Acid Rain Eats Stone!

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This display shows the dangers of acid rain on buildings and other structures as two concrete bunny rabbits are disintegrated by sulfuric acid. Learners scrape chalk onto the concrete bunnies. One bunny gets doused with sulfuric acid, and the other bunny is covered in water. Learners can watch the effects of both liquids on the stone with a magnifying glass. The chalk contains calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and the acid reacts to form carbon dioxide (CO2) bubbles. For safety reasons, this activity works best as a demonstration for younger audiences.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per student
Age Range:
Ages 11 - adult
Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • Two 30-ml dropper bottles
  • One 9 x 12-inch Pyrex baking dish
  • One large, resealable plastic storage bag
  • Two small concrete bunnies or other animal statues (available at a garden supply store)
  • Several pieces chalk (keep one box on hand)
  • 15-20 ml 1M H2SO4(sulfuric acid) (keep 200 ml on hand) —OR— 28 ml 18M (concentrated) H2SO4(keep 100 ml on hand)
  • One 100-ml graduated cylinder
  • One 500-ml plastic bottle
  • One 600-ml beaker
  • One glass stirring rod

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Acids and Bases
    • States of Matter
      • Gases
  • The Nature of Science
    • Science and Society

Informal Categories

  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation