Are "Chameleon Eggs" Still Acid Indicators if You Use Different Drinks Instead of Grape Juice?

Overview

Objectives/Goals I think spheres (I call Chameleon Eggs for the rest of my experiment) will change color after sitting in lemonade (an acid) if the liquid used to make the spheres has a low pH level (is an acid) and if it contains anthocyanins. Methods/Materials First I brought the juices or drinks that I was using close to a neutral pH with baking soda. Then I added sodium alginate to the liquid so that it would become thicker. Then I crushed calcium chloride and magnesium hydroxide and put that powder in water. After this, I took some of the thickened liquid and dropped it, using a syringe, into the calcium chloride and magnesium hydroxide mixture. This created spheres or Chameleon Eggs. Then I strained the water and put the eggs into lemonade. Results When I put the grape, cherry, and red cabbage juice Chameleon Eggs in the lemonade, there was a change from blue to red. The Red Bull and Capri Sun eggs did not change color. Conclusions/Discussion My hypothesis was correct. Eggs made from juices containing anthocyanins did change color, while eggs made with artificial drinks, which have no anthocyanins did not change color. Anthocyanins are a pH indicator and turn the eggs red as the acid is absorbed.

Competition history

• CSEF 2015 Chemistry · Entry J0610

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