Apologia Physical Science - Experiment 10.4 - why isn't this WORKING!

[Hoggirl]

Am I the only one who feels like science is the bane of my existence?

We tried this twice to no avail. Does the cork have to be super tight in the bottle? Does the baking soda have to all quickly get into the vinegar?

Honestly! I just hate it when science experiments don't work!!!:glare:

[jcooperetc]

There are a lot of finicky little details to getting the baking soda to not mix with the vinegar until the lid is on and then keeping it on the rollers, blah, blah, blah. Figure out your own easier way to get it in - the goal is just to get them to mix after the cork is in. I would start with using more baking soda - every demonstration we have ever done needs more baking soda to make it really pop. A smaller lighter container might help also. The idea is to get the gas to pop the cork (which needs to be fairly tight so the gas can't leak out around it but not so tight that it takes a ton of pressure to pop it out) which will push the bottle the other direction.

I have had so many experiments fizzle because they just weren't WOW enough and the kids were kind of disappointed so we tend to go big around here. But definitely do it outside :D

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

We don't do ALL the experiments. And, you can still learn from a failed experiement. Sometimes we think of reasons the experiement might have failed. If you are frustrated, MOVE ON! :)

[Hoggirl]

We don't do ALL the experiments. And, you can still learn from a failed experiement. Sometimes we think of reasons the experiement might have failed. If you are frustrated, MOVE ON! :)

Most of our experiments work. I shouldn't have let it frustrate me so. It really is kind of comical when you get away from it! TGIF!

[tex-mex]

Scientific Method: Use it as an example of why VARIABLES can change the outcome of an experiment. Then google a different experiment (i.e. Janice Van Cleave offers easy DIY experiments) to do in place of the failed one. It happens.