Vinegar and Baking Soda Rocket

In Room 14 this week, we composed an experiment on thrust. Before we started we had to fill out a form on the constants and variables of the experiment, which are important when making a fair test.

The equipment that we needed was a 2 litre bottle, a white board marker lid, some tape, vinegar, baking soda, 3 wooden skewers, water and a paper towel. 

First we taped the wooden skewers to the 2 litre bottle and rolled some baking soda in the paper towel. 

Next we put tape around the white board marker lid until it fit the the 2 litre bottle top really tight.

Then we went outside and poured 1 cup of water into the 2 litre bottle then we poured 1 cup of vinegar into the bottle as well. 

After that we put the paper towel-baking soda thing into the bottle and put in the white board marker lid into the bottle top like a cork.

Miss Butler shook the bottle and then we all ran back because she put it on the floor. The first 3 didn't work because they weren't stable enough and they fell over, but the last one did! It bubbled and flew into the sky like a rocket.

A chemical reaction happened inside the bottle and the air pressure got higher until the cork couldn't hold it in any more. The cork shot out the bottom of bottle with the vinegar and baking soda.
We learnt about Newton's Third Law of Motion - for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

How do you think we could improve the experiment?

Written by Yannick and Chelsea, with input from Room 14.