How much oxygen can sherbet produce? Try this fun sherbet experiment with your kids and find out.
All you need is zip log bags and sherbet powder.
Let’s dive right in.
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Ahoj Brause – Sherbet Experiment
Do your children like stem experiments but you are overwhelmed and think it is too much to set up?
Let me tell you there are fun science experiments out there that are easy to prepare for all kinds of age groups.
In fact, science lab experiments are crucial for the development of children. This active, hands-on way to learn helps develop scientific thinking. Instead of memorizing facts children can see and understand things around them. Those facts and the understanding of science lab experiment’s roles in early childhood education can be found here.
As you can see there is no reason to hesitate when it comes to new steam projects for your children. Not only they have a lot of fun with them but also it gives them a unique chance to explore scientific facts by themselves and learn easier from them!
This sherbet stem activity is a good start for your first science experience. It is super easy and fun for the kids. So let’s take a look and see what it is all about!
Let’s see how much carbon dioxide will be produced by sherbet. Your kids will love this easy steam experiment.
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Here is what you will need for it:
This might be interesting for you too: - DIY Colored Rice - Dancing Grapes Experiment - Toddler Safe Playdough Recipe - Learn about the Ames Room Illusion
So now where we know what we will need, let’s take a look at the step by step tutorial.
Step 1: Prepare the zip log bag
- Fill the zip log bag up with water. I used around 3 inch of water.
Step 2: Add sherbet
- Then take the sherbet and pour it in the zip log bag quickly. Make sure to let as little as possible air in the bag during this process. Help your children if necessary with this step.
Step 3: Close the bag
- Afterward, close the zip log bag firmly right after the sherbet was poured in.
Step 4: Make sure the sherbet is in the water
- It might be that not all of the sherbert powder is in the water. In that case, slowly move the zip log bag with the water in it back and forth until the sherbert is covered in the water.
Step 5: Have fun
- Have fun and watch what happens! If the instruction is followed properly you can see how the bag will be blown up with air.
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- This experiment only works when the bag is closed properly. Just double-check. Mine was not closed 100% the first time and the carbon dioxide managed to disappear from the zip log back. The experiment failed and I had to try it over again.
- Use drink water for this activity and let your children choose the flavor. My kids loved to drink it after the experiment was done.
- If you have younger children, help them during steps 2, 3, and 4 since it will not work well if a lot of air got into the zip log bag!
How does it work?
Let’s get back to our main question from the beginning: How much carbon dioxide will be produced by sherbet?
In our experiment, we could see that the whole bag blew up with air. But why did that happen?
Here a short and easy explanation for your children: When the sherbet gets in contact with the water the powder dissolves.
During this process, it builds the gas carbon dioxide. This gas let the zip log bag blow up.
But what is carbon dioxide?
Carbon dioxide (CO 2) is a compound. It is built from C = carbon and O 2 = two oxygen atoms.
Animals and people produce CO 2 when they breathe out. It is considered a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases change the weather and climate on our planet and are considered the reason for global warming.
Those and more facts about Carbon dioxide can be found here.
My kids love this fun science experiment.
It was easy and fast to prepare and gave us an opportunity to learn and explore with our own hands and eyes.
My younger toddlers needed some help during the preparations but also enjoyed the process and refreshment afterward!
Depending on your children’s age it is easy to adjust the level of knowledge. Simply give them only as much input as they can understand and explain things as easy or difficult as they can process!
You will see that there is no reason to hesitate in the future for science projects and your children will ask for more!
It was a full success. Everyone loved it!
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I hope you liked this easy science lab for your children. Do not forget to let me know how your kids enjoyed it. Leave a comment below and add a picture. I love to hear from you!