Valentine’s Science to Fall in Love With

Feb 3, 2025 | Articles, At Home Learning Tips, Just For Parents, Mass Appeal, Science, STEM

Fall in love with these Valentine’s Science Activities!

Watch WWLP News Channel 22’s Mass Appeal on Tuesday, February 4th to see the activities live with Community Classroom owner Dr. Megan Allen.

1. Valentine’s Science Activity 1: Love Balloon Reaction (Chemical Reaction)

  • What you need: Vinegar, baking soda, a balloon (we did festive red and pink ones for the upcoming holiday-of-LOVE), a small bottle, and a marker.
  • How to do it: Draw hearts on the balloon using the marker. Fill the bottle with vinegar and use a funnel to add baking soda into the balloon. Carefully place the balloon over the bottle opening, and watch it inflate! For us, this was a two-person job (fun yet messy)

The science: The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates carbon dioxide, inflating the balloon.Scientific Explanation:
When baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) are mixed, they react to form carbon dioxide gas (CO₂). The reaction occurs because vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) combine to produce carbon dioxide, water, and a salt call ed sodium acetate. As the gas forms, it expands and inflates the balloon. This release of gas is a sign of a chemical reaction!

Explanation for Kids:
“When you mix baking soda and vinegar, they create a gas called carbon dioxide. Gases like to spread out and take up space, so the gas pushes into the balloon and makes it bigger, just like when you blow it up!”

2. Valentine’s Science Activity 2: Color-Changing Love Potion (pH Indicator Reaction)

  • What you need: Red cabbage, water, a clear container, lemon juice, baking soda, and vinegar.
  • How to do it: Boil red cabbage to extract the purple pigment. Pour the cabbage water into glasses and test how it changes color when you add acidic lemon juice or basic baking soda.
  • The science: This activity demonstrates pH levels. Acids turn the cabbage water pink, while bases turn it green or blue.

2. Valentine’s Science Activity 3: Color-Changing Love Potion (pH Indicator Reaction)

Scientific Explanation:
Red cabbage contains a pigment called anthocyanin, which changes color depending on whether it is mixed with an acid or a base. In an acidic solution (like lemon juice or vinegar), the pigment turns pink or red. In a basic solution (like baking soda or soap water), it turns green or blue. This happens because acids and bases affect the structure of the pigment molecules, causing them to reflect different colors of light.

Explanation for Kids:
“Red cabbage juice is such a useful tool! It can change color when you mix it with different liquids. Sour things like lemon juice turn it pink, and soapy or baking soda water turns it green. This helps scientists figure out if something is acidic (sour) or basic (soapy).”

3. Candy Chromatography Hearts

  • What you need: Coffee filters, water, conversation hearts or colored candy, and a dropper.
  • How to do it: Place a heart-shaped candy (we used Skittles) on a damp coffee filter. As the water spreads, it will separate the candy dye into different colors.
  • The science: Chromatography separates pigments based on how soluble they are in water.

Scientific Explanation:
Chromatography is a method used to separate different substances based on how easily they dissolve in a liquid. When you add water to the candy dye on the coffee filter, the water carries the pigments along as it spreads. Different colors in the dye move at different speeds because they dissolve at different rates, causing them to separate into distinct bands of color.

Explanation for Kids:
“Did you know many candies have different colors mixed together? When the water touches the candy on the coffee filter, it ‘carries’ the color pigments along with it. Some colors move faster than others, which is why you see different colors spreading out and separating. It’s like watching a rainbow appear!”

 

Looking for more Valentine’s Day Science Fun?

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