5 Minute Fizzy Fun Jar

This super easy science experiment for kids takes just a minute to set up, and the result is awesome! I don’t have the patience for elaborate experiments (I’m impressed with the parents that do!) so I like something that my son (age 6) and I can do together without a lot of fuss or prep.

This simple experiment is quick and packs a lot of punch (kids will love the cool fizzing effect).

Bonus: the materials are basic and you probably have most (or all) of them on hand already.

The Science Behind the Experiment

Find out what happens when you add salt to carbonated soda.

This experiment not only looks cool, but will demonstrate the principle of effervescence, which is the property of forming bubbles.

In this experiment, the bubbles form when the salt forces the carbon dioxide gas bubbles to the surface of the jar.

Materials

• Small jar (a baby food jar is an ideal size)
• Food coloring
• Clear carbonated soda
• Spoon
• 1 Tbsp. salt

Have your child make a prediction:

Ask your child: “What do you think’s going to happen when you mix the salt into the soda? Why?”

They can even write down their hypothesis.

My son is getting really into experiments lately, so I’m going to buy him a small science journal to record his predictions and findings. He’s in Kindergarten, so this is also a good way to get him to practice his handwriting!

Method (The Quick Steps)

1. Fill the jar halfway up with the soda.
2. Add 2 drops of food coloring (any color) and stir it up.
3. Add the salt.
4. Watch what happens!

The Experiment With Photos

Fill the jar halfway up with the soda.

Add 2 drops of food coloring (any color).

Stir it up.

Add the salt.

Watch what happens.

I told you, this is a super easy experiment. And the result is really cool! The solution you mixed together will begin to foam and bubble. This is because the salt pushes the carbon dioxide gas bubbles from the carbonated soda to the surface of the jar. The scientific name for this is effervescence.

My son was totally delighted with this, and asked to do it again. It’s a good idea to have a few different colors of food coloring on hand so that your kid can run the experiment a few times. They will love to see how it looks with various colors!

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You might also want to try this cool water suspension science experiment!

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