Make Invisible Ink!
July 5, 2023
Make Invisible Ink!

When life gives you lemons, make invisible ink!

Need to send a secret message? Create invisible ink with lemon juice!

Materials

  • Lemons
  • Water
  • Bowl and spoon
  • Cotton swab
  • White paper
  • Lamp

Instructions:

  1. Squeeze lemon juice into bowl, add a few drops of water and mix with a spoon.
  2. Dip cotton swab into mixture and write or draw secret message onto the white paper.
  3. Allow to dry completely and turn invisible.
  4. To reveal the message, heat the paper by holding it close to a light bulb.

What’s happening?

Lemon juice is mostly colorless at room temperature. Diluting the lemon juice with water makes it very hard to see when applied to white paper. Holding the paper near a light bulb heats up the juice which breaks down compounds, releasing carbon. Carbon oxidizes and turns brown when it comes into contact with air, revealing your message!

Related Blog Posts

Friday Night Lights

What's the perfect date night? According to AI, a great date night consists of these things: Meaningful conversation Shared activity Positive atmosphere...

It’s Election Time: Make Your Tastebuds Heard.

Every Vote Counts.  Join us for the Sips & Sweets Garden tour this October. You'll be the ones given the opportunity of selecting the 2024 official...

Chocolate Chat: Make Your Own Hot Cocoa Mix

Learn about the plant that makes hot cocoa so tasty while creating your own hot cocoa mix at home! Did you know that chocolate comes from a tree? The...

Painting with Pines

Pines and other evergreens are soaking up their time in the sunlight, or should we say snow light, during the winter months. Pines are well known for their...

New Display – Uncovering Roots!

Nature Play Grand Opening

We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of nature play our brand new outdoor play area! The nature play area is located on the northernmost edge of the...

Sign Up FOR THE BOTANICAL GARDEN

Monthly Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Do something NEW
This is default text for notification bar
Google tag (gtag.js)