Rock’n’Roll Raisins

Let’s get those raisins rockin’!

Rockin’ what?! That’s right. Have you ever seen raisins rock’n’roll? Get ready to rock your socks off with a fun kitchen experiment that will get your raisins rockin’!

What will it take to make your raisin’s rock’n’roll? A few kitchen items, and of course the experimenter to run the lab experiment.

Water

White vinegar

Baking Soda

Raisins (1/2 a dozen of clean raisins–or craisins like the picture)

1 measuring cup

Measuring spoons

And last, but certainly not least, 1 clear glass to watch the raisins move!

Step 1: Start with 1 cup of water. Have the experimenter measure 1 cup of water and pour it into the clear glass.

Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the clear glass.

Step 3: Mix the water and baking soda until the baking soda is completely dissolved.

Step 4: Add the raisins into the mixed solution.

Step 5: Pour in a ½ tablespoon of white vinegar to make the magic happen!

Change it up!

To make this experiment more mysterious, have the experimenter predict what will happen to the raisins when the magic ingredient is added.

Side note: If the raisins aren’t moving, try adding a little extra white vinegar.

Why does white vinegar added to a mixture of water and baking soda make raisins rock’n’roll? Science tells us that a chemical reaction occurs when an acid and base are mixed together. The white vinegar is acetic acid, and the baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (base). When the two are mixed, they create carbonic acid which is almost immediately broken down into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The CO2 gas is the foam and bubbles in the clear glass, causing the raisins to rock’n’roll! WILL THEY EVER STOP? Yes. The raisins go up and down because when the raisins reach the top of the solution, the CO2 gas evaporates, pushing the raisins down. They’ll stop when the raisins get too heavy and soggy to float anymore (can even be hours!). Enjoy!