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General Chemistry Science Fair Project

Seashells and Vinegar

Easy
Seashells and Vinegar | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
What happens when you leave a seashell in vinegar for a week? All seashells are made of calcium carbonate, no matter their shape or size. Vinegar is an acid that reacts with this mineral. You place one seashell in a jar of vinegar and another in a jar of plain water. After one day, check both jars for changes. Small bubbles may appear on the shell in vinegar. After a full week, compare the two shells. The one in vinegar dissolves while the one in water stays the same.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the vinegar (acid) will react with the calcium carbonate (base) in the sea shell, causing the sea shell to disintegrate.

Method & Materials

You will place a sea shell into a jar labeled "vinegar" and pour enough vinegar to cover the sea shell. Place another sea shell into another jar labeled "water" and pour enough water in the jar to cover the shell. After 1 day and 1 week, check the sea shells.
You will need two sea shells, vinegar, water and two jars that are large enough to hold the sea shells.

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Results

The experiment showed that the acidic vinegar dissolved the sea shell, which is made up of basic calcium carbonate. The shell placed in water did not dissolve, because water is neutral and did not react with the basic calcium carbonate of the sea shell.

Why do this project?

This science project is fascinating because it demonstrates the reaction between an acid and a base can lead to the sea shell dissolving in vinegar.

Also Consider

Variations of this experiment could include testing different acids, such as lemon juice or orange juice, or soaking the sea shell in vinegar with baking soda.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

Related videos

These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
Have you ever wondered what happens to seashells when the ocean becomes more acidic? Check out the following video that shows an experiment comparing seashells in vinegar, which mimic the acidic ocean water, with the control of seashells in regular water. Can you guess what happened? The results were surprising and taught us how changes in the ocean can affect marine life. This experiment is a great way to learn about the powerful chemical reaction between acids and bases and understand the shocking impact of ocean acidification.
Eggs are also made of calcium carbonate like seashells. Be prepared for a surprise when a raw egg soaks in vinegar! Find out what happens in this surprising chemistry experiment!
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