Lemon Fizz Science Project

The lemon fizz project is a fun bubbly science experiment using kitchen ingredients that’s ideal for kids to try.

Lemon Fizz Materials

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Fizzy Sparkling Lemonade Made With Science

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• Lemon juice or a lemon cut into quarters
• Liquid dishwashing soap (e.g., Dawn or Joy)
• Food coloring (optional)
• Spoon or straw
• Narrow glass or cup

The Lemon Fizz Project

1. Put a spoonful (about a teaspoon) of baking soda into a glass.
2. Stir in a squirt of dishwashing liquid.
3. Add a drop or two of food coloring, if you want colored bubbles. Mostly, food coloring just tints the liquid.
4. Squeeze lemon juice into the mixture or pour in lemon juice. Other citrus fruit juices work too, but lemon juice seems to work the best. As you stir the juice into the baking soda and detergent, bubbles will form that will start to push up and out of the glass.
5. You can extend the reaction by adding more lemon juice and baking soda.
6. The bubbles are long-lasting. You can't drink the mixture, but you can still use it for washing dishes.

How It Works

The sodium bicarbonate of the baking soda reacts with the citric acid in lemon juice to form carbon dioxide gas. The gas bubbles are trapped by the dishwashing soap, forming fizzy bubbles.