The Colors of Flowers

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In this activity, learners perform an experiment to find out what determines a flower's color. Learners extract petal juice, use acid and base indicators, and observe chemical reactions to investigate how the amount of acid or base influences the color of a flower petal.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Red, blue and purple flowers with large petals
  • Ziploc bags
  • Hammers
  • Water
  • Clear plastic cups
  • Teaspoons
  • Empty white Styrofoam egg cartons
  • Droppers
  • Bottle of vinegar
  • Baking soda

Keywords

Subjects

  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Acids and Bases
      • Solutions
    • Vibration and Waves
      • Light and Optics
    • Light and Optics
      • Sunlight and Color
    • States of Matter
      • Gases
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Elements and Periodic Table
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations

Informal Categories

  • Gardening
  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Education, Science Friday

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Science Friday, 2010