How to Make Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas. Each molecule of carbon dioxide is composed of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and does not support combustion. For these reasons, carbon dioxide is used in certain types of fire extinguishers. Carbon dioxide is the gas that gives soft drinks their bubbles, and it can be frozen under pressure to create dry ice. Under normal atmospheric pressure, carbon dioxide does not exist as a liquid, and as a result, when dry ice melts it goes directly from solid to gas.
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Things You'll Need
- Empty 2-liter soda bottle
- Funnel
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Candle
- Matches or lighter
Instructions
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Use your funnel to pour about 1 inch of vinegar into your 2-liter soda bottle.
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Clean and dry your funnel.
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3
Use your funnel to slowly add 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the soda bottle. The baking soda and vinegar will fizz. The gas being given off is carbon dioxide. Keep adding the baking soda until there is no more fizzing. The carbon dioxide being given off is heavier than air. Thus, with the bottle upright, the gas will force the air out of the bottle, and the carbon dioxide will remain.
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4
Light the candle.
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Carefully pour the carbon dioxide from the soda bottle over the candle. Pour it just as though it was water or some other liquid. Because it is heavier than air, it will pour out of the bottle and over the flame of the candle and extinguish it. Be sure not to pour any of the vinegar or baking soda out of the bottle, just the gas.
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Tips & Warnings
Capture carbon dioxide in a balloon by stretching the neck of the balloon over the neck of the bottle.
Don't add the baking soda to the bottle too quickly or the fizzing mixture could overflow out of the bottle.
Be careful with the candle and matches. Always have an adult present when experimenting with fire.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit fire extinguiser sign -macro image by Ben Baker from Fotolia.com
