Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Bill on November 21, 2004, 07:03:54 PM
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I'm helping my son with his eighth grade science fair project. We are fueling a rocket car with a vinegar/baking soda mixture. We are testing the reaction speed by changing the pressure,temperature, and concentration levels. I cannot find imformation on the reaction taking place between the vinegar and baking soda that creates the pressure. I know the vinegar has H+ ions and the baking soda+water is OH- but what is happening when the two are combined that creates the pressure? ???
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Vinegar (CH3COOH) + Baking Soda (NaHCO3) ---> Sodium Ethanoate (CH3COONa) + Carbonic Acid (H2CO3)
The bubbles are carbon dioxide and are produced by the decomposition of the carbonic acid (which occurs rapidly)
H2CO3 ---> H2O + CO2
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good answer scooby snack given. :)
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Many documents give CH3COONa nomenclature to be Sodium Acetate instead of Sodium Ethanoate.
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Greetings Bill,
Although I did not find a good site explaining the pressure change, I did find some good sites that have information on the vinegar and baking soda reaction.
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/reactions/faq/print-classify-vinegar-bakingsoda.shtml
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/thermo/faq/vinegar-baking-soda-enthalpy.shtml
Maybe someone will give a better explanation than carbon dioxide is released to answer you pressure question.
Regards,
Bill
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http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/gases/faq/co2-from-vinegar-and-baking-soda.shtml
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Hey guys, thanks for all the help :) The project is coming together nicely now.