How to Make a Baking Soda and Vinegar Rocket

Co-authored by Meredith Juncker, PhD

Last Updated: August 30, 2023 Approved

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Making a baking soda and vinegar rocket is a great idea for a science project, or a fun activity to do with a friend or family member at home. Start by assembling the body of the rocket complete with rocket fins. Use PVC pipe to make a sturdy, reusable launcher. Once you are ready for some action, head outside to an open area to launch your rocket.

Things You Should Know

Roll a 7 by 9 in (18 by 23 cm) piece of thin cardboard into a cone and tape the cone to the bottom of a 20-ounce (591-mL) soda bottle.
Cut 5 inches (13 cm) from the end of a PVC pipe to make the launcher. Put the opening of the bottle inside the pipe and fill the bottle halfway with vinegar.
Put 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda on a paper towel and fold it into a packet. Drop the packet in the bottle, cork the opening, and put the bottle cork-side down in the launcher.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Assembling the Body of the Rocket

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1
Roll a 7 by 9 in (18 by 23 cm) piece of thin cardboard into a cone. Starting at the bottom right corner of the cardboard, roll the cardboard toward the left bottom corner. Make sure to roll it tightly. Roll it until a cone shape forms. Place duct tape around the end of the cone to secure it.
- Use your hands to adjust the cardboard to get the perfect cone shape.
2
Tape the cone to the bottom of a 20-ounce (591-mL) soda bottle. Place the bottom of the soda bottle in the cone. Tape the edges of the cone to the bottom of the bottle to hold it in place. Use 2 to 3 layers of tape to secure the cone to the bottom of the bottle.
- If the cone is too large for the bottle, then trim the opening of the cone until it is just the right size.
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3
Add rocket fins to the bottle. Cut out a 5 by 6 in (13 by 15 cm) piece of cardboard. Fold the cardboard in half. Use scissors to cut a diagonal across the cardboard to make 2 triangles. Then cut the triangles in half to make 4 right triangles. Choose 3 to be the fins. Attach the fins to the bottle by:
- Folding the long edge of each right triangle by ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm).
- Cutting 2 slits, 2 inches (5.1 cm) apart along the creased edge to make 3 tabs.
- Folding the middle tab backward.
- Taping each fins’ tabs to the bottle using duct tape.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Building the Launcher

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1
Mark a spot 5 inches (13 cm) from the end of a PVC pipe. Use a permanent marker to do this. The mark will indicate where you need to cut the pipe.
- Make sure the circumference of the pipe is large enough so that the top of the soda bottle can fit inside.
- You can purchase PVC pipe from your local hardware store.
2
Ask an adult to cut the pipe. An adult should complete this step to prevent injuries. Place the pipe on a sturdy work surface. Hold the pipe firmly with 1 hand and place a hacksaw on the mark. Slowly move the saw back and forth to cut the pipe.^{[1]
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- Have another person hold the other end of the pipe to keep it steady while you cut, or use clamps to hold the pipe in place.
3
Place the opening of the bottle inside the PVC pipe. The cone side of the bottle should be pointed toward the ceiling at this point. Check to see that the opening of the bottle inside the PVC pipe is not touching the ground. The PVC pipe should be propping the bottle up off of the ground.
- If the opening of the bottle is touching the ground, then you will need to cut a larger piece of PVC pipe.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Launching the Rocket

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Use white distilled vinegar. You may use any type of vinegar, but white vinegar makes less of a mess.^{[2]
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2
Make a baking soda packet. Place a heaping 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda in the center of a paper towel. Fold and roll the paper towel into a small packet. Make sure the baking soda is securely packed inside. Additionally, the packet should be small enough so it can fit inside the soda bottle.^{[3]
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- The paper towel acts as a time release. This way, you will have enough time to step away from the rocket before it explodes.
- If the paper towel breaks, exposing the baking soda, then use a new paper towel.
3
Go outside to your backyard or an open area. Bring your rocket and its launcher, the baking soda packet, and a cork with you. Place the PVC launcher in the middle of the area, away from walls and windows.^{[4]
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- Pick a spot outside where you can make a mess.
4
Place the baking soda packet inside the bottle. Quickly place the cork inside the opening of the bottle. Place the bottle cork-side down inside the launcher. Make sure to do this step in one quick motion.^{[5]
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- The cone part of the rocket should be facing toward the sky.
5
Step back and watch the rocket fly. To be safe, step at least 5 feet (1.5 m) away from the rocket. It may take 10 to 15 seconds for the rocket to explode.^{[6]
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- If the rocket does not explode, then you may have secured the cork too tightly.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can I use a lid with a hole in it?

Meredith Juncker, PhD
Scientific Researcher
Meredith Juncker is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her studies are focused on proteins and neurodegenerative diseases.

Meredith Juncker, PhD

Scientific Researcher

Expert Answer

No, because this would allow the carbon dioxide to escape the bottle. As a result, pressure won't properly build up inside of the bottle and your rocket will not launch.

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Question

This sounds like a great idea for my project. Will it work?

Meredith Juncker, PhD
Scientific Researcher
Meredith Juncker is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her studies are focused on proteins and neurodegenerative diseases.

Meredith Juncker, PhD

Scientific Researcher

Expert Answer

Yes! Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate (a base). When mixed with vinegar, which contains acetic acid, water and carbon dioxide will form. Because the cork has the bottle closed, the carbon dioxide will build up inside of the bottle. Once the pressure of the carbon dioxide builds and builds, eventually the cork or will fly off the bottle, allowing your "rocket" to fly.

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Question

Does it matter what bottle you use?

Meredith Juncker, PhD
Scientific Researcher
Meredith Juncker is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her studies are focused on proteins and neurodegenerative diseases.

Meredith Juncker, PhD

Scientific Researcher

Expert Answer

A glass bottle may be too heavy to fly into the air. If you use a bigger soda bottle (like a 2-liter instead of a 20-oz bottle), you will have to adjust the amount of baking soda and vinegar you add for your rocket to actually fly.

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Warnings

Wear safety goggle to protect your eyes.

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Do not point the rocket toward yourself or others.

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Avoid launching the rocket near cars, houses, windows, and other fragile or valuable items.

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