Thursday, May 24, 2012

Color Changing Volcanic Lemonade - The Mad Scientists Strike Again


Fizzy acid/base reactions never get old, do they?


But, add a pH indicator, like say a viola infusion (see yesterday's Mad Science Make-up Lab for instructions), into the mix...


...and the same old, same old type of fun - which is still fun, becomes mad science fun - which is so much better.


Red cabbage water would work just as well for this, but it wouldn't taste as good - and yes, I said taste, because after all, if you use a powdered sugar free lemonade mix to introduce an acid to the infusion, instead of the normal vinegar...


...you won't just get a color changing volcano, you will get a color changing volcanic lemonade!


 Not a very good lemonade, mind you (there's a definite baking soda aftertaste).


But, with a little bit of tinkering...


...to adjust the ratio of baking soda...


 ...to lemonade, you can come up with a mixture...


...that if not quite good...


...is still good enough to share with the rest of the mad scientists hanging around the lair.


It's great to be a homeschooler.

6 comments:

Cristy said...

I guess I am going to have to go buy some sugar free lemonade and plant some violas. These experiments are great!

Phyllis said...

Very, very cool. I am assuming lemonade mix with sugar instead would work, too, right? We are allergic to artificial sweeteners.

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

The science that can be tasted is the best, isn't it?

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Phyllis - Yes, the sugared kind would work, too. It will just add a stickiness factor to the fun :)

Amy Dingmann said...

Science is our favorite and anything that fizzes or threatens to "explode" is our favorite. All the better if you can tinker with it to make it somewhat tasteable!

no spring chicken said...

I had to come visit when I saw the name of your blog on Phyllis' comments. That totally defines us!! Isn't almost unschooling the greatest? :)

Blessings, Debbie