Nicholas Academy
Google
 
Web nicholasacademy.com
Click here to buy posters!
Click here to buy posters!


Science | Science Experiment of the Week | 222 - Dancing Raisins
Rise Fall Bubbles Carbonated Soda
From Robert Krampf's Science Education Company. To start receiving the
Experiment of the Week, just send a blank E-mail to: krampf-subscribe@topica.com

 
















This Week's Experiment - #222 Dancing Raisins

This week's experiment is another old classic which is still a lot of fun. Now that I think of it, it seems that most of the science tricks I did as a kid have become OLD classics. You will need:

a glass
raisins
clear carbonated soda

Pour some soda into the glass. We want to be sure that it has plenty of fizz left in it, so take a big swallow. Is it fizzy enough? Maybe another swallow, just to be sure. OK, now fill the glass back up with soda and get out the raisins. You had better eat a few of them too, just to be sure they are OK. Now you know one of the reasons I like science so much. Drop a few raisins into the soda. They sink to the bottom. Wow, that was exciting! But wait! Watch for few seconds and you should see something happen.

Some of the raisins suddenly float upwards through the soda. When they reach the top, they sink again. Soon, the raisins are dancing up and down in the glass. What is going on? Watch carefully and you should be able to figure it out.

Did you see what is happening? Tiny bubbles from the soda are forming on the raisins. When a raisin gets enough bubbles on it, it rises to the top. Where are the bubbles coming from? Right! They are coming from the soda. The fizz in the soda is a gas called carbon dioxide. There is so much carbon dioxide dissolved in the soda that it does not take much to cause it to come out. One way to do this is with a small bubble. The surface of the raisin traps tiny bubbles of air when you drop then into the glass. These tiny bubbles collect carbon dioxide from the soda and begin to grow. When the bubbles grow large enough, they lift the raisin. As they reach the top, the bubbles pop and the raisin sinks again. While most of the gas goes into the air, a small amount of the carbon dioxide sticks to the surface of the raisin and it starts all over again.

I have seen this experiment done with uncooked macaroni, but I find that raisins collect more bubbles and they are a lot more fun to eat. You might try different kinds of soda. Soda with more fizz will cause the raisins to react more.

From Robert Krampf's Science Education Company
PO Box 60982
Jacksonville, FL 32236-0982
904-388-6381
krampf@aol.com

To start receiving the Experiment of the Week, just send a blank E-mail to: krampf-subscribe@topica.com


Science Experiments Index
211 - 220 221 - 230 231 - 240 241 - 250
251 - 260 261 - 270 271 - 280 281 - 290
291 - 300 301 - 310 311 - 320 321 - 330
331 - 340 341 - 350 351 - 360 361 - 370



space items
Space Items
ant farms
Ant Farms
DNA Explorer
Forensics
electronics
Electronic Kits

Nicholas Academy Index

Middle Age & Renaissance


Foreign Language


Language Arts


Math


Music


Creativity


Science


Social Studies


Science Experiments


Space Items for Kids


Fun Science Kits


Fun Electronic Kits


Educational Posters


Educational Coloring Books


Courses


Exercises


Printables


Useful Tools


Testing & Assessment


Bargain Books


Website Building


Freebies & Bargains


Site Map



Educational Poster Store

Hundreds of educational posters in different subject areas. Parts of speech, medieval, solar system, biology, world maps, Einstein, Martin Luther King. Science, math, literature, art, music, english, geography, social studies. If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, this is great to browse for ideas.
Free Before You Know It™ Software Download

Download a full working copy of Before You Know It Lite, plus a collection of lists for your chosen language. It's free and you can use it forever, with no time or session limits. 42 languages to choose from.
NASA Website Links

Educational resources include worksheets such as mazes, coloring pages, shuttle model instructions, crossword puzzles, space food tray instructions and grocery list, and more. See the Space Station Sky Watch, view a NASA Astronaut Application or the Space Shuttle Launch Schedule, learn about the U.S. Space Camp and Women in Spaceflight.


Get a free Zoobooks issue and a tiger poster. Zoobooks are the all-in-one, everything-you-wanted-to-know but-didn’t-know-who-to-ask guide to the world’s most fascinating animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. For kids five to twelve.


Subscribe to Nicholas Academy Educational Resources
Parents - Teachers - Students - Homeschoolers
Keep informed of the newest resources we find, and of any new sections we add to the site. This list is also for general conversation and for sharing your own favorite educational resources.
 
Powered by groups.yahoo.com



If you have comments, questions, or would like to
report a broken link, please send an email to Cheryl at
gorillacheeze@aol.com

© 2000-2008 Nicholas Academy
Nicholas Academy Site Map