up your tablets in fourths. That’s all you need for a big result!
DIY Rocket

You will see the reaction start immediately as soon as the tablet is dropped in. Secure the lids on tightly and quickly. Flip them over onto a flat surface so the cap is facing down. Step back!
DIY Rocket Science

Pop! Pop! Fizz! Fizz! The rockets will shoot up high at different rates. Again, make sure the lid is on tight or the water will simply leak out. Your little rocket scientists will surely want to repeat this again and again.
DIY Rocket

What is the science behind why these rockets take flight?

Bubbles and fizz are what make this popping rocket trick a real blast. Inside a tablet of Alka-Seltzer are the ingredients of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (the fancy name for baking soda).

When a tablet of the medicine is dropped in water, the acid and baking soda react to produce carbon dioxide gas. The pressure builds and… blast off! The lid is the path of least resistance for the pressure. It’s simpler for the chemical reaction to pop off the weak lid rather than bursting through the stronger sides and bottom.
DIY Rocket Science

Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law explains to us why the film canister and lid goes flying: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The lid goes in one direction while the canister goes in the other. Have your kids think of different experiments they could do with this fun chemical reaction!

How far will your rocket fly?
DIY Rockets

Resources: stevespanglerscience.com

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Summer of Science Celery Experiment!

This Summery Science Veggie Experiment is a great way to demonstrate the way plants pull water from beneath the ground up into their stems and leaves. This experiment is perfect for preschoolers and school-aged children and a great way to stay cool on a sunny summer afternoon. So, let’s do it!

Staying hydrated is critical to maintaining good health. You probably encourage your kids to drink plenty of water, particularly now when we’re all sweating out so much of our moisture to stay cool under the hot summer sun.

But we’re not the only ones who need to stay hydrated!

Our pets, and even our plants, need water to survive. Yup, plants! Plants use water to transport nutrients out of the dirt and into their tissue and also to help keep their cells plump and sturdy – that’s why plants get limp and saggy when they’re in need of watering.

Water is also a key ingredient in photosynthesis, the process by which plants turn sunlight into food. But unlike people and animals, plants don’t have mouths to drink with. So how DO plants acquire and circulate water?

Gather Your Materials:

Fresh celery stalk with plenty of leaves
Food coloring (blue or red works best)
Water
Knife

Fill a glass half full of water.

Add a tablespoon of food coloring and stir.

Trim the bottom of your celery stalk to expose a fresh bottom. Celery Experiment Colors

Place the stalk in the glass so that the stem is in the water, but the leaves are not, and take a photo with your phone.

Leave as-is overnight.

The next day, compare your celery stalk to the photo you took the night before!

Does anything look different? Ask your kids a few questions about what they see, including:

Do you think the water has moved up into the celery stalk?

Why do you think this? How can you tell?

How do you think the water traveled through the celery stalk? Celery Experiment

Once you’ve observed and discussed the changes to your celery stalk, try cutting about a quarter inch off the bottom. There may be small dots of color (the same color as your food coloring) on the base of the stalk.

Explain to your kids that these dots are the bottoms of the plant’s xylem – small tubes inside the plant that suck up the water and nutrients like a straw and circulate them through the plant so that it can stay healthy, stand up tall, and make its own food.