Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the basic principles of chemistry and how they relate to magic tricks.
Materials and Prep
- Water
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Food coloring
- Cups
- Plastic spoons
- Measuring spoons
- Clear containers
- Index cards
- Pen or pencil
No prior knowledge is required for this lesson.
Activities
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Activity 1: Magical Color Change
1. Fill two clear containers with water.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring to one container and stir.
3. Show both containers to your audience and ask them to choose a color.
4. Secretly drop an index card into the colored water container.
5. Pour the colored water into the other container, and the water will appear to change color!
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Activity 2: Volcano Magic
1. Fill a cup halfway with vinegar.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the vinegar and stir.
3. In a separate cup, mix baking soda with water to create a paste.
4. Secretly place the baking soda paste at the bottom of an empty cup.
5. Pour the colored vinegar into the cup with baking soda, and watch as it creates a foamy eruption!
Ninth Grade Talking Points
- "Chemistry is the study of matter and its properties."
- "In the first activity, we used a color-changing chemical reaction called a chemical indicator."
- "The index card contained a substance that reacts with the colored water, causing it to change color when mixed."
- "In the second activity, we created a foamy eruption by mixing vinegar (an acid) with baking soda (a base). This reaction is called an acid-base reaction."
- "The baking soda and vinegar react to produce carbon dioxide gas, which creates the foamy eruption."