Fun With Chemistry

It's late on Sunday evening, and thanks to Phil, here is a photo of me with our 11-year-old granddaughter, Z, and one of her belated birthday gifts from us. We delivered it in person this weekend to her at her family's new home about 90 miles south of us, into which they moved just three weeks ago, and from which we arrived home a couple of hours ago.

I majored in English in college, but have always had a strong interest in the life sciences, as reflected in my career as a medical writer. Fortunately, Z also is interested in science, so one of her birthday gifts from us was an "Edible Chemistry Kit," with which you create and "Eat 16 Tasty Experiments," using the Magic Color Crystals, calcium acetate, citric acid, sodium alginate, and sodium bicarbonate in the kit, and a few standard kitchen items.

Z and I worked our way through the first five experiments today, all focused on learning about acid/base levels. You see us here adjusting the balance between some fresh lemon juice and sugar (in the red bowl), applied judiciously to the Magic Color Crystals and sodium bicarbonate, mixed with water, in the small cup.

Z and I work well together, with similar pacing and attention to detail, and it was a great pleasure to share this experience with her. I hope we can do more of the experiments when we get together again!

(For Phil's great photo of Z's brother B and dog King, click here.)