Bready Bubble Balloon

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Learners discover the bubble power of living cells in this multi-hour experiment with baker's yeast. Learners make a living yeast/water solution in a bottle, and add table sugar to feed the yeast. As the yeast breaks down the sugar into simpler molecules, carbon dioxide is released. As the carbon dioxide bubbles up in the bottle, the gas expands a balloon that has been fitted over the bottle's opening.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
4 to 24 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 6 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Packet of active dry yeast
  • Table sugar (a few tablespoons)
  • Plain warm water (NOT HOT!)
  • Balloon (not inflated)
  • Empty, clean plastic drink bottle with narrow opening

Keywords

Subjects

  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Protists and Fungi
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Chemistry of Life
      • Solutions
    • States of Matter
      • Liquids
      • Gases

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking
  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, The Regents of the University of California, 2009