Cabbage Chemistry

Ingredients

• 1 head of red cabbage

• 1 ice cube tray

• Lemon juice

• Sparkling water

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Glass cleaner

• Vinegar

• 1 cup water

• 1 measuring cup

• 1 spoon for mixing

• 1 bowl for mixing

• 1 kettle for boiling water

• 1 pH chart

*Feel free to test any liquids you would like, as long as they are clear 

Instructions

• Boil 1 cup of water

• Cut up 1 cup of red cabbage 

• Place cabbage in a measuring cup and poor the boiled water over it just until the cabbage is covered by water

• Let it sit until it cools

• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in water

• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda in water

• Add 1 tablespoon of each thing you want to test to a section of the ice cube tray (I used vinegar, lemon juice, water, sparkling water, glass cleaner,  salt water, baking soda water)

• Try predicting what colour each thing will turn, is it an acid, base or neutral?

• Add 1/2 teaspoon  of red cabbage water to each section and watch it change colours 

• Enjoy!

What’s Happening? 

Red cabbage juice can be used to test the pH of things. The pH of something is whether or not it is an acid, base or neutral. The solution you are testing will change colour when it mixes with the cabbage juice to indicate what its pH level is.