Valentine Candy Science: Dancing Hearts

Are you enjoying all of our Valentine’s Day science ideas? Today we’re doing some candy science with this dancing hearts demonstration.

Candy Science: Dancing Hearts

Valentine Candy Science: Dancing Hearts

Materials:

  • container/jar {Height is more important than width. I used a small glass mixing bowl slightly larger than a cereal bowl.}
  • baking soda
  • vinegar
  • water
  • candy hearts

Procedure:

  1. Mix 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water. Add to container. Add enough baking soda and water solution to make liquid level at least a few inches high.
  2. Measure out 1/4 cup of vinegar.
  3. Add few candy hearts to your baking soda and water solution. Observe the bubbles.
  4. Slowly add 1/4 cup of vinegar to your baking soda, water, and candy hearts.
  5. Watch the candy hearts rise and fall. They appear to dance around the container doing flips and all sorts of fun stuff.

Play with the amounts of baking soda and vinegar to get more or less bubbles. Some of the candy hearts might stick to the bottom of the container. Push them around and they should rise up again. If the hearts float on the top, push them down or drop in a few different hearts.

Video of the Demonstration:

Here is a video of or dancing hearts. I must say the video does not do it justice. This is one you have to try yourself.

 

The Science Behind It

Baking soda and vinegar react to form carbon dioxide, water, and a salt. Carbon dioxide gas are the bubbles you see during the reaction. The bubbles rise to the top lifting the candy hearts up. Bubbles leave the bottom of the candy heart, and the heart falls back down. The bubbles are essentially pushing the candy around making them seem to dance.

More Valentine’s Day Ideas

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