Please do not stress over this summer activity, it is just for you to get used to doing the experiment with kitchen supplies and decide what the best way to do the experiment adn what materials you want to get out for your experiment. I want you to think about the actual procedures that might make you have difficulty completing this task. You will do this in out class room with the acid and baking soda. If you want to bring some baking soda and quart size baggies for class credit that would be helpful.

I want to collect your write up of how to do this experiment on Day 1. Thanks.

Air bag Lab Problem

In modern automobiles, a crash prevention safety feature is the airbag. Contrary to what most people believe, which is that the gas comes from the compressed air tank, these airbags are filled with a gas which results from a rapid chemical reaction. In this problem, you will be simulating this process through another chemical reaction; your airbag will be zip-type plastic bag.

Your task is to use baking soda (NaHCO3) and vinegar to generate a gas that will help to just fill a small zip-type plastic bag. The ideal result will be to fill the bag to plumpness, not to overinflate or underinflate the bag; the bag may also contain unreacted chemicals and/or other products of the reaction. This is just practice so you can see the physical barriers you may have to overcome to perform the lab in class in August. In my class you will use 0.5 M HCl.

A. Materials and Equipment
Each student should have available the following equipment and materials (at home use measuring cups and spoons):
2 zip-type plastic bags, 1 quart size (0.95 L)

safety goggles, possibly use very light sunglasses or just glasses to reduce spatter to your eyes.
lab coat or apron
(use measuring cups and spoons at home)

B. Chemicals
baking soda, NaHCO3, vinegar at home, tap water

My purpose here is for you to observe manipulative challenges and to get a general idea of how to do the experiment in class. When you do it in class you will use 0.5 M HCl and baking soda.When we meet and discuss your methods you can then write up your plan in your lab book.

Please write up the reaction with vinegar (include calculations as best you can without accurate equipment) method and supplies you decided to use to solve this problem, due the first day of class so I can read them before lab day (which will be on day 2 of class in the fall). (worth 10 pts)