color changing cabbage experiment

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Science Exploration- Color Changing Cabbage

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Red cabbage has some unique properties that allow it to change color in the presence of other substances. In this experiment, we will show you how to make the red cabbage solution and also explore its color-changing properties!

Mess Level: Medium

Here is what you need (to make the cabbage indicator solution):

• 2 Cups of Red Cabbage (finely chopped)

• Large glass container

• Hot Plate or Stove Top

• Adult Supervision!

Here is what you need (to test):

• Red Cabbage indicator solution

• Lemon Juice

• Baking Soda

• Antacid (Tums or Rolaids)

• 4-6 small bowls or cups (you will want one for each testing ingredient)

• Safety Glasses

• Paper Towels

What to do (to make the cabbage indicator solution):

1. Before starting the activity, make sure you have adult supervision!

2. Place 2 cups of finely chopped red cabbage into a large glass container

3. Pour boiling water into the glass container and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. The color will start to leach out of the cabbage

4. When the liquid has turned a reddish-blue color, use a strainer to filter out the plant material from the liquid

5. Pour the liquid into a container and label it. This is your cabbage indicator solution.

6. You can store your cabbage indicator in the fridge in a screw top jar for up to a week.

What to do (to test):

1. Make labels for each of your testing ingredients (lemon juice, antacid, vinegar, baking soda)

2. Pour ½ cup of the cabbage indicator into small, individual cups or bowls

3. Place your labels next to each of the containers and add the corresponding testing ingredient into the cabbage indicator

4. Observe the changing colors

How did that work?

Red cabbage juice is considered to be an indicator because it shows us something about the chemical composition of other substances. Red cabbage contains a chemical called anthocyanin that changes color when it is mixed with an acid or a base.

When the liquid is a red or purple color it means that it is more acidic. When the liquid is a blue, green, or yellow color it means that the liquid is more basic.

You can conduct a neutralization experiment using a cabbage juice indicator. First, add an acidic solution such as vinegar or lemon, then juice until a reddish color is obtained. Add baking soda or antacids to make the mixture more neutral.

Try experimenting with other household substances like orange juice, Coca-Cola, ammonia, or milk to see what colors they turn the cabbage indicator solution. Based on the color they turn the cabbage indicator, try to determine which are acids and which are bases.

Magic Colour Changing Potions Science Activity

April 18, 2017 by Anna Ranson

This magic colour changing potions science activity is a true classic and one we have had on our must-do list for years. We have a well-loved copy of 365 Science Activities Book and the kids have turned over the corners of all of their favourites, which we pull out and work our way through in our after school or weekend fun times.

For this magic colour changing potions experiment you will need:

one red cabbage

bicarbonate of soda (baking soda in the US)

clean, empty jam jars

[Amazon affiliate links]

Instructions:

Firstly you need to make the cabbage water. We poured boiling water over a whole, small red cabbage in a bowl and left it to steep in the water for about half an hour. Then we simply poured it through a sieve and collected the water into a large jug.

How much water you decide to use will depend on how many times you want to try the experiment and how intense you wish the colour to be. We used one kettle full of water, approximately.

I was expecting the water to be purple, but it was very blue instead! I don’t know if this was something to do with the type of cabbage we used but the experiment worked very well regardless. Yours may be purple when you make it- let me know!

Into four empty jam jars I tipped the cabbage water and then added varying amounts of water to dilute it, so that it ranged in colour intensity. We simply did this so that it would be a nice visual comparison.

Ready to go!

Next, the kids each took it in turns to make some magic happen and they were each wowed as they did so (me too!)

Next we added some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the (now pink) water and watched in awe as it bubbled up and turned purple! Again, the range of hues was gorgeous.

We decided to continue adding the two ingredients one after the other to see what effect they might have. So after the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, we then tipped out a little of the liquid and then added more vinegar again. This time it turned from bright pink to a gorgeous range of purples! They really enjoyed the role of potion makers and turned it into an imaginative play game, similar to our Harry Potter potions class we did last year.

Then they simply enjoyed adding and mixing the ingredients freely to see how many different colours they could create. The range was gorgeous!

So, what’s the science behind the fun and magic of the colour changing “potions”?

It’s actually pretty simple to explain although younger kids won’t yet understand the meaning of some of the more scientific words.

Cabbage water = an indicator

Vinegar = an acid

Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda) = an alkaline

The cabbage water is an indicator which can show how acid or alkaline a liquid is when it is added to it.  A chemical reaction takes place which causes it to change colour. Scientists take this one step further and use PH test strips to dip into liquids and take a look at the colour which shows up.

You could think up more liquids which are acids and alkalines and experiment with using them, seeing what effect they may or may not have. Try using water and other PH neutral liquids to see if anything happens when they are added too.

I have read that Milk of Magnesia and washing up liquid turn the original cabbage water green as they are bases! We are trying that next and may make another video to add alongside this one in this post. Watch this space.

We are going to try this again and report back if we manage to create any new colours or find any more cool ways to play!

Until then, please share this Magic Colour Changing Potions experiment if you love it, and give it a try for yourselves!

And be inspired by lots of other SCIENCE ACTIVITIES and PLAY INVESTIGATIONS in our archives here.

[This post contains some Amazon affiliate links to help you find products easily. Thanks for your support.]

Privacy Overview

A Dash of Science

Color-Changing Cabbage Experiment

Did you know that you can change the color of red cabbage without using any dyes? Red cabbage gets its great purple color from anthocyanins. Anthocyanins, like most plant pigments, change color based on the pH of their environment. So when red cabbage is put into an acidic or basic solution it looses its characteristic “red” color.

This experiment is really easy. All you need is a red cabbage, baking soda, vinegar and about 30 mintues.

• 1 cup of diced red cabbage
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pot and lid
• several bowls

1. Put water on the stove to boil.

2.  Dice  enough red cabbage to fill approximately 1 cup.

3. Once the water is boiling, put in the red cabbage and simmer for 15 minutes.

4.  Strain the cabbage to collect the colored water.

5.  Pour the cabbage water into three different containers. In one container add the vinegar and stir. In another container add the baking soda and stir.

Expected Results

The originial cabbage water should be a purple-blue color. The acidic solution that has vinegar in it should look pink or red. The basic solution that has baking soda in it should be blue, turquoise or green.

Experiment Variations

Change the actual cabbage color by boiling the cabbage in the acidic or basic solutions. Acidic solution: 100mL water and 20mL vinegar. Basic solution: 120 mL water and 1/4 tsp baking soda. There is a lot less water (only about 1/2 cup) so make sure the cabbage doesn’t scorch.

Play around with the amount of vinegar or baking soda. The anthocyanins in red cabbage are very sensitive to pH changes. Because of this, red cabbage juice can be used as a pH indicator. You can tell the approximate pH of something by what color it turns cabbage juice.     CAUTION: do not mix the vinegar with the baking soda unless you want a mini volcano (another fun science experiment).

Other vegetables to experiment with: beets, carrots, spinach, and rice. Note: the pigments in carrots and rice don’t go into water well so do the first experiment variation method for those.

I had a lot of fun doing this experiment and some of the variations. I hope you do too. Let me know how it goes!

Images: Nathalie Dulex   and Supermartl

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1 thought on “color-changing cabbage experiment”.

Very cool! The detail and pictures are very helpful.

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Red Cabbage Indicator Colour Changing Potions

June 30, 2018 By Emma Vanstone 3 Comments

These red cabbage indicator colour changing potions are fantastic fun for kids of all ages and very easy to create. We used red cabbage indicator and added different amounts of baking soda ( an alkali ) and vinegar ( an acid ) to make the different colours.

What is a pH Indicator?

A  pH indicator  is a substance which has one colour when added to an  acidic solution  and a different colour when added to an  alkaline solution .

Acids have a low pH and bases a high pH.

