What is Acid Rain?

Antacid statues in water and vinegar

Materials in the box

1.    2 Antacids
2.    Two Cups with lids
3.    Bottle filled with vinegar








Materials from your house

1.   Water
2.  Teaspoon

How do I begin?

1. Draw a face on each of the antacids; you can pretend that it is a statue in the park. 

2. Put one of the antacids in the cup and pour a little water on top of it. The antacid should be covered fully in water.

3. Put the second antacid in the cup and pour about two or three teaspoons of vinegar on top of it. Observe what happens next.


What just happened?

The tablet coated with water stays the same; there may be a slight color to the water. The face that you drew on the tablet is still visible. The face of the "statue" dissolves fast! The tablet treated with vinegar is eaten away in much the same way that acid rain eats away at a marble statue, only faster. 


The vinegar is reacting chemically with the calcium carbonate in the antacid tablet. The calcium carbonate is used up, and a gas called carbon dioxide is formed. Acid rain is more acidic than normal rain and is caused by pollution in the air.

You can try this experiment again with different strengths of acid. Try lemon juice, diluted lemon juice, coke, or anything else you can think of!

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Eroding face in vinegar

Face off!