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Particle Nature of Matter Activity for Kids

Pop Rockets DIY

  • Duration: 15-30 min
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cost: $0 to $5

Launch fizzy tablet rockets by using particles of matter!

Visit The Full Lesson Download Instructions as PDF

Material List

  • 3Film canisters or similar plastic containers with snap on lids
  • 3Fizzy tablets (such as Alka-Seltzer®)
  • 1Cup of water
  • 1Roll of paper towels (for cleanup)

Instructions

  • 1Fill the film canisters about 1/3 full with water.
  • 2Quickly, drop 1 fizzy tablet into each canister, snap on the lid, and flip it over.
  • 3Stand back and wait for it to pop!

How It Works

When the fizzy tablet touches the water a chemical reaction starts, which releases carbon dioxide gas. The gas is made of lots of particles of matter, which spread out inside the sealed container. Finally, the container pops up off of its lid and shoots into the air due to the pressure that the particles built up inside.

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Check out the Full Lesson on Particle Nature of Matter

In this lesson, we learn that:

  • All matter is made of particles that are too small to be seen.
  • Particles are 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
  • In a gas, particles of matter move freely around and take the shape of their containers.

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