Science Smarts: A secret message for your Valentine

By PATTY ROOKS on February 5, 2022.

Can you believe it is February already? I thought January just started!

I seem to be losing track of time these days… well, there is one holiday I do not want to miss this month – Valentine’s Day!

You do not have to be a romantic in order to enjoy this day with friends and family. I think of it as a day to show those nearest and dearest to us that we care; a little something all of us could use these days. So, in the spirit of the holiday here is a little fun and science too.

Let’s get started!

Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

• Paper

• Paint brushes

• Backing soda

• Empty spray bottle

• Lemon juice (or other fruit juice)

• Water

• Measuring spoons

• Measuring cup

• Empty cup

Procedure

1. The first thing you need to do is make a mixture to write a secret message to your valentine with. Mix 45 mL (three tablespoons) of baking soda with 30 mL (two tablespoons) of water. Stir it well.

2. Take the piece of paper you have, and using the paint brush write a message (or draw a picture) to someone special. You need to make sure the paint brush is nice and wet every time you are writing. Make the writing nice and BIG so you can read it.

3. Allow your card to dry for several hours.

4. In the meantime, mix the solution you will spray on your secret message when you deliver it!

5. Mix 125 mL (1/4 cup) of lemon juice with 30 mL (two tablespoons) of water in the spray bottle. Put the lid on TIGHTLY and shake well.

6. Deliver your card to your valentine with the spray bottle and reveal your message by LIGHTLY spraying the entire paper/card.

What is going on?

Once you sprayed the lemon juice mixture onto the message, it should have appeared. This works due to a chemical reaction you are creating. In this experiment you are mixing a base (baking soda) with an acid (lemon juice) and when you mix the two together, a chemical reaction occurs and the message is revealed!

Do not forget about our Science Challenge each and every week in February! Some great prizes to be won. Visit the Science Fair website at seab-sciencefair.ca for all the details.

Patty Rooks, Senior Scientific Consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community”. Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. Address: #12 826 11 Street S. E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403.527.5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

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