Remember the dancing raisins commercial on TV? No? Well it doesn't matter anyway, they have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with this experiment. Now, let's make some raisins boogie!
- Fill a glass or bottle half full of carbonated water.
- Drop three or four raisins into the carbonated water.
- Wait around for the show to begin...
What happens? Can you guess why the raisins bob to the surface? Carbonated water contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas. This gas will collect on the uneven surfaces on the raisins. When enough gas has collected, it will actually lift the raisins to the surface (kind of like little tiny parachutes) where the gas is then released into the air. With the gas now gone, the raisins will sink back to the bottom where the process begins anew.
Parent/Teacher/Advanced Notes [click to expand]
Carbonated water is produced by adding carbon dioxide gas to water under pressure. The gas makes the water bubble and fizz.
Supplies: Raisins, Carbonated water
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