Science Smarts: Sometimes it really is rocket science

By Patty Rooks on May 3, 2025.

This week, I thought I would investigate rockets as I dedicate this article to one of my favourite Aerospace Engineers who is having a birthday on May 4. I know he will argue with me that these are not true rockets, but well, when it comes to my kind of science, we have to work with some more cost friendly materials at home! Let’s get started.

*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

– 500 ml bottle

– Cork

– Water

– Distilled white vinegar

– Alka-Seltzer tablet

– Tissue

– Goggles

– Outside location

– Construction paper/cardboard

– Ribbons

– Stickers

– Tape/glue

– Measuring cup

– Outdoor location

Procedure

1. Find an empty 500 mL bottle.

2. Using the construction paper, make some fins for the rocket. Add some ribbons to the side of the cork that does not fit into the bottle. Decorate your bottle to make a magnificent rocket!

3. Find an outdoor location to work as things are going to get messy!

4. Put on your safety goggles.

5. Measure 125 mL (1/2 cup) of water and pour it into the empty bottle.

6. Measure 125 mL (1/2 cup) distilled white vinegar and pour it into the bottle.

7. Take a tissue and separate the layers. Cut a small square out of ONE of the layers.

8. Open up the Alka-Seltzer package and try to break the tablet into half.

9. Wrap half of the tablet in the tissue.

10. You are going to have to work quickly now.

11. Drop the wrapped Alka-Seltzer tablet into the bottle.

12. Quickly push the cork into the mouth of the bottle.

13. Set the bottle down on a flat hard surface outside. Please make sure you are pointing the cork on the bottle away from everyone.

14. Observe! And repeat, of course!

What is going on?

The cork should have sailed into the air just like a rocket! It was able to pop of the top of the bottle due to the gas build up in the bottle. There is a chemical reaction in this experiment that produces a gas called carbon dioxide. If you read the ingredients, Alka-Seltzer contains aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and citric acid.

As the tablets dissolve in the water/vinegar mixture they react vigorously to produce a lot of carbon dioxide gas. This gas builds up so much pressure in the bottle because it cannot escape due to the cork being in the way. As a result, the cork explodes off into the sky and in the meantime, allows the carbon dioxide gas to escape!

Praxis has moved! We are now located in the Community Futures Entre Corp Building at 556 Fourth St. SE, T1A 0K8. Call us at 403-528-0182, or email praxis@praxismh.ca. Keep reading our weekly column for more exciting details on what we are up to these days!

Patty Rooks, senior scientific consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community.” Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. Address: 12 826 11th Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403-527-5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

38
-37