Why does red cabbage make a good indicator?

Red cabbage contains a chemical called anthocyanin. This changes colour depending on the acidity of its environment. It turns a pink/red colour in the presence of an acid, is purple when neutral and when added to an alkaline substance turns blue or green.

How to make Colour Changing Potions

Red cabbage indicator ingredients.

Red Cabbage ( chopped )

Selection of jugs, jars and beakers

Dish soap ( washing up liquid )

Instructions

Place your chopped red cabbage into a pan, cover with water and heat until the water turns purple ( ask an adult to help )

Carefully pour the mixture through a strainer to remove the red cabbage and collect the solution in a container.

Pour the indicator into smaller beakers, it doesn’t really matter how much you use, but we made ours about half full.

Add different amounts of baking soda or vinegar to each one.

How many different colours can you make?

Colour Changing Potions Challenge

For a little extra fun, you can add vineger to a beaker containing baking soda and vice versa to see a fizzy colour changing reaction.

Safety note

Wear safety goggles if using strong acids/bases.

An adult should help with the chopping and heating of the cabbage.

More Red Cabbage Indicator Ideas

We love how The Science Kiddo froze some red cabbage indicator to test different substances

Make your own pH indicator test strips

Last Updated on February 13, 2020 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

June 06, 2019 at 1:37 am

Hi! I was wondering if you mixed the colors together? I am trying every where to find mixing colors for a Harry Potter themed gender reveal and I cannot figure this out. Can you help?

November 29, 2020 at 8:51 pm

So why do you need the dishwash liquid? That’s not explained

December 01, 2020 at 5:25 pm

Hello, the washing up liquid is to help the mixture foam up better.

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Learn the science behind:

How Red Cabbage Changes Color – The Science of Blue, Pink and pH

• November 10, 2021
• Researching Ingredients
• color , vegetables

Want to give your red cabbage salad a nice vibrant pinkish color? Just sprinkle in a little lime juice and your previously purple cabbage will turn pink! Or, to lighten up your cooked cabbage, add a few pieces of apple while cooking and it will turn into a lighter color.

Wondering why this happens? It’s a great combination of complex molecules, pH, and our eyes. And it’s not even unique to red cabbage. Plenty of products in nature change color, depending on their environment!

What gives red cabbage its color?

Colors are all around us. They’re so common that you might think they’re simple as well. However, that’s not the case. Color and how we perceive color is a fascinating (but complex) topic. Colors can change depending on how and where you look at them (e.g. under what type of light). It depends on how light is reflected from the color’s surface and gets into our eyes. For a color to be visible, certain wavelengths of light have to be reflected and absorbed to reach our eyes.

This reflection and absorption are often done by complex molecules with quite specific structures. In the case of red cabbage, the color stems from the presence of a group of molecules called anthocyanins. This is just one group of molecules that can give foods a red-ish color, there are many more .

Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are a large group of molecules that all have the same basic structure, containing three rings of atoms (see below). Each anthocyanin contains the same core structure which is crucial for absorbing and reflecting light to make a color. Just exactly how this works is too detailed for this article (we’d recommend reading one of the references below). In short, this special structure allows the molecule to spread a charge (positive or negative) over several atoms.

Each anthocyanin type will have a different configuration of the R-groups in the structure below. Some might be very simple and only contain hydrogen atoms in those locations. Others may contain larger complex structures. These different configurations will change how the molecule interacts with light and thus what color it is exactly. That said, all anthocyanins will have a red/black/purple/blue-ish color.

A mix of anthocyanins

Red cabbage doesn’t just contain one type of anthocyanin molecule. Instead, it contains over 15 different ones!

Anthocyanins are quite common in fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, blackberries, and certain red grapes, all contain anthocyanins. None contain just one type of anthocyanin molecule, it is always a mixture. It’s the mix of molecules that give each product its unique color and behavior.

Anthocyanins are responsible for most reds/purples in plants. There are a few notable exceptions: tomatoes (lycopene) & red beets ( betanins )!

Why does red cabbage change color?

So the chemical structure and coordination of anthocyanins determine their color. This structure happens to be very sensitive to the acidity of the environment surrounding it. It influences how it organizes the electrons within the molecule.

An acidic environment contains a lot of protons (H + ). This results in the anthocyanin structure we shared above (with the O + ). However, under less acidic conditions, this O + -group will lose its positive charge, resulting in other structural changes. These structural changes cause the molecule to interact differently with light and that results in a different color. Some anthocyanins can even completely lose color due to these changes.

The measure for acidity is the pH-value. A value between 0-7 is acidic, from 7-14 it’s alkaline. We’ve discussed acid base reactions in more detail here .

Red cabbage color changes

The type of anthocyanins present determines just how they will respond to a change in the pH-value of the environment. In the case of red cabbage the color roughly changes as follows (from: Stanford ):

• pH ≈ 2: red/bright pink, lime juice (which we sprinkled on top of our salad) will cause the pH to sink down this low and make the cabbage red
• pH ≈ 4: light purple
• pH ≈ 6: violet (aka dark purple), this is approximately the color of your ‘native’ red cabbage, how you buy it
• pH ≈ 8: blue

At an even higher pH value, the red cabbage can even turn green/yellowish, however, you won’t generally encounter this when prepping red cabbage.

Controlling the color of red cabbage

In order to keep red cabbage in your preferred color, you have to control the acidity of the environment. In most instances, you’d probably be looking for a red/purple color as opposed to a blue one.

As discussed at the top of this article, add a squirt of lime (or lemon) juice or vinegar to your red cabbage salad to give it those bright and vibrant colors. These are all acidic ingredients that will keep the pH-value low.

Cooking red cabbage

If boiling red cabbage in water, you can add a little bit of acidity to the boiling liquid to keep it nice and red. Often, apples may be added. They add some sourness to keep the pH-value low but also add a nice hint of sweetness to the final dish!

Note that, unlike a lot of other colors in fruits and vegetables (e.g. chlorophyll ), anthocyanins aren’t that sensitive to heat. You can safely cook or boil your red cabbage without losing all of your pigments. Do try to keep the volume of boiling liquid low. A lot of anthocyanins will leach out of the red cabbage, in extreme cases you can even end up with pale red cabbage!

Changing the Colour of Red Cabbage

Since red cabbage can be changed in color so easily, it's a great vegetable to use in a real scientific experiment on pH!  You can force the cabbage to change color by adding something acidic or something alkaline (with a pH>7). You can also use the test to determine whether something's more acidic than another liquid you have. Let's see how that goes.

• Red cabbage leaves (4 large leaves are plenty)
• Acids you'd like to test, for instance: lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, orange juice, fruit juices, sodas! - take care to use regular food ingredients and no other chemicals, these might react a lot more strongly and vigorously.
• Alkaline ingredients you'd like to test, for example: baking soda, soaps
• A pot + stove
• Three clear glasses (take more if you want to test more liquids)
• Stirrer/spoons

Instructions

• Take the red cabbage leaves and break them in slightly smaller pieces. Place them in a pot and cover with water, you can add plenty of water (1-2 liters works well).
• Bring the cabbage to the boil and leave to boil for a few minutes, the water should have clearly changed color.
• Leave the cabbage + water to cool down until it's cool enough to pour in the glasses.
• Pour the 'red cabbage juice' in your glasses.
• Now the fun starts! Add one of your test liquids to a glass of red cabbage water. Start with just a few drops, stir where necessary and continue to add until you're happy with the color.
• !Be sure to be very careful when making acids and alkaline ingredients! These tend to react very intensely! For instance, baking soda and acid react and will bubble up quite intensely.

This is what happens when you add a bit of baking soda to the red cabbage juice, notice the blue color?!

Adding a squirt of lemon juice turns it pink!

