Abstract
In this paper, a theoretical model was developed from first principles to describe the increase the pressure caused by carbon dioxide, formed by the reaction between baking soda and vinegar inside a PET bottle. This reaction, in this type of container, is commonly used in rocket launch in high school students nationwide competitions. The motivation happens by the safety, control and waste of material, since students perform tests without control over physic and chemical parameters. Another fact, is that the two existing theoretical models describe well the pressure behavior in rigid closed containers up until 60 PSI, which is half of the pressure value of a recyclable PET bottle. The model, established here, presents agreement with the empirical model up to 160 PSI and, by consequence, with the experimental data.
Keywords:
Bicarbonate; Vinegar; Rockets; Pressure
