Colour Changing Magic Potion

How fun was this colour changing magic potion experiment! The more you make the bigger your potion! Be warned! This can make a mess, so it is best to do outdoors or in a large tray.

 

To make this colour changing magic potion, you will need:

• Red cabbage
• Knife
• Saucepan
• Water
• Colander
• 2 clear jars / glasses
• 1 heaped teaspoon bi-carb (baking) soda
• 3 TBSP white vinegar

Chop the red cabbage into small pieces, place in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for 15 minutes. (An adult should be present for this)

Remove from heat and let cool, then drain the purple juice into a bowl.

Add about ¼ cup of the cold purple juice to each of the jars /glasses.

To one of the jars, slowly add the bi-carb (baking) soda and watch it change colour.

 

To the other jar, slowly pour in the white vinegar, watching as this also changes colour.

 

Then, (this is the messy part) to make the magic potion erupt, slowly pour the jar with the juice and white vinegar into the jar with the juice and bi-carb soda.

 

How does this work?

Pigments give things colour. The pigments in the cabbage juice change shape and absorb light when they are exposed to an acid or a base. Vinegar is an acid and turns the potion pink whereas bi-carb soda is a base and turns the potion bluish-green.

When you mix the vinegar and bi-carb soda mixes together, a chemical reaction takes place. A product called carbon dioxide is produced and causes the potion to foam up.