Arapitsas, Panagiotis & Sjöberg, Per & Turner, Charlotta. (2008). Characterisation of anthocyanins in red cabbage using high resolution liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization-linear ion trap mass spectrometry. Food Chemistry. 109. 219-226. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.12.030.

Ummi Kalthum Ibrahim, Ida Idayu Muhammad and Ruzitah Mohd Salleh, 2011. The Effect of pH on Color Behavior of Brassica oleracea Anthocyanin. Journal of Applied Sciences, 11: 2406-2410. link

Pericles Markakis, Anthocyanins as food colors, Elsevier, 2012, chapter 1, link ; chapter 1 contains an extensive deep dive into the chemistry and the dependency on pH of anthocyanins

Pourjavaher, Simin; Almasi, Hadi; Meshkini, Saeed; Pirsa, Sajad; Parandi, Ehsan, Development of a colorimetric pH indicator based on bacterial cellulose nanofibers and red cabbage ( Brassica oleraceae ) extract, Carbohydrate Polymers 156 (2017) 193–201, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CARBPOL.2016.09.027

Science Buddies, Cabbage Chemistry–Finding Acids and Bases, Scientific American, Jan-26, 2012, link

Stanford, Red cabbage color indicator chart, here .

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Color Changing Liquids with Cabbage Juice and Dry Ice

It's a bubbling liquid that magically changes color thanks to an easy-to-make solution using purple cabbage and a piece of dry ice.

Print this Experiment

If a science activity bubbles furiously, belches clouds of water vapor while changing colors, and does it safely all at the same time, then you’ve hit the sweet spot of chemistry. With some planning and an eye on safety, you can combine materials that colorfully reveal a solution’s change from basic to neutral to acidic using leaves of purple cabbage and dry ice.

Experiment Videos

Here's What You'll Need

Two large plastic cups, 16 oz (473 ml), room temperature water 32 oz (946 ml), universal indicator (or red cabbage juice – see step 2), household ammonia, dry ice, 1 pound (454 g), heavy gloves, safety goggles, adult supervision, let's try it.

Fill one cup almost full with water.

Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of universal indicator solution (or red cabbage juice solution) to the cup of water. Stir it.

NOTE: To make red cabbage juice solution:

a) Tear two red cabbage leaves into small pieces. Leave out the big stems.

b) Dump the pieces into a saucepan and cover with double the water.

c) Boil and stir the solution. Mash the pieces as you stir. (Hold your nose.)

d) Strain the purple solution into a shallow dish and let it cool. Add some ice cubes to cool it quickly.

Wear the heavy gloves and add a few small pieces of dry ice to the water. Watch the bubbling, the clouds, and the color changes closely. This gives you an idea of what to expect next. Let the dry ice disappear completely.

Fill the second cup almost full with water. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of household ammonia and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of universal indicator (or red cabbage juice solution) and stir. Notice any unusual color changes as you stir the solutions.

Wearing gloves again, add a few pieces of dry ice to the mixture in the cup. Watch the bubbling, the clouds, but especially the color changes closely. How do you account for the colors you see?

How Does It Work

Chemically speaking, when you add dry ice to water, the result is a slightly acidic solution. While you can taste the tangy acidity of soda pop, you need something like universal indicator (or red cabbage juice) to actually detect the change in pH (by seeing the different colors). Remember that water usually has a neutral pH of 7.0. Acidic solutions have a pH range from 1.0 to 6.9 and basic solutions are 7.1 to 14.0. Adding dry ice to water results in a solution that has an acidic pH of about 4.5.

Universal indicator is actually a combination of many different acid/base indicators that produce different colors as the pH changes. Adding universal indicator to plain water gives you a good benchmark of the color of a “neutral” solution. Adding dry ice lowers the pH and results in a color change related to chemistry, not temperature.

Ammonia water is a basic solution (high pH). It works well for this demonstration but other bases like a weak solution of sodium hydroxide (washing soda) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) also work. Adding universal indicator (or red cabbage solution) to a solution of water and ammonia causes the indicator to turn a beautiful purple (a basic pH of about 11.6). Adding dry ice to this solution results in many color changes as the solution drops from basic down to neutral down to acidic.

Safety Information

NOTE: Whenever you use dry ice, always be aware of the rules for handling it safely.

• This is not a toy. It’s for demonstration purposes only.
• Use dry ice only with adult supervision.
• Dry ice must be handled using heavy gloves or tongs. It will cause severe burns if it comes in contact with bare or unprotected skin.
• Always wear safety goggles when handling dry ice. The debris and shards are extremely dangerous to your eyes. When tapping dry ice with a hammer, first cover it with a towel to keep the pieces in one place.
• Never put dry ice in your mouth.
• Never store dry ice in an airtight container. As the dry ice sublimates, gas pressure will build and the container will explode. Make sure your container is ventilated or has a loose-fitting lid.
• Do not store dry ice in your freezer. It will cause your freezer to become too cold and the freezer may shut off. On the other hand, if you lose power for an extended period, dry ice is a good way to keep things cold if you can get it.
• In the unlikely event of a dry ice burn, treat it the same as you would a heat burn. See a doctor if the skin blisters or comes off. Apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and bandage mild burns.

What is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is not frozen water – it’s frozen carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Unlike most solids, dry ice does not melt into a liquid as the temperature rises, but instead, changes directly into a gas. This process is called sublimation . The temperature of dry ice is – 109.3°F (-78.5°C). Dry ice is particularly useful for keeping things cold because of its temperature. Dry ice does not last very long, however, so it’s important to purchase the dry ice you need for these science activities as close as possible to the time you need it. The best place to store dry ice is in a Styrofoam ice chest with a loose fitting lid that allows the CO 2 to escape as the ice sublimates.

Some grocery stores and ice companies will sell dry ice to the public especially around Halloween. Dry ice is typically sold as flat, square slabs a few inches thick or as cylinders that are about three inches long and about a half-inch thick. Either size will work fine for these experiments.

Remember the science when purchasing dry ice. Dry ice in a grocery bag will vanish in about a day. The experts tell us that, depending on weather conditions, dry ice will sublimate at a rate of 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 to 4.5 kg) every 24 hours even in a typical Styrofoam chest. So, again, it’s best to purchase the dry ice as close to the time you need it as possible. Last minute shopping is necessary. If you are planning to perform a number of dry ice demonstrations or have a lot of people involved, purchase 5 to 10 pounds  (2.3 to 4.5 kg). A little dry ice does go a long way in these activities.

How is Dry Ice Made?

The first step in making dry ice is to compress carbon dioxide gas (CO 2 ) until it liquefies while at the same time removing excess heat. The CO 2 will liquefy at a pressure of approximately 870 pounds per square inch (4500 cmHg)  at room temperature. Once liquid CO 2 is formed, the CO 2 is sent through an expansion valve and enters a pressure chamber. This pressure change causes the liquid to flash into a solid and causes the temperature to drop quickly. About 46% of the gas will freeze into “dry ice snow.” The rest of the CO 2 , about 54%, is released into the atmosphere or recovered to be used again. The dry ice snow is collected in a chamber where it is compressed into block, pellet, or rice-sized pieces using hydraulics. It’s complicated but really cool science –  really cool.

Can you make your own dry ice? Sure, anything is possible, but it’s not practical (unless you have a huge tank of compressed CO 2 sitting around and lots of extra time and equipment on your hands). For around $2 US a pound, it’s hard to beat the convenience of just purchasing it at the store.

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FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Red Cabbage Chemistry

Hands-on Activity Red Cabbage Chemistry

Grade Level: 8 (7-9)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $5.00

Group Size: 3

Activity Dependency: Introduction to Environmental Engineering Introduction to Water Chemistry

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Measurement, Physical Science, Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Science and Technology

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Thinking Green!
• Chromatography Lab
• Water Remediation Lab
• Density Column Lab - Part 1
• Density Column Lab - Part 2

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Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, pre-req knowledge, introduction/motivation, vocabulary/definitions, troubleshooting tips, activity extensions, activity scaling, user comments & tips.

