28/07/2026
No matter how large or small the scientist may be, proper safety gear must always be worn when launching rockets!
Goggles are a MUST whenever there is any risk of a foreign object or substance being introduced into the eye. In the case of our bicarb-and-vinegar rocket here, that substance could be acetic acid, aka C2H4O2!
Acetic acid is a corrosive chemical, meaning it can cause certain materials - including organic matter! - to dissolve on contact! Eek! Luckily, though, household vinegar is about 93-96% water, meaning that corrosive power is highly diluted and will instead leave your tongue tingling if you sprinkle some on a tasty salad.
However, even in this dilute state, vinegar is dangerous to get in your eyes! Your eyes are incredibly sensitive, and your cornea - the clear "lens"-like structure at the front of your eye - has the most densely packed nerve structures in your entire body! They're absolutely teeny tiny though, at just 0.5 micrometers wide they're hundreds of times thinner than a human hair, which is why you can't see them in your field of vision.
These densely packed nerves are why getting vinegar in your eye would sting so much - ouch! But that stinging is important, and it means your nerves are doing their job! By being so sensitive, they trigger a near-instant blinking + tearing up response, which both protects the eye from further harm AND flushes out any foreign objects, like dust or shampoo!
Your eye's natural defences are well and good, but if you ever get any foreign substances in your eyes, then the best thing to do is hold your eye open and rinse it out with plenty of sterile saline, commonly found in little sealed vials in First Aid Kits. You can also use contact lens solution for this! If nothing else is available, then plenty of fresh water will also do the trick.
Remember kids, the first rule of Science is: have fun and be yourself!
The second rule is: always wear the right protection for the experiment!
- Professor Archie
