Melting Baking Soda Christmas Tree ACtivity for Kids

 Overview 

Melting Baking Soda Christmas Tree is a classic Science Experiment. It is a perfect STEM activity for kids with daily supplies, baking soda, and vinegar. 

Age: 3+     Time: < 20mins

 Safety 

1. Adult supervision.
2. Be careful, do not spray vinegar into your eyes.  

 Materials List 

• White vinegar 200ml
• Baking soda 250g
• Water
• Glass bowl (any container)
• Spoon
• Cone mold (Origami)
• Tray
• Glitter powder
• Food coloring
• Dropper

 Instruction 

Step 1/6-Add 250g baking soda to the bowl and add 5-10 drops of food coloring.

Step 2/6-Add about 10ml of water and stir it up.

Step 3/6-Add glitter powder to the bowl and then stir it up.

Step 4/6-Add the specially made baking soda to the Christmas tree mold and compress it a little bit. 

Step 5/6-Put the mold upside down on the disk, take out the mode and the beautiful baking soda Christmas tree is completed.

Step 6/6-load some vinegar in the dropper and drop it onto the tree. See and hear what is happening.

 Troubleshooting 

Why did my Christmas tree collapse? 

- you need to compress it before you take out the mold. If that does not work add a little bit more water and reconstruct it again.

 Scientific Description 

In this Christmas activity, The baking soda is a base and the vinegar is an acid. When you put them together,  a chemical reaction is set up and they produce a gas called carbon dioxide. You can even hear the fizzing sound of this chemical reaction, which is caused by the release of carbon dioxide gas.

 Extensions 

1. Sodium acetate (CH3COONa) produced in this reaction can be used to make the amazing hot ice experiments. 
2. We also use the Sodium acetate  (CH3COONa) to imitate the famous scene in the Disney movie 'FROZEN'  where Elsa steps on the water to make them into ice.

 Disposal 

The vinegar can be washed down to the sink.