I tried to make a ‘safe’ explosion for a Chem project and nearly set off the smoke detector

I was prepping for a lab practical with my online tutor on Wiingy, trying to remember the steps for a basic acid-base reaction. My tutor suggested I imagine the process in real life. So, I grabbed baking soda and vinegar and decided to demonstrate the bubbling. I guess I used a slightly too concentrated vinegar. The foam eruption was so aggressive it shot up and touched the ceiling, and my smoke detector started beeping like crazy. I had to frantically fan the detector while my tutor was just laughing on screen, saying, "Well, that was a very energetic reaction, but maybe dial back the concentration next time" At least I'll never forget what an exothermic reaction looks like.

Posted Nov 7, 2025, 7:02 PM UTC

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