Alka-Seltzer® Rocket

To do this activity, you’ll want to find an outdoor uncovered space that is ok to get a little wet and dirty.

Pour a small amount of water into your container.

Tips & Tricks:

The less water you use, the higher your rocket will fly.  But if you use too little water (such as a drop or two), there might not be enough to make the reaction work.  Try experimenting with different amounts of water to find out how much works the best for your container.

When you’re ready, place a small piece of an Alka-Seltzer^® tablet into your container.  Quickly move on to step 4.

Tips & Tricks:

Different size containers may need different amounts of Alka-Seltzer^® to make your rocket fly.  For a film canister, a ¼ piece of the full tablet works great!

Quickly put the lid on tight.  Then flip over your container, take a step back, and wait for your rocket to launch!

Fun Fact:

For this activity, the two most important ingredients in Alka-Seltzer^® are sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid (acid found in citrus fruits).  When these two ingredients mix with water, they produce bubbles and release carbon dioxide gas.  Inside your sealed container, this gas builds up and pushes down on the lid.  When there is no longer enough room for all the gas to fit in your container, the pressure will propel the container high into the air, just like a rocket!

Now that you have launched your container into the air, you can make it look more like a rocket.  Try adding a nose cone and decorating your paper so it looks like a rocket.  Then gather an audience and let your rocket fly!