An important consideration for environmental and chemical engineers is pH. The pH of different liquids and solutions, particularly the pH of bodies of water, are important in describing the behavior of different minerals and chemicals. For example, with increasing acidic pH values, water begins to cause harm and destruction of ecosystems and minerals, such as dissolving the calcium carbonate shells of mollusks, or making ecosystems unlivable for plants and animals.

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Define acidity and basicity and how they relate to different liquids.
• Relate the importance of pH to environmental systems such as lakes, rivers and oceans, as well as environmental engineering concerns.
• Explain how pH, acids and bases are important factors in natural systems, such as the human body.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State standards, missouri - science.

Each group needs:

• eight 5-ounce (~148 ml) paper cups, containing vinegar, lemon juice, milk, 7-Up or Sprite, baking soda, Windex, and red cabbage juice indicator (prepared by teacher, see below), respectively
• 7 pH indicator strips
• Red Cabbage Chemistry Worksheet , one per student

For the teacher (to prepare group materials; instructions in Procedure section):

• 2 red cabbages
• large pot, water, stove, strainer
• pitcher or jug, to hold red cabbage indicator from pot
• marker, to label paper cups
• tablespoon, to measure baking soda
• extra 5-ounce paper cups, to double-up on the Windex cups
• the seven test items (as listed above), enough for all teams

Have students complete the Introduction to Water Chemistry lesson before conducting this activity.

Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes colors depending on the acidity of the solution. The pigment in red cabbage that causes the red color change is called flavin (an anthocyanin).

Flavin is a water-soluble pigment also found in apple skins, plums and grapes. Very acidic solutions turn the indicator a red color, neutral solutions turn the indicator a purple color, and basic solutions turn the indicator a greenish-yellow color.

The pH of a solution expresses the concentration of hydrogen ions (H + ). At a lower pH, more hydrogen ions are in solution, and therefore the solution is acidic. Many reactions in nature involves an increase or decrease in acidity. For example, as CO 2 concentrations in the atmosphere increase, greater amounts are dissolved in the oceans, reacting with H 2 O to form carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ). Carbonic acid quickly disassociates into bicarbonate(HCO3 - ) and hydrogen ion (H + ).

Environmental and chemical engineers who focus on water quality, water treatment and water remediation need to measure, monitor and sometimes even adjust the pH of water. For example, in the water treatment process, important chemical reactions are affected by the pH of the water. Through today's activity, we will learn more about the pH of different liquids.

Before the Activity

• Gather materials and make copies of the Red Cabbage Chemistry Worksheet .
• For each group, label eight paper cups: milk, water, baking soda, Windex, soda pop, lemon juice, vinegar, cabbage indicator.

• On the day of the activity, fill each cup halfway (or less) with its respective liquid or powder (a tablespoon of baking soda). Double up on the Windex cup to prevent it leaking through. It does not take much indicator before one can see a color change, so small amounts of the cabbage indicator from its cup will be added to each of the seven cups of other liquids.

With the Students

• Divide the class into groups of three students each.
• Hand out the worksheets.
• Direct student groups to each pour a small amount from the "cabbage indicator" cup into the seven cups of different liquids and a powder. Add just enough indicator until a color change appears. Have students record their observations on the worksheet and rank the test items based on their pH values (1 = lowest pH, 7 = highest pH).
• Then have students use pH-indicator strips to measure and record the pH of the liquids in each cup.
• Have students complete the worksheet questions.
• Conclude by leading a class discussion to compare results and conclusions, and make the connection to real-world applications, as described in the Assessment section.

acid: A solution with a sour-taste and low pH value.

base: A solution with a sweet taste and high pH value.

indicator: A solution that changes colors in the presence of acids and bases to help indicate the pH value.

pH: A scale that measures acidity and basicity.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Lesson Recap & Predictions: As a class, review the concepts presented in the associated lesson that relate to pH. Focus the conversation on topics such as acid rain and acid mine drainage. Have students predict which test liquids they think are acidic and which are basic.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Worksheet: Have students use the Red Cabbage Chemistry Worksheet to record their data and answer questions. Observe their written observations, data and answers to gauge their comprehension.

What's Going On? While students are conducting the lab, walk around and ask them questions to keep them engaged and on task, such as: Are the results from the indicator test what you expected? Why or why not?

Post-Activity Assessment

Wrap-Up Discussion: At lab end, bring students together as a class and ask them the following questions. Make sure everyone understands the answers.

• How did your results from the red cabbage pH indicator compare to the pH indicator strips? What are similarities and/or differences? (Listen to student experiences; answers will vary. From most acidic to most basic, the pH values of the tested items are: lemon juice [2], vinegar [3], soda pop [4], milk [6], pure water [7, neutral], baking soda [9], Windex [11, an ammonia solution].)
• What other acids and bases do we encounter every day? (Listen to student ideas. Example everyday acids and their typical pH values: Battery acid [0], citrus fruit juices [citric acid] such as in lemonade [2-3], tea [4-6], bananas [5], black coffee [5+], rainwater [5-6], shampoo [varies, usually slightly acidic]. Example everyday bases: Egg whites [8], antacids [9-10], soapy water [12], bleach [13], oven cleaner [13], liquid drain cleaner [14]. Oven cleaners are designed to have pH values greater than 12 because the grease, fat and carbon found in ovens are easily dissolved in reaction with extremely alkaline [base] solutions. A range of pH values are found in the human body from highly acidic gastric acids [1] to skin [5.5] to blood [7.4]. Tums ® is a base that is designed to help neutralize stomach acids. See if students want to extend the activity by testing other items of interest.)
• Why is understanding the pH value of liquids important to environmental engineers? (Points to make: Human activity can disturb the natural balance necessary for ecosystems to work. Engineers are focused on preventing and fixing situations that put our natural environment at risk, for example, by the alteration of pH levels from the misuse and overuse of natural resources—acid mine drainage, industrial waste, leaking sewage and fuel tanks, agricultural chemical runoff, dissolved pharmaceuticals, etc. Talk about acid neutralization remediation using bases and make the connection to what students learned in the lab. Engineers also need to know about pH to design tools such as the pH indicator strips.)
• You've heard of "acid rain." Why are we concerned about acid rain? (Answer: The pH of water is generally neutral [7], and rainwater is slightly acidic [5-6], but acid rain is much more acid [2-6] and thus, corrosive. This is not the natural pH of rainwater and it alters the environment for wildlife, trees and plants, and slowly deteriorates buildings and statues. With increasing acidity, water begins to cause harm and destruction of ecosystems, such as slowing the reproduction of fish and other marine life and being too acidic to survive, or dissolving the minerals such as calcium carbonate that form the shells of mollusks.)
• From what you know now, what would happen if we mixed some of our solutions? (If time remains, have students mix solutions they found to be acidic with solutions that they found to be basic to observe any chemical reactions and corresponding color changes. Or, add baking soda to the acidic solutions to neutralize them.)

Double up on the paper cup with the Windex; otherwise, it tends to leak after a few minutes.

Have students test other liquids for their pH values and/or perform this lab activity at home. Consider testing items found in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and garden.

• For lower grades, conduct the similar Acid (and Base) Rainbows activity, targeted for sixth grade students.

Have students use this equation for each liquid's pH value to determine the concentration of hydrogen ion in each of the seven liquids.

Students are introduced to acids and bases, and the environmental problem of acid rain. Students also conduct a simple experiment to model and discuss the harmful effects of acid rain on our living and non-living environment.

Students learn the basics of acid/base chemistry in a fun, interactive way by studying instances of acid/base chemistry found in popular films such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and National Treasure. Students learn what acids, bases and indicators are and how they can be used, includi...

