Colour Changing Flowers Experiment
June 2018
Demonstrate how flowers absorb water into their petals with this colourful science experiment.
You Will Need:
- Scissors
- Water
- Food colouring
- A glass
The Experiment
- Glue the closed bottle cap to the centre of the CD so that the bottom covers the hole in the centre of the CD to make sure there is an airtight seal.
- Fill the glass with water and add a few drops of food colouring to create a strong colour before placing the flower into the glass.
- Let the flower sit in the water and food colouring in the glass and wait. Observe as it changes colour.
- Test multiple flowers with different coloured food colourings.
The Science
The flower sucks the water up through its stem and into the petals to feed it, help it grow, and keep it fresh and alive. This movement of water from the glass into the stem and to the petals through the xylem occurs through capillary action. The water is pulled through the stem and evaporates through transpiration, however, the food colouring doesn’t evaporate and colours the flower. The water loss generates low water pressure in the flower which causes suction and pulls more water up the stem through the xylem and further colouring the petals as the process repeats.
Want More Epic Experiments?
If you enjoyed this experiment and want more fun, more science, and more epic experiments, enrol now in our science holiday camps and science classes where kids can learn, experiment, explore, and play!