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In this activity, learners write a secret message in "invisible ink" and then use chemistry to view the writing. Learners will write a message using vinegar or lemon juice as ink and then pass the paper over the lit flame of a candle. The heat from the flame will cause a chemical change in the dried ink allowing learners to read the secret message. Since this activity involves an open flame, adult supervision is required. [Activity is publicly available through a web crawler capture on Archive.org.]
- Under 5 minutes
- 10 to 30 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per student
- Ages 8 - 14
- Activity, Demonstration, Experiment/Lab Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- vinegar or lemon juice for ink
- a toothpick or paintbrush to write with
- a piece of paper
- a candle in a holder
- matches
Subjects
-
Physical Sciences
-
Heat and Thermodynamics
- Heat and Temperature
-
Chemistry
- Chemical Reactions
- Acids and Bases
-
Heat and Thermodynamics
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
-
The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Crime Science
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- see color
- read
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All rights reserved, Ontario Science Centre, 2011