Students use a simple pH indicator to measure how much CO2 is produced during respiration, at rest and after exercising. They begin by comparing some common household solutions in order to determine the color change of the indicator.

Students learn about the basic properties of light and how light interacts with objects. They are introduced to the additive and subtractive color systems, and the phenomena of refraction. Students further explore the differences between the additive and subtractive color systems via predictions, ob...

Helmenstine, Anne Marie. Chemistry. Red Cabbage pH Indicator - How to Make Red Cabbage pH Indicator . About.com: Accessed September 15, 2009. http://chemistry.about.com/od/acidsbase1/a/red-cabbage-ph-indicator.htm

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

This curriculum was developed with support from National Science Foundation GK-12 grant number DGE 0538541. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the NSF, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: October 26, 2023

January 26, 2012

Cabbage Chemistry--Finding Acids and Bases

A colorful chemistry challenge from Science Buddies

By Science Buddies

Key concepts Chemistry Acids Bases Light

Introduction You might have done experiments with well-labeled acids and bases in school, but have you ever wondered whether a certain food or chemical around the house is an acid or a base? You can find out using a red cabbage to make an indicator solution.

When two or more ingredients are entirely dissolved in one another, you have a solution. For example, mixing salt with water creates a clear solution, even though the salt is there and the solution tastes salty. When mixed with water, whether a chemical "donates" a charged particle (called an ion) to the solution—in this case, a hydrogen ion—or "accepts" one from it determines whether it's an acidic or basic solution. An indicator changes color when exposed to such a mixture, depending on whether the solution is acidic or basic.

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Background Acids are solutions that lose hydrogen ions and usually taste sour. Some very common household solutions are acids, such as citrus fruit juices and household vinegar. Bases are solutions that pull hydrogen ions out of solution and onto themselves, "accepting" them, and usually feel slippery. Bases have many practical uses. For example, "antacids" like TUMS are used to reduce the acidity in your stomach. Other bases make useful household cleaning products.

To tell if something is an acid or a base, you can use a chemical called an indicator. An indicator changes color when it encounters an acid or base. There are many different types of indicators, some that are liquids and others that are concentrated on little strips of "litmus" paper. Indicators can be extracted from many different sources, including the pigment of many plants. For example, red cabbages contain an indicator pigment molecule called flavin, which is a type of molecule called an anthocyanin. Very acidic solutions will turn an anthocyanin red whereas neutral solutions will make it purplish and basic solutions will turn it greenish-yellow. Consequently, the color an anthocyanin solution turns can be used to determine a solution's pH—a measure of how basic or acidic a solution is.

Materials •    A small red cabbage •    Pot of boiling water •    Strainer •    Two large bowls or pots •    Grater •    Tablespoon measurer •    Large spoon (optional) •    Three or more small, white paper cups (small, white paper drinking glasses or dishes will also work) •    Goggles or other protective eyewear •    Lemon or lime juice •    Vinegar •    Bleach-based cleaning product •    Other foods to test, such as clear soda pop, baking soda solution, egg whites, tomatoes, cottage cheese (optional) Preparation •    Grate a small red cabbage. If you do not want to grate the entire cabbage, grating half of a cabbage should be enough. Put the fine, pulpy grated cabbage into a large bowl or pot. •    Boil a pot of water. Use caution when handling the boiling water. Pour the boiling water into the bowl with the cabbage pulp until the water just covers the cabbage. •    Leave the cabbage mixture steeping, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is room temperature. This should take at least half an hour. The liquid will become red or purplish-red in color. •    Place a strainer over another large bowl or pot and pour the cabbage mixture through the strainer to remove the cabbage pulp. Press down on the pulp in the strainer, such as by using a large spoon, to squeeze more liquid out of the pulp. •    In the bowl, you should now have only liquid that will either be purple or blue in color. This will be your indicator solution, which you will use to test the pH of different liquids. •    Children should wear goggles or other protective eyewear and adults should supervise and use caution when handling bleach and vinegar, because they can irritate eyes and skin. Procedure •    Fill a small, white paper cup, drinking glass or white dish with one tablespoon of your cabbage-indicator solution. What is the color of your indicator solution? •    Add drops of lemon or lime juice to the indicator solution until you see the solution change in color. Gently swirl the solution and make sure the color stays the same. What color did the solution become? •    The color of the solution will change depending on its pH: Red color indicates the pH is 2; Purple indicates pH 4; Violet indicates pH 6; Blue indicates pH 8; Blue-green indicates pH 10; Greenish-yellow indicates pH 12. •     Based on its color, what is the pH of the lemon or lime juice solution? •    In another small, white paper cup, add one tablespoon of your original cabbage-indicator solution. Add drops of vinegar until you see the solution change color. What color did the vinegar solution become? What is the pH of the solution? •    In a third small, white paper cup, add one tablespoon of your original cabbage-indicator solution. Handling it with caution, add drops of the bleach cleaning product until you see the solution change color. What color did the bleach solution become, and what does this indicate about its pH? •    If you want to test the pH of other foods, again add one tablespoon of your original cabbage-indicator solution to a small, white paper cup and add drops of the food until you see the solution change color. If the food is not in liquid form, crush it or dissolve it in a small amount of water before adding it to the indicator solution. What color did the solution become, and what does this indicate about its pH? •     Extra: There are other vegetables and fruits that can be used to make pH indicators as well: red onion, apple skins, blueberries, grape skins and plums. Which different sources of pigment produce the best indicators? •     Extra: You can use an indicator solution to write secret messages. Just use full-strength lemon juice to write an invisible message on paper and let the message dry. To reveal the message, paint cabbage-indicator over the paper with a paintbrush. Observations and results Did the indicator solution change color when you added the lime or lemon juice, vinegar and bleach? Did the solution color indicate that the lime or lemon juice and vinegar were acidic (had a lower pH) and that the bleach was basic (with a higher pH)?

A solution with a pH between 5 and 7 is neutral, 8 or higher is a base, and 4 or lower is an acid. Lime juice, lemon juice and vinegar are acids, so they should have turned the indicator solution red or purple color. Bleach is a strong base, therefore it should have turned the indicator solution a greenish-yellow color.

How basic or acidic a solution is depends on the amount of hydrogen ions in it. A basic solution accepts hydrogen ions (or donates electron pairs as hydroxide ions) whereas an acidic solution donates hydrogen ions (or accepts electron pairs). An indicator, like anthocyanin, responds to the levels of hydrogen ions in the solution. Anthocyanin and other biological pigments absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others, and it is the reflected light we see that makes them appear a certain color. Depending on the levels of hydrogen ions in the solution, the indicator pigment undergoes a chemical reaction that changes its chemical structure, making it reflect a different wavelength of light and thereby change color.

Cleanup Dilute the bleach solution with water before pouring it down a drain. (Remember to keep your goggles on when you do this.)

More to explore "Experiments with Acids and Bases" from Fun Science Gallery "Acids and Bases Are Everywhere" from Rader's Chem4Kids.com "Acids, Bases, and the pH Scale" from Science Buddies "Cabbage Chemistry" from Science Buddies This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

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Most people use cabbage for cooking but it can also be really great for your at-home chemistry experiments. Check out the cool chemistry stuff you can do with a red cabbage!

Here's what to do:

• Label a piece of paper Acid , Base , and Control .
• Break off a few leaves of the cabbage. Then the leaves up and put them into a zip-closing plastic bag.
• Add about 1 cup of water, get as much air out as you can and then zip the bag closed. Be sure it is securely closed.
• Hold the bag at the top with one hand and squish the leaves in the water with the other hand for a couple of minutes until the water turns a dark blue. This blue liquid is your indicator solution for the chemistry experiment.

• Next, pour about 1 tablespoon of the indicator into each of three clean clear plastic cups.

• Add 1 drop of lemon juice to the cup labeled Acid and gently swirl to mix.

