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Science Thursdays

Experiment Quick Links
Identify Acids Make an Acid/Base Indicator Make Invisible Ink

2nd Thursday of the Month

Join Dr. Lisa Chirlian the Second Thursday of each month as she plays Science Fact-or-Fiction, and gives you a chance to win the greatest prize of all... the prize of knowledge!

Chemistry In Your Kitchen!

Chemistry is the study of the way materials are put together and how they act under various conditions and best of all - - chemistry is ALL around us! Did you know that you have a chemistry lab right in your own home? These experiments use everyday materials and can be performed in an ordinary kitchen. Before we begin, there are some General Safety Rules to learn.

Always be sure to have a responsible adult supervising your experiment - in fact, make Kitchen Chemistry a family experience!
Never taste food that you are using for a science experiment - not only might it taste bad, it could also be bad FOR you.
Finally, as a general safety precaution, never mix bleach or ammonia with anything else!

Now that you have those rules - let's learn about chemistry!

Using Baking Soda To Find Acids

Some of the things we find in kitchens are acids. Acids are found in foods that taste sour. Here is a way to use baking soda to identify acids in the kitchen. When baking soda is mixed with an acid, bubbles of carbon dioxide form. If baking soda is mixed with a base or a neutral (neither an acid nor a base), no bubbles form.

Materials Needed
* baking soda
* water milk
* vinegar
* fruit juices (for example, lemon, pineapple, orange, apple)
* liquid soap
* several small cups

Place about a teaspoon of baking soda in each of the small cups. Add some of each liquid to the baking soda. If bubbles form, you've found an acid!

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Making An Acid/Base Indicator
With Cabbage Juice

Baking soda can only identify acids. You can use cabbage leaves to make an indicator (a substance which changes different colors in acids or bases). Cabbage juice is bluish and turns red in acids and green in bases.

Materials Needed
* a few red cabbage leaves
* water
* milk
* vinegar
* fruit juices (for example, lemon, pineapple, orange, apple)
* liquid soap
* Milk of Magnesia
* several small cups (clear cups work best)

Rip the cabbage leaves into small pieces. Place in a pan and cover with water. Heat the water until it boils and then turn down the heat. Let the cabbage leaves simmer for 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Strain the leaves out of the juice. Put the juice in each of the small cups. Add some of each liquid to the cabbage juice and watch the color change!

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Making Invisible Ink

You can make several different kinds of invisible ink in the kitchen. Lemon juice and milk both become visible when heated. A solution of baking soda and water becomes visible when grape juice is painted over it.

Materials Needed
* lemon juice
* milk
* baking soda dissolved in water
* purple grape juice
* Q-tips
* white paper

Use a Q-tip to write a secret message with lemon juice. Let it dry. Get an adult to help you go over the paper with a warm iron. The message will appear in brown. Try the same thing with milk. Use a Q-tip to write a secret message with the baking soda solution. Let it dry. Paint over the message with grape juice. The grape juice will change color and show your message.