It may sound like a reference to an old commercial, but making raisins dance can actually be a science experiment, too. Though your raisins won't sing or charm the nation, they will demonstrate the principles of buoyancy, density and the power of carbon dioxide gas. With a few common household items you can make your children laugh and teach them something, too!
Choose a clear, highly carbonated beverage for the experiment. Though all types of soda will work, you won't be able to see the raisins dance to the top of the glass. Club soda, tonic water and Sprite all work well, but whichever you choose, take a drink first to make sure it's still fizzy.
2
Fill a clear glass or jar about halfway with soda.
3
Drop 2 or 3 raisins into the glass. At first they'll probably drop to the bottom of the glass, but if you wait just about a minute they should start to rise to the top of the liquid.
4
Watch as the raisins "dance" to the top. Once they reach the top, observe what happens. They should sink back to the bottom of the glass.
5
Look for the little bubbles on the surface of the raisins as they begin dancing to the top once again. These bubbles are created by the carbon dioxide in the soda. There's a small amount of air on the raisins when you drop them in the glass. These air pockets collect carbon dioxide gas and grow, causing the raisins to be more buoyant. As they reach the surface, the bubbles pop and the raisins sink.
Make Raisins Dance With Vinegar and Baking Soda
1
Create your own carbon dioxide reaction with vinegar, baking soda and water.
2
Pour water in the glass until it's filled about halfway. Then, add 1 Tbsp. of baking soda and stir until it's completely dissolved.
3
Drop in a few raisins and slowly begin adding vinegar to the glass. When the liquid in the glass reaches about 3/4 full, stop pouring.
4
Wait as the vinegar and baking soda combine to form carbon dioxide gas and make your raisins dance.
Tips & Warnings
A neat variation on this experiment is to record how well raisins dance when you use different types of soda. You can also try other small objects to see how buoyant they are.
Experimenting with vinegar and baking soda to release carbon dioxide gas provides the foundation for many junior science fair projects. The noticeable...
