There is a little overlap this week in 7th and 8th grade science. Both classes have delved into the world of chemistry (8th more so than 7th) and have been learning about atoms, elements, molecules, states of matter and so much more. To help spice up the classroom, students witnessed a demonstration known as “The Whoosh Bottle”. Students stood off to the side of the class at a safe distance while the experiment was conducted. In this experiment, a 5 gallon jug and rubbing alcohol is used and the concepts covered were exothermic reactions, combustion, phase change and activation energy. Alcohol is added to the 5 gallon jug and since it’s a low boiling alcohol it vaporizes readily and forms a very volatile mixture with the air in the bottle. A match is then held (with tongs!) by the mouth of the jug which will provide the activation energy needed for the combustion of the alcohol/air mixture. When preforming this experiment, only 20ml of alcohol was used and it quickly vaporizes to a denser vapor than the surrounding air. Alcohol molecules in vapor form are much further apart than in liquid form therefore having a higher surface area for the reaction which causes a very fast reaction. Considering the burning happens so fast and the bottle narrows at the top there is a loud “Whoosh” sound that is also produced from this experiment. Overall, this experiment helped to show phase change, combustion and reinforced how serious safety is when it comes to chemicals, flames and labs in general!