Pop Rockets DIY
Introduction
Clean drinking water is essential for our health. Water containing bacteria or viruses can make us very sick. Unfortunately, not everybody has access to clean water from centralized water plants. However, nearly everybody nowadays has a smartphone! That’s why we developed a small device and an app which can be used with a smartphone to kill harmful bacteria in water. It could mean that people without a clean water supply can easily disinfect their drinking water and avoid getting sick.
About This Project
Launch fizzy tablet rockets by using particles of matter!
Full Article
Video
Material List
- 3 Film canisters or similar plastic containers with snap on lids
- 3 Fizzy tablets (such as Alka-Seltzer®)
- 1 Cup of water
- 1 Roll of paper towels (for cleanup)
Instructions
- Fill the film canisters about 1/3 full with water.
- Quickly, drop 1 fizzy tablet into each canister, snap on the lid, and flip it over.
- Stand back and wait for it to pop!
How It Works
When the fizzy tablet touches the water a chemical reaction starts, which releases carbon dioxide gas. The gas is made of lots of particles of matter, which spread out inside the sealed container. Finally, the container pops up off of its lid and shoots into the air due to the pressure that the particles built up inside.