What to expect

The liquid turns a cranberry red color. This color change tells you that lemon juice has an acid in it.

7. Now, use the tip of a popsicle stick to add a very small amount of laundry detergent to the cup labeled Base and gently swirl to mix.

The liquid turns a greenish-blue color. This color change tells you that the detergent contains a type of chemical called a base.

What's happening in there?

The indicator solution contains molecules called pigment molecules that give it its color. In plain water, these pigment molecules give the water a blue color. But when acid in the lemon juice gets in the water a reaction makes the indicator molecule change so the color looks pink.

When the detergent is added to the indicator solution, a different reaction happens which changes the indicator molecule and makes the color look greenish. 

What else could you try?

The acid and base are like chemical opposites. What do you think will happen if you put a drop of lemon juice in the cup that already has the detergent in it? Let’s try it and find out. 

Be sure to review the safety instructions on page 1 before proceeding.

• Place 1 drop of lemon juice in the cup that has detergent in it. Carefully swirl the liquid and see if there is any color change.

The liquid should change from a greenish-blue to a more bluish color. It should look like it is becoming closer to the color of the control. Since the ammonia made the indicator change color in one direction, the vinegar is making it change color back to the way it was.

How about if you put a little bit of laundry detergent in the cup that already has the vinegar?

2. Place a small amount of laundry detergent in the cup that has vinegar in it. Carefully swirl the liquid and see if there is any color change.

The liquid should change from a cranberry color to a more bluish color. It should look like it is becoming closer to the color of the control. 

You can use your red cabbage and the laundry detergent to make secret writing. Here’s how: 

• Make a detergent solution by adding ½ teaspoon of laundry detergent to 1 Tablespoon of water. Swirl to mix.
• Dip a cotton swab in the detergent solution. Touch the swab to the side of the cup to remove some excess liquid.
• Use the solution to print your name or make a design on the paper.

• Wave the card to help the solution dry. It may take 5-10 minutes
• Take a cabbage leaf and fold it a couple of times so it is a few layers thick.
• Rub it on the card and see if your invisible secret writing becomes visible! 

The paper should become purple but the area with the writing should be green so you can see it! “Hi there”

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Simple Science: Color Changing Potions

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Color-Changing Cabbage

In this experiment, we'll learn how to extract colorings from a red (purple) cabbage and make them change color. This experiment requires adult supervision!

• Red cabbage
• A large bowl or jar
• 4 small transparent jars, glasses or beakers
• Boiling water
• Baking soda
• Trisodium Citrate
• Vinegar or lemon juice
• Laundry detergent

Instructions The instructions can be viewed in the following video:

Explanation Cabbage contains a compound called anthocyanin, which protects the plant from radiation, like sunscreen. Anthocyanin is found not only in cabbage but in flowers (anemones, cyclamens, etc.) and certain types of fruits (grapes, apples, etc.). In autumn, many leaves turn red mainly because of their anthocyanin content.

Besides providing protection from the sun, anthocyanin can be used as a pH indicator that changes color when mixed with acids or bases. Each of the reagents we used has its own typical effect on the pH in water: Lemon juice and vinegar, for example, are acidic. By contrast, baking soda and laundry detergent are basic. Anthocyanin reacts with acids and bases so that the products have different colors. This is how all indicators work.

For example:

Purple anthocyanin  + acid -->  Red product

Purple anthocyanin  + base -->  Green product

The acidity or basicity of a material is measured by the pH scale. Values lower than seven on this scale indicate an acidic solution, while values higher than seven indicate basic solutions. A solution at pH 7 is considered neutral in terms of acidity/basicity.

The beautiful thing about anthocyanins is that for every 2-3 pH units their chemical structure changes, and so do their colors. So a cabbage extract solution lets us know not only if a material is acidic or basic, but also the strength of its acidity or basicity.

Since this is not only due to one material in the cabbage extract changing color but rather a family of related materials that each change their color under slightly different pH values, we can get many different combinations of colors. Hence, by playing with materials of different acidity or alkalinity, bright yellow and lilac-purple colors can be obtained as well.

Dr. Avi Saig Department of Neurobiology and Davidson Institute of Science Education Weizmann Institute of Science

Article translated from Hebrew by Aviv J. Sharon, M.Sc. student at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Note for Surfers If you find the explanations unclear or have further questions, please drop us a line on the forum. We welcome your comments, suggestions and feedback .

Teaching Acids & Bases: Red Cabbage Magic Color Changing Experiment

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by Carissa Rogers on January 16th, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Teaching kids about chemistry can be problematic; the concepts are a bit over their heads. Talking about the PH scale or how ions react will get a blank stare, instead show them how it works with a visual project. By having fun activities, like making a color changing cabbage liquid, you’ll build their curiosity and create an experiment they won’t soon forget.

Kids Science Experiment for Teaching Acids and Bases

This whole experiment, found in the book   Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes by Steve Spangler, costs nothing more than the $2.75 for the red cabbage at the grocery store! Add a few ‘chemical reagents’ found right in your own kitchen pantry and you’ll be all set.

• Place 4-5 red cabbage leaves in a blender.
• Fill the blender half full with water.
• Puree the mixer.
• Filter the purple liquid through a strainer.

You’ll be left with 2-3 cups of a dark purple-y colored liquid. (And a kitchen that smells a little bit like cooked broccoli mixed with sauerkraut. Yum!) Line up several clear cups or glasses and start testing out all the everyday materials you can think of.

Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Make Predictions

Help your kids to make predications by doing the following:

• Ask lots of questions.
• Document your findings. Grab a paper and pencil and make a graph of your findings and see if those findings help you predict what the next item will do.

We started with vinegar, baking soda, dish soap and lemon juice. Each of these items are clearly acidic (turn the cabbage juice a bright neon pink) or clearly basic (turn the cabbage juice a dark bluish-green). We talked about similarities with the acids. Lemons are sour, right? So what else might be an acid that is also sour?

My little boy immediately suggested limes and oranges. So we tried out orange juice. It changes from a bright yellow to a pinkish-orange color. Well that wasn’t what he expected? Why did it do that he wondered? We talked about it for a while. Probably the color of the orange juice combined with the pink of the now changed cabbage juice mixed together to make the pinkish-orange!

When we mixed half and half cabbage juice with milk it turned a beautiful creamy violet color.  Is it an acid or a base? It’s neither! The chemical term is neutral. The PH of an acid is low(pink) and the PH of a base is high(blue), but a neutral is in the middle of the PH range. So no change in the cabbage juice color equals not a base or an acid. And the whiteness of the milk diluted the color of the juice.

Build-It-Yourself Chemistry Set

Making your own chemistry set can be as simple as using foods you have on hand like these:

• Marshmallows
• Vitamin C Pills
• Ranch Dressing
• Mom’s Expensive Shampoo

What kinds of wacky ‘chemicals’ do your kids want to test?

The MomItForward teaching  science series is brought to you by SteveSpanglerScience.com , more great ideas for teaching your kids science!

I n a former life, Carissa Rogers was a molecular biologist. In her current life, she is the chief researcher of bloggy karma, parenting dos (and some don’ts), new recipes, and for spice she pretends to be a photographer. She started blogging in February of 2008 and publishes her good & crazy thoughts on GoodNCrazy.com . Find her on Twitter and Facebook .

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Category: education , mom Tags: acids and bases , cabbage experiment , Carissa Rogers , DIY child chemistry , kid friendly science experiments , Making Science Fun , Science , Science Experiments , Science Projects , Steve Spangler , teaching science to kids

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Color Change Chemistry Experiments

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Color change chemistry experiments are interesting, visually appealing, and illustrate a wide range of chemical processes. These chemical reactions are visible examples of chemical changes in matter. For example, color change experiments can show oxidation-reduction , pH changes, temperatures changes, exothermic and endothermic reactions, stoichiometry , and other important concepts. Colors associated with holidays are popular, such as red-green for Christmas, and orange-black for Halloween. There's a colorful reaction for just about any occasion.

