Mad Scientist Lab Directions for Fizzy Potion

Mad scientists arent known for drinking tap water. The mad scientist craves fizz! This potion froths and fizzes and is available in the classic radioactive colors or tasty color-change formula. It looks vile and evil, but the fizzy potion is safe enough to drink and tastes better than most soft drinks. Gather the Fizzy Potion Ingredients First, lets cover the basic radioactive-colored fizzy potion. You will need: Mad scientist glassWaterFood coloringBaking sodaVinegar Lets Do Science! Pour a little water and baking soda into your glass. Add food coloring to get a nice deep color.When you are ready for fizzing, add a splash of vinegar.You can add more vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring to keep things going. You can drink this potion, but it will taste like salty vinegar. This potion can keep fizzing for quite a while. Make The Magic Potion Taste Better and Foam Longer Cant stand the taste of baking soda and vinegar? Stir a small amount of baking soda into fruit juice. Add a splash of vinegar to initiate the fizz. Juices not only taste better, but they can maintain foam longer. Beet juice seems to foam particularly well (though the flavor isnt that appealing). Make the Potion Change Color If you used fruit juice, did your potion change color when you added the vinegar? Many fruit juices (e.g. grape juice) are natural pH indicators and will respond to the potions change in acidity by turning colors. Usually, the color change isnt very dramatic (purple to red), but if you use red cabbage juice, your potion will change from yellowish-green to purplish-red. How It Works The chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas as part of this acid-base reaction: baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) vinegar (acetic acid) -- carbon dioxide water sodium ion acetate ion NaHCO3(s) CH3COOH(l) -- CO2(g) H2O(l) Na(aq) CH3COO-(aq) where s solid, l liquid, g gas, aq aqueous or in solution Breaking it down: NaHCO3 -- Na(aq) HCO3-(aq)CH3COOH -- H(aq) CH3COO-(aq) H HCO3- -- H2CO3 (carbonic acid)H2CO3 -- H2O CO2 Acetic acid (a weak acid) reacts with and neutralizes sodium bicarbonate (a base). Carbon dioxide is responsible for the fizzing and bubbling of this potion. It is also the gas that forms bubbles in carbonated beverages, like sodas.