Ghost Balloons
Grown-ups: please supervise this experiment the whole time. Read the safety notes first.
Draw a ghost face on a balloon, then watch bicarbonate of soda and vinegar blow it up without anyone puffing.
WOW FACT
The gas filling your ghost is carbon dioxide, the same gas that makes the bubbles in fizzy drinks.
🧰 What you'll need
A white balloonAny party balloon works. An adult handles it.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
A permanent markerFor the ghost face.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
An empty plastic bottleAbout 500 ml, rinsed out.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
VinegarAbout 100 ml of any cheap kitchen vinegar.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
Bicarbonate of sodaAbout 2 teaspoons, from the baking cupboard.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
A small funnelOr roll a cone of paper.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
A trayTo catch any fizzy spills.
✔ You probably have this
✔ You probably have this
✨ Want to go further? (optional)
Children's science experiment bookDozens of easy experiments for rainy days.
View on Amazon (amazon.co.uk)
View on Amazon (amazon.co.uk)
💛 We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. We only suggest things we'd use ourselves. How this works.
What to do
- An adult stretches the balloon a few times so it inflates more easily, then draws a spooky ghost face on it with the marker.
- Stand the bottle on the tray and pour in about 100 ml of vinegar.
- Using the funnel, spoon about 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda into the balloon, then shake it down to the bottom.
- Stretch the neck of the balloon over the bottle top, letting the heavy part hang down to the side so the powder stays in the balloon.
- Hold the neck on the bottle and lift the balloon upright so the powder drops into the vinegar.
- Watch it fizz and your ghost rise up! When it stops growing, an adult takes the balloon off over the sink.
- Try again with more or less bicarbonate of soda. Does the ghost grow bigger?
What's going on?
Bicarbonate of soda is a base and vinegar is a weak acid. When they meet they react and make new substances, including carbon dioxide gas. The gas takes up much more space than the powder and liquid did, so it fills the bottle and pushes out the balloon. The other things made are water and a salt called sodium acetate, which stay behind in the bottle.
Safety notes
- Choking hazard: children under 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. An adult should handle the balloon, and pick up and bin any burst pieces at once.
- Latex allergy: most balloons are latex. Skip this one if anyone in the house is allergic to latex.
- Vinegar stings eyes. Keep faces back from the bottle while it fizzes; if any gets in an eye, rinse with plenty of clean water.
- Never put the bottle's lid on during or after the reaction.
- Don't drink the vinegar or the mixture. Pour it down the sink with plenty of water when you've finished.