Great Geysers

As I gather plastics, tin cans, and newspapers to recycle my eyes stop and stare at a Gatorade bottle.  Flash!  A memory of a homeschool science experiment pops into my mind.  I laugh out loud!  Scattered pictures of flowing bubbles, diving children, a shooting bottle cap, and a geyser appear in my mind.

Stephanie, our oldest daughter, conducted a science experiment in which she was to mix baking soda with vinegar in a plastic Gatorade bottle.  She learned that the following chemical reaction occurred.

Na⁺HCO₃^- + CH₃COOH → CH₃COO^-Na⁺+ CO₂ + H₂O

When she mixed baking soda and vinegar together it yields aqueous sodium acetate and carbon dioxide gas.  The gas fills the bottle causing the sides of the bottle to bulge when the cap is tightened.  Chris and Hannah wanted to observe what was to happen in the experiment.  Stephanie’s curiosity got the best of her.  She asked, “What happens if I shake the bottle?” And immediately she shook the bottle rapidly.  This mixing causes the chemical reaction to speed up.  “No, wait!”  I said, but it was too late.  The mixture bubbled profusely and rapidly to the top of the bottle.  At that point, Chris and Hannah dove behind the couch to take cover.  Who knows where the bottle cap would land once it was released from the bottle.  Fortunately the bottle was pointed upward and the cap shot off like a bullet to the ceiling.  The mixture was all over the table, the walls, Stephanie, and a big brown spot on the ceiling that remains to this day.

Chris and Hannah came out from behind the couch, when it was safe.  “Look at the ceiling!  There is a brown spot!”  A frown appears on my face!  Stephanie, Chris, and Hannah said, “We will clean the mess up, Mom.”  We all stood there looking at each other for a moment, and then we all burst out laughing. 

I remember reading a quote about laughter from Bob Newhart.  He says, “Laughter gives us distance.  It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.”  I am certainly glad I could look at this bottle cap shooting event with humor.  I am glad our frowns turned into smiles.