Janet Horton

Baking soda being poured into vinegar. The acetic acid (that's...

Caption: Baking soda being poured into vinegar. The acetic acid (that's what makes vinegar sour) reacts with sodium bicarbonate (a compound that's in baking soda) to form carbonic acid. Mixing the two is simply an acid base reaction. Carbonic acid is unstable, and it immediately falls apart into carbon dioxide and water (it's a decomposition reaction). The bubbles you see from the reaction come from the carbon dioxide escaping the solution that is left. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air, so, it flows almost like water when it overflows the container.
Scientific name: Sodium bicarbonate and Carbonic acid
Copyright: © Janet Horton
Photographer Code: 090806-13-Vinegar&Soda
AGPix ID: AGPix_jhorton_0746
Digital Original