Hop to it and make your own hopping bunny

I was told by someone yesterday that the Easter Bunny does not exist. Blasphemy! How can this be? I have first-hand eyewitness accounts that this does happen. I’m sure I have seen him hopping down my lane every spring. Well, just in case you do not have an Easter Bunny hopping by your house to deliver some eggs, this week we can make our own hopping bunnies! Let’s get started.

*Remember to ask an adult before you do this experiment.

Materials

- double sided tape - white construction paper - scissors - empty plastic Easter eggs - vinegar - baking soda - Kleenex - measuring spoon - piece of white plasticine - ruler - outside location as this is messy

Procedure

1. Decorate your egg. Cut out ears for the bunny and attach with the double-sided tape. Cut out a nose and attach it to one half of the egg shell.

2. With the plasticine, make some feet for your bunny to stand on. You want the bottom half of the egg to be able to sit up and any holes that might be in there to be sealed off with the plasticine. Be creative.

3. Cut out a 5cm x 5cm square of Kleenex. 4. Lay it on a flat surface. 5. Measure 15mL (one tablespoon) of baking soda and carefully scoop it into the centre of the Kleenex square.

6. Fold up the Kleenex square so you have a nice little packet. 7. Set aside for now. 8. Go outside (if you are not already there). Place the bottom half of your egg on the ground. Fill the bottom half of your egg three-quarters full of vinegar.

9. You are going to have to work quickly now. Place the packet of baking soda in the vinegar and quickly place the top half of the egg on the bottom half.

10. Stand back!

11. Watch your bunny hop away.

What is going on?

In this experiment you created a gas called carbon dioxide. When the vinegar (an acid) reacts with the baking soda (a base) tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas form and fill up the egg causing it to hop away. Try doing this experiment with different amounts of vinegar and baking soda. Do you have different results? Does your bunny hop farther or not at all?

Do not forget about our STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) Contest if you are looking at doing something over the Easter break. There are many prizes to be won for all ages. Visit the Praxis website for more details.

Patty Rooks is senior scientific consultant at PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community.” Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook.