What are scientific principles to vinegar and baking soda being mixed together?

Answer 1

Baking soda is the house old name for sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), which contains a sodium ion (Na+), carbon dioxide (CO2) and a hydroxide ion (OH-) that makes it basic. When the hydroxide group is introduced to acidic hydrogen ions (H+) in the acetic acid in the vinegar it forms water in a PH neutralization reaction:

H+ + OH- --> H2O

The sodium ion left pairs up with the acetate group left to form sodium acetate:

Na+ + CH3COO- --> CH3COONa

The left over carbon dioxide in the sodium bicarbonate is given off as a gas. The over all reaction is as followed:

NaHCO3 + CH3COOH --> CH3COONa + H2O + CO2

The reaction dose not "explode" by itself, but the pressure from the build up of carbon dioxide if the reaction is done in a enclosed area may be enough to cause spontaneous failure of the container, resulting in a "explosion".