Here is a list of color change chemistry experiments, in all the colors of the rainbow.

Try the Briggs-Rauscher Oscillating Clock Reaction

The Oscillating Clock or Briggs-Rauscher reaction changes color from clear to amber to blue. The reaction cycles between colors for a few minutes, eventually turning blue-black.

Try the Briggs-Rauscher Color Change Reaction

Fun Water into Blood or Wine Demonstration

pH indicators are extremely useful for color change chemical reactions. For example, you can use phenolphthalein indicator to make water appear to turn into blood or wine and back to water (clear - red - clear).

This simple color change demonstration is perfect for Halloween or Easter.

Turn Water into Blood or Wine

Cool Olympic Rings Color Chemistry

Transition metal complexes produce brightly-colored chemical solutions. One nice demonstration of the effect is called the Olympic Rings. Clear solutions change color to make the symbolic colors of the Olympic Games.

Make Olympic Rings with Chemistry

Turn Water Into Gold With Chemistry

Alchemists try to turn elements and other substances into gold. Modern scientists have achieved this feat using particle accelerators and nuclear reactions, but the best you can manage in a typical chemistry lab is to make a chemical  appear  to turn into gold. It's a fascinating color change reaction.

Turn Water into "Liquid Gold"

Water - Wine - Milk - Beer Color Change Reaction

Here's a fun color change project in which a solution is poured from a water glass into a wine glass, tumbler, and beer glass. Pre-treating the glassware causes the solution to change to appear to go from water to wine to milk to beer. This set of reactions is perfect for a magic show as well as a chemistry demonstration.

Try the Water - Wine - Milk - Beer Chem Demo

Easy To Make Red Cabbage Juice pH Indicator

 You can use household ingredients to observe color change chemistry. For example, red cabbage juice changes color in response to pH changes when it is mixed with other chemicals. No dangerous chemicals are needed, plus you can use the juice to make homemade pH paper, which will change color when used to test home or lab chemicals.

• Make Red Cabbage pH Indicator
• Make Homemade pH Paper
• Use Cabbage Juice to Make Green Eggs

Blue Bottle Color Change (Other Colors Too)

The classic 'blue bottle' color change reaction uses methylene blue in a reaction that changes color from clear to blue and back to blue. Other indicators work, too, so you can change colors from red to clear to red (resazurin) or from green to red/yellow to green (indigo carmine).

Try the Blue Bottle Color Change Demonstration

Magic Rainbow Wand Chemical Reaction - 2 Ways

You can use a pH indicator solution to display a rainbow of colors. All you need is the right indicator and either a glass tube containing indicator solution and a pH gradient or else a series of test tubes at different pH values. Two indicators that work well for this color change are Universal Indicator and red cabbage juice.

Make a pH Rainbow Wand

Spooky Old Nassau or Halloween Color Change Reaction

The Old Nassau reaction is popular as a Halloween chemistry demonstration because the chemical solution changes from orange to black. The traditional form of the demonstration uses mercury chloride, so this reaction is not commonly seen anymore because the solution shouldn't be poured down the drain.

Try the Old Nassau Reaction

Valentine's Day Pink Color Change Demonstrations

Try a pink color change chemistry demonstration for Valentine's Day.

The "Hot and Cold Valentine" is a temperature dependent color change that goes from pink to colorless and back to pink. The reaction uses the common indicator phenolphthalein.

The "Vanishing Valentine" uses a resazurin solution that starts out blue. After a matter of minutes, this solution becomes clear. When the flask is swirled, the contents change to pink. The liquid again becomes colorless and can be cycled through the clear-to-pink cycle multiple times.

• Try the Hot and Cold Valentine Reaction
• Try the Vanishing Valentine Demonstration

Red and Green Christmas Chemistry Color Change Reaction

You can use indigo carmine to prepare a solution that changes color from green to red, making an excellent Christmas chemistry demonstration. Actually, the initial solution is blue, which changes to green and finally to red/yellow. The color of the solution can be cycled between green and red.

Try the Christmas Color Change Reaction 

Colored Flames Chemical Reactions To Try

Color change chemistry isn't restricted to chemical solutions. Chemical reactions produce interesting colors in flames, too. Using spray bottles may be the most popular, where a person sprays a solution toward a flame, changing its color. Many other interesting projects are available. These reactions are the basis of flame tests and bead tests, used to help identify unknown samples.

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More Color Change Chemistry Experiments

There are many more color change chemical reactions that you can do as experiments and demonstrations. Here are some to try:

• Color Changing Lava Chemical Volcano
• Easy Blue Color Change Demo (uses household ammonia and copper sulfate)
• Simple Disappearing Colors Experiment (food coloring, water, bleach)
• Bleeding Knife Chemistry Trick
• Color Changing Liquid Thermometer

Color change demonstrations pique interest in chemical reactions and how the natural world works. You can adapt many of these color change projects to use materials you have on hand. The average kitchen pantry contains many natural and safe products that change color when exposed to different conditions.

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• Halloween Reaction or Old Nassau Reaction
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• Definition and Examples of Acid-Base Indicator

Paging Fun Mums

Replacing Insanity with fun!

Fun Science Experiment! – Learning how plants absorb water!

We had fun with this experiment. It was very cool to watch the colours change!  I used food coloring and cabbage leaves to show the kids how plants absorb water (and nutrients) up through their stems. We also did this experiment with white flowers too!

pagingfunmums

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Grow your own Frozen themed Snowflakes

41 thoughts on “ fun science experiment – learning how plants absorb water ”.

Thank you for sharing our experiment! I’m sure it will inspire a lot of other like minded Mumma’s to do it with their kids! We love to make Science FUN!

Dyed cabbage leaves in pretty glasses make a gorgeous “center piece” down the center of the table. Grandkids were so proud of their contribution and learned something, too.

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Wow that looks looks like fun, my son loves experiments and will be trying this sometime today, he will love the cabbage idea, just a question is the cabbage edible x

It can take up to two weeks

How do you keep the cabbage or flowers from wilting over the course of 2 weeks? We have a Learning Resources science kit, and it suggested trying the same thing with celery stalks…however, it didn’t really work for us. The stalk wilted before much water got absorbed.

Hi Gina, you will only need to keep your flowers/cabbage in the solution over night for these results : ) We tried celery stalks too but found the cabbage & flowers to be the best. Jenni x

Hi, I tried this with cabbage and I let it sit overnight. It did not work for me, my cabbage just wilted. How did you get yours so vibrant looking? Thanks

Love this idea. We tried it with lettuce though and it didn’t work. Will give another go with flowers and cabbage x

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My daughter did this as a science fair project one year. We placed flowers in different areas to see if temperature affected they way they absorbed the water. She then documented her results over the course of a week. It was great and she was able to learn quite a bit about plants.

thanks for this wonderful idea.!!!!

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I found there is also The TickleMe Plant Book available for the more curious minds 🙂

Another fun experiment is to grow a TickleMe Plant which closes its leaves when tickled. Found online

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Such a great, informative, and fun experiment for kids! I look forward to doing this with my Kindergartners!

Wow fun experiment. Can’t wait to do it with my girls.

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Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wished to mention that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing for your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!

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its awesome

Will the colour absorb overnight?

What are the best white flowers to use?

Hi Lorna, yes they will definitely absorb over night. White roses are great, but any white flowers will work fine! Let us know how you go! Jen x

I’m being asked for an activity based on cells of plants. Are the cells of the plant absorbing the dye or is it the “veins?”

Can u eat the cabbage after its colored? [email protected]

This is an awesome way for students to see how plants absorb water! Using the different colors all is such a great idea and not very expensive! Thank you for sharing!!!

How long does it take to get to changing cabbage?

