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Dancing Spaghetti
A Mad Science at Home Experiment

Did you know that, according to the American Pasta Report, 40% of people polled say spaghetti is their favorite pasta, followed by lasagna (12%), macaroni and cheese (6%), fettuccine (6%), linguine (3%), elbows (3%), pasta salad (3%) and angel hair (2%)?

Well, that's reason to dance in our our book! No, not you...the spaghetti! Here's a fun little experiment that uses a little baking soda, some vinegar and a few other kitchen standbys to make your favorite pasta do the mambo!

Materials

• 1 large drinking glass
• 2 crumbled pieces of dry spaghetti
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Teaspoon measurer

Procedure

Step 1: Fill a drinking glass with water.

Step 2: Stir in a teaspoon of baking soda.

Step 3: Add a teaspoon of vinegar. This will cause some “fizzing” in the glass.

Step 4: Drop a couple pieces of spaghetti into the glass.

Step 5: What do you observe?

A Mad Science Moment

Take a moment tdiscuss with your kids the science behind what is happening.

Baking soda is the popular name for a chemical called sodium bicarbonate. Vinegar is the common name for a mixture of water and a little bit of acid called acetic acid. When the acid in the vinegar meets the sodium bicarbonate in the water, a chemical reaction occurs and carbon dioxide gas is produced. That's what's in all those little bubbles!

If there is something for the gas molecules to hang on to-like spaghetti pieces- they'll grab them. When enough gas bubbles cling to a piece of spaghetti, the piece will rise to the top together with the bubbles!

At the top of the glass, the bubbles pop- releasing the carbon dioxide gas into the room and leaving the spaghetti piece to sink to the bottom. As the piece sinks, it picks up more gas molecules, and dances again!

Want Another Experiment?
Go to the Mad Science Archive!

Mad Science of Milwaukee, Inc. sparks the imagination and curiosity of children everywhere by providing fun, interactive and educational activities including Birthday Parties, Preschool Programs and Special Events.

President's Day is the third Monday in February! This holiday was created to celebrate the deeds of two legendary American Presidents: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Learn about these great leaders in this collection of sites and activities: http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/presday.html

While the holiday in February is still officially known as Washington's Birthday (at least according to the Office of Personnel Management), it has become popularly (and, perhaps in some cases at the state level, legally) known as "President's Day."  This has made the third Monday in February a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all the other men who have served as president. Taken from:
http://www.patriotism.org/presidents_day/index.html

Below is important information if you want to write President Bush:

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Kindly send all classroom and group letters in one envelope. A cover letter providing the teacher's name, the grade of the students and the complete mailing address of the school would be appreciated and would help to expedite a response.

More Presidential fun stuff: http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/

Name that President Game --> http://www.primarygames.com/presidents/start.htm