Episode 27: The Root Beer Lab- From Sublimation to Ocean Acidification | Fun Earth Day Lab

🎧 Episode 27: The Root Beer Lab – From Sublimation to Ocean Acidification

If your students love lab days…but struggle to connect them to actual chemistry concepts, this episode is for you.

Today I’m walking you through one of my all-time favorite labs...making root beer with dry ice 🍺 (don’t worry…no fermentation happening here 😄). It might feel a little “fluffy” at first, but I promise—there is some really solid chemistry packed into this activity.

We’re talking phase changes, intermolecular forces, acids and bases, and even ocean acidification—all in one engaging lab your students will remember.

🧪 In This Episode,

You’ll Learn:

🧊 Sublimation in Action

How I use dry ice and “spooky fog” to help students see phase changes instead of just memorizing them

📊 Making Phase Diagrams

A simple way to compare water vs. carbon dioxide, so students understand why CO₂ skips the liquid phase at normal pressure

🧠 Intermolecular Forces (Without the Eye Glaze 😅)

How I connect weak London dispersion forces to what students are actually observing in the lab

🥤 Why Soda Is Acidic (and Why That Matters)

Using carbonic acid to connect CO₂ + H₂O to real-world examples like flat soda—and ocean acidification

🌍 Real-World Connections That Stick

How this lab leads naturally into a conversation about carbon sinks, ocean chemistry, and impacts on marine life

🛠️ Lab Tips & Teacher Moves

From my “witch’s brew” stirring moment 🧙‍♀️ to managing dry ice safely and efficiently in class

🎁 Resources & Links

🧪 Free Root Beer Lab Slides & Worksheet I’m sharing the exact materials I use in my classroom—grab them in the show notes and try it out yourself!

🌍 It’s All About Carbon Activity (TPT) If you want to go deeper with carbon cycles and real-world connections, this is a great extension for your students

🧪 Join the Lab Membership Waitlist

This lab is a perfect example of the kind of ready-to-run, classroom-tested resources coming to the Confident Chemistry Teacher Lab Membership this October

👉 Join the waitlist to get first access (and founding member pricing!)

💡 Teacher Tip of the Week:

Dry ice doesn’t melt… it disappears 👀 If you buy 5 pounds the night before, you might walk into school with only 2 pounds left by first period.

Save yourself the stress and call ahead—have your store hold it for you the morning of your lab.

🎙️ Coming Next Week… Next episode, I’m switching gears a bit and sharing how I’m planning my summer goals—both for my classroom and my business.

If you’ve ever felt like summer flies by and you didn’t get done what you wanted to get done…this one’s for you.

💛 As always… Keep inspiring, keep experimenting, and keep being awesome in your classrooms.

🌐 Website: chemschemistryclassroom.com
👩‍🏫 Join our community: The Confident Chemistry Teacher Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/767528946010479/ 
📸 Come say hi on Instagram: @chemschemistryclassroom
🛒 Grab resources on TPT: Chem’s Chemistry Classroom