ACS Inquiry in Action: Chapter 3 – Substances Can Mix and React to Form New Substances

Lesson 3.1 – What’s the Difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

Students design and conduct a test using baking soda and baking powder with vinegar to investigate the question: Will baking soda or baking powder produce more gas when vinegar is added?

Lesson 3.2 – Exploring Baking Powder

Students help design a test using baking soda, corn starch, and cream of tartar to investigate the question: Which two of the three ingredients in baking powder react to make it bubble when water is added?

Lesson 3.3 – Forming a Precipitate

Students combine an Ivory Soap solution with an Epsom salt solution to produce a solid “soap scum” to investigate the questions: What happens when you mix soap with hard water? and Is soap scum different from soap?

Lesson 3.4 – Chemical Reactions & Color Change

Students add laundry detergent powder (a base) and cream of tartar (an acid) to a red cabbage indicator to investigate the question: What can the color of an indicator tell you about the substances added to it?

Lesson 3.5 – Different Substances React Differently

Students combine citric acid with calcium chloride and citric acid with baking soda to investigate the question: What are the similarities and differences between the two reactions? and Do substances react in a characteristic way?