Why does vinegar and baking soda react

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and this certainly holds true in the science of chemistry. Half cooked knowledge of chemical reactions can spell disaster, as has been the case for many of those who tried experimenting with baking soda and vinegar, two independently harmless and commonplace kitchen ingredients. Though it isn’t considered a routine affair to be mixing up these two compounds, but accidental or curiosity driven experiments can never be ruled out. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the gist of the chemical interaction of these two ingredients.

Baking soda is just a common name for what actually is sodium bicarbonate, with a chemical formula of NaHCO3. Similarly, vinegar is the layman’s way of referring to acetic acid, chemically CH3COOH. Mixing of these two compounds leads to the rather intriguing observations of froth and bubbling. The intensity of the frothing and bubbling obviously depends upon the quantities used. This is because of the production of Carbon Dioxide gas as a bi-product of the reaction. However, there are many bridge reactions before the final CO2 release.

Baking Soda readily dissociates into a sodium and a bicarbonate ion when dissolved in water. Acetic acid or vinegar is at weak acid, and dissociates to give a hydrogen ion and an acetate ion. It becomes a situation of cross connections from hereon. The sodium and acetate ions intermingle to yield sodium acetate, and the hydrogen ion is attracted to the bicarbonate ion to result in the formation of Carbonic Acid. This acid is not stable, and spontaneously disintegrates again to give carbon dioxide gas and water as the final stable products. So, the products of the complete reaction of baking soda and vinegar are sodium acetate, water and carbon dioxide. The CO2 release is very violent in nature, and is the reason behind the frothing and bubbling observed after the reaction.

A very simple activity can be undertaken to demonstrate the rather explosive nature of the reaction between baking soda and vinegar. Take a can with some baking soda inside, and add some vinegar to it. Quickly seal the can and keep it in an empty space, preferably on an empty roadside. Swiftly back off, and observe till the pressure inside the can results in an explosive sound, with the can flying like a rocket propelled with fire.