You can start seeing it appear after a few hours, but over night is best 🙂 Jen x

I’m in 11th grade now and me and my partner are going to try this experiment. Just a question, is the cabbage edible after the experiment? My classmates might ask and I don’t know what to answer. Hope for your reply asap.

I was planning on using celery until I saw your cabbage photos. I bought Napa Cabbage, thinking that was what I was seeing in the photo…then I read and learned it was Wombok cabbage. I hope the Napa Cabbage works just as well. No school tomorrow as we are expecting a heavy snow storm, we’ll try it out and see what happens. I hope it works and looks as pretty!

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Thank you for sharing. I did this wonderful experiment that word so well with my children. I used some faded naba cabbage and I was surprised to see the whole cabbage colored in an hour or two. I am going to try with the flowers now.

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50 Fun Kids Science Experiments

Science doesn’t need to be complicated. These easy science experiments below are awesome for kids! They are visually stimulating, hands-on, and sensory-rich, making them fun to do and perfect for teaching simple science concepts at home or in the classroom.

Top 10 Science Experiments

Click on the titles below for the full supplies list and easy step-by-step instructions. Have fun trying these experiments at home or in the classroom, or even use them for your next science fair project!

Baking Soda Balloon Experiment

Can you make a balloon inflate on its own? Grab a few basic kitchen ingredients and test them out! Try amazing chemistry for kids at your fingertips.

Rainbow In A Jar

Enjoy learning about the basics of color mixing up to the density of liquids with this simple water density experiment . There are even more ways to explore rainbows here with walking water, prisms, and more.

This color-changing magic milk experiment will explode your dish with color. Add dish soap and food coloring to milk for cool chemistry!

Seed Germination Experiment

Not all kids’ science experiments involve chemical reactions. Watch how a seed grows , which provides a window into the amazing field of biology .

Egg Vinegar Experiment

One of our favorite science experiments is a naked egg or rubber egg experiment . Can you make your egg bounce? What happened to the shell?

Dancing Corn

Find out how to make corn dance with this easy experiment. Also, check out our dancing raisins and dancing cranberries.

Grow Crystals

Growing borax crystals is easy and a great way to learn about solutions. You could also grow sugar crystals , eggshell geodes , or salt crystals .

Lava Lamp Experiment

It is great for learning about what happens when you mix oil and water. a homemade lava lamp is a cool science experiment kids will want to do repeatedly!

Skittles Experiment

Who doesn’t like doing science with candy? Try this classic Skittles science experiment and explore why the colors don’t mix when added to water.

Lemon Volcano

Watch your kids’ faces light up, and their eyes widen when you test out cool chemistry with a lemon volcano using common household items, baking soda, and vinegar.

Bonus! Popsicle Stick Catapult

Kid tested, STEM approved! Making a popsicle stick catapult is a fantastic way to dive into hands-on physics and engineering.

Grab the handy Top 10 Science Experiments list here!

Free Science Ideas Guide

Grab this free science experiments challenge calendar and have fun with science right away. Use the clickable links to see how to set up each science project.

Get Started With A Science Fair Project

💡Want to turn one of these fun and easy science experiments into a science fair project? Then, you will want to check out these helpful resources.

• Easy Science Fair Projects
• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas

50 Easy Science Experiments For Kids

Kids’ Science Experiments By Topic

Are you looking for a specific topic? Check out these additional resources below. Each topic includes easy-to-understand information, everyday examples, and additional hands-on activities and experiments.

• Chemistry Experiments
• Physics Experiments
• Chemical Reaction Experiments
• Candy Experiments
• Plant Experiments
• Kitchen Science
• Water Experiments
• Baking Soda Experiments
• States Of Matter Experiments
• Physical Change Experiments
• Chemical Change Experiments
• Surface Tension Experiments
• Capillary Action Experiments
• Weather Science Projects
• Geology Science Projects
• Space Activities
• Simple Machines
• Static Electricity
• Potential and Kinetic Energy
• Gravity Experiments

Science Experiments By Season

• Spring Science
• Summer Science Experiments
• Fall Science Experiments
• Winter Science Experiments

Science Experiments by Age Group

While many experiments can be performed by various age groups, the best science experiments for specific age groups are listed below.

• Science Activities For Toddlers
• Preschool Science Experiments
• Kindergarten Science Experiments
• First Grade Science Projects
• Elementary Science Projects
• Science Projects For 3rd Graders
• Science Experiments For Middle Schoolers

How To Teach Science

Kids are curious and always looking to explore, discover, check out, and experiment to discover why things do what they do, move as they move, or change as they change! My son is now 13, and we started with simple science activities around three years of age with simple baking soda science.

Here are great tips for making science experiments enjoyable at home or in the classroom.

Safety first: Always prioritize safety. Use kid-friendly materials, supervise the experiments, and handle potentially hazardous substances yourself.

Start with simple experiments: Begin with basic experiments (find tons below) that require minimal setup and materials, gradually increasing complexity as kids gain confidence.

Use everyday items: Utilize common household items like vinegar and baking soda , food coloring, or balloons to make the experiments accessible and cost-effective.

Hands-on approach: Encourage kids to actively participate in the experiments rather than just observing. Let them touch, mix, and check out reactions up close.

Make predictions: Ask kids to predict the outcome before starting an experiment. This stimulates critical thinking and introduces the concept of hypothesis and the scientific method.

Record observations: Have a science journal or notebook where kids can record their observations, draw pictures, and write down their thoughts. Learn more about observing in science. We also have many printable science worksheets .

Theme-based experiments: Organize experiments around a theme, such as water , air , magnets , or plants . Even holidays and seasons make fun themes!

Kitchen science : Perform experiments in the kitchen, such as making ice cream using salt and ice or learning about density by layering different liquids.

Create a science lab: Set up a dedicated space for science experiments, and let kids decorate it with science-themed posters and drawings.

Outdoor experiments: Take some experiments outside to explore nature, study bugs, or learn about plants and soil.

DIY science kits: Prepare science experiment kits with labeled containers and ingredients, making it easy for kids to conduct experiments independently. Check out our DIY science list and STEM kits.

Make it a group effort: Group experiments can be more fun, allowing kids to learn together and share their excitement. Most of our science activities are classroom friendly!

Science shows or documentaries: Watch age-appropriate science shows or documentaries to introduce kids to scientific concepts entertainingly. Hello Bill Nye and the Magic Schoolbus! You can also check out National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and NASA!

Ask open-ended questions: Encourage critical thinking by asking open-ended questions that prompt kids to think deeper about what they are experiencing.

Celebrate successes: Praise kids for their efforts and discoveries, no matter how small, to foster a positive attitude towards science and learning.

What is the Scientific Method for Kids?

The scientific method is a way scientists figure out how things work. First, they ask a question about something they want to know. Then, they research to learn what’s already known about it. After that, they make a prediction called a hypothesis.

Next comes the fun part – they test their hypothesis by doing experiments. They carefully observe what happens during the experiments and write down all the details. Learn more about variables in experiments here.

Once they finish their experiments, they look at the results and decide if their hypothesis is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, they devise a new hypothesis and try again. If it’s right, they share their findings with others. That’s how scientists learn new things and make our world better!

Go ahead and introduce the scientific method and get kids started recording their observations and making conclusions. Read more about the scientific method for kids .

Engineering and STEM Projects For Kids

STEM activities include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In addition to our kids’ science experiments, we have lots of fun STEM activities for you to try. Check out these STEM ideas below.

• Building Activities
• Self-Propelling Car Projects
• Engineering Projects For Kids
• What Is Engineering For Kids?
• Lego STEM Ideas
• LEGO Engineering Activities
• STEM Activities For Toddlers
• STEM Worksheets
• Easy STEM Activities For Elementary
• Quick STEM Challenges
• Easy STEM Activities With Paper  

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.