Dancing Spaghetti














Materials

  1. Large beaker
  2. 150ml graduated cylinder
  3. 50ml cups of vinegar
  4. 2 tsp baking soda
  5. 50ml water 
  6. 8-10 sticks of broken spaghetti.
  7. Food colouring 
Procedure
  1. Fill the beaker with water 
  2. Measure and pour 100 ml of vinegar into the beaker.
  3. add the food colouring - if needed
  4. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to the water and mix thoroughly.
  5. Put eight to ten pieces of broken spaghetti in the beaker and wait until the spaghetti settles to the bottom. A chemical reaction will take place, causing the spaghetti to move in the beaker. 
  6. Repeat experiment with different ratios of water, vinegar, and baking soda.

Whats happening

The noodles will bob up and down for several minutes. This noodle “dance” is captivating to watch. Since the surface of the noodles is rough, tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas are attracted to it. These bubbles increase the volume of the noodle substantially, but contribute very little to its mass. As a result, the overall density of the noodle is lowered, causing it to be carried upward by the more dense fluid surrounding it.
Archimedes’ Principle states that the buoyant force exerted on a fluid is equal to the weight of fluid displaced. Since the noodles now have a greater volume, they displace more water, causing the fluid to exert a greater buoyant force. The buoyant force of the surrounding fluid is what pushes the noodles to the top.
Once the noodles reach the top, the bubbles pop upon exposure to the air. This makes the noodles more dense, causing them to sink. As more bubbles adhere to the noodles, the density of the noodles decreases and they rise to the surface again. This experiment very clearly shows that an increase in volume (as long as the mass increase is negligible) will lead to a decrease in density. The bubbles that attach themselves to the noodles are like little life jackets that make the noodles more buoyant by increasing their volume.

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