While some government agencies dream of nuclear grenades capable of destroying small cities, home experiment enthusiasts are delighted with far more modest achievements. Today we show you how to make an “explosive”, harmless if you are careful, whose main ingredient is vinegar.
Experiments, no matter how simple, are welcome at NeoTeo. That is why today we show you how to carry out an easy experiment that will turn you into the most popular person in the neighborhood, using only items you almost certainly have at home. Before we continue, we have to clarify two things: first, even though the explosive power of these vinegar grenades is very small, there is always a risk that some chemical or piece of plastic could hit your face. Don't forget to protect yourself properly and everything will go well. Second, vinegar grenades are a terrible way to win over girls. If that's your plan, don't waste your time (we've already tested it).
Our goal is to create a “grenade” that “explodes” in the air after being thrown. The principle behind this project is the same one that makes possible the famous “dry ice bombs”: gas is compressed inside a container until the pressure overcomes the resistance of the container and breaks it (or pops the cap). In vinegar grenades, the gas is carbon dioxide produced by a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. We insist: even though the “explosion” of these grenades is very weak, you must be careful and keep the chemicals away from your face.
You will need the plastic container from a 35mm film roll, the plastic cap from some disposable bottle that has about the same diameter as the inside of the film container, some alcohol vinegar and some baking soda. The first step in building our vinegar grenade is to fill the plastic container with vinegar up to about half. Then we put a generous amount of baking soda inside the plastic cap and also introduce it into the container, so that it “floats” on the vinegar. Once that is done, we can close the container with its lid.
The vinegar grenade is ready. We can carry out our first detonation simply by turning the container over and leaving it on the table. In just a couple of seconds (which you should use to get as far away as possible) the baking soda will mix with the vinegar, generating a good amount of carbon dioxide that will finally overcome the resistance of the cap. If everything goes well, you can arm it all over again and try throwing it into the air. When you throw the container, it will surely spin without control, and the reaction will take place at some point in its trajectory. Fun, simple and cheap: ideal to spend some time with your friends.
