The Exploding Lunch Bag

This activity creates an acid-base reaction releasing a POP of carbon dioxide gas as you explode a sealing sandwich bag. Try changing the amount of acid and base to make the bag explode faster or slower. This activity is fun to watch for all ages.

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Time Needed:: 1-5 minutes
Grade:: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade
Subject:: Chemistry, STEM Entertainment

Educator Rating:

4.6

Parent Rating:

3.9

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Educator Reviews

4.6

Based on 3 reviews

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Annonymous

This activity is engaging and can be used with a wide range of ages by making it simple for the younger ones and incorporating hypotheses for ways to make the bag explode faster and more slowly. This could even turn into a race for siblings or classmates to see whose bag gets the biggest before it pops, whose bag pops the slowest, fastest, etc. This kept my curious scientist busy for over an hour and he wanted to learn more about why acids react this way, which led us into more research and learning beyond the initial experiment.

Annonymous

Ok, this is super fun, but also messy. So, if you are not one of those people who can handle a little bit of a mess, then maybe just watch the video for this and use that as your learning tool. But that's no fun! So go get messy! My 5 and 10 year old had a blast. We did this in the back patio area using vinegar and left over easter egg dye. Fun and slightly salady smelling delight. The reaction time is pretty fast, so it is definitely an experiment with instant gratification. Highly recommended for high engagement and a wow factor. The science behind it is pretty simple for lower elementary students to grasp. I forgot to take pictures, but I assure you it was hilarious. My 5 year old had never seen anything like it before.

Annonymous

Pros: Kids love kinetic experiments that explode. This is a variation on the vinegar, baking soda, carbon dioxide gas activity. Activity demonstration provided as video and a downloadable instruction pdf. Site has a link to film canister rocket which utilizes same chemical reaction and gas concept for an engaging activity. The “Make it an Experiment” section is for kids who want to take a deeper dive into observing experimental variables (however, this section does not have a video or interactive element and requires more self-learning. Overall key impression: Fun activity involving common household items producing a chemical reaction resulting in a loud pop or explosion. Cons: Kids may engage only in the demonstration activity (which is video supported) and not pursue the experimentation questions because it requires more self-directed learning.

Parent Reviews

3.9

Based on 5 reviews

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Lacy

I did this activity with my son and he enjoyed it. Although, what I did was follow the directions in the video that accompanies that activity vs the actual instructions they give you. Meaning I used a small bag (sandwich bag) inside a larger bag (freezer bag) like they do in the video instead of a tissue inside a bag which is what the instructions tell you to do. It just seemed easier to manage and allowed my son to be the one to pop open the inside bag and actually start the reaction. Also, my son insisted on adding food coloring which they did in the video.

Annonymous

It was great but some ziplock bags pop open instead of bursting. We tried storage bags it was a little tricky, but it worked best.

Annonymous

It would be great to have a little bit more information about the science behind the ACID-BASE combination.

Annonymous

We attempted this experiment 3x. I usually don’t have issues with directions but the first bag, my 7 year old daughter accidentally poked a hole into the outer bag, then we used a larger bag (gallon) for the second attempt which filled with the gas, but no “pop”. Finally we got it right in the 3rd try. This appeared a little more challenging than I anticipated. But my kids were totally into the experiment and loved the result once it worked.

Annonymous

I was able to do this experiment with my 6 and 8 year old. To involve them in the experiment, I let them measure and pour the "ingredients" into the plastic baggie. The materials were items definitely found at home. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. I would recommend this resource.

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