Color Changing Blueberries

• Put 5 blueberries in one of the glasses and pour boiling water into it. 
• Make a prediction: how will the water change as you let the blueberries steep? Will it change color? 
• Let the blueberries sit for about 4 minutes or until they get soft. 
• Mash the blueberries up to release their liquid, then strain the blueberry water into the other glass using the sieve. At this point, you should have “blueberry juice” that is pink or light purple. 
• Make a prediction: what will happen when you add lemon juice to the blueberry water? Will the color change? Will it get lighter or darker? 
• Juice a quarter lemon (or about a tablespoon of lemon juice) into the blueberry water and watch it change color! Add another quarter lemon into the water to make the color change even more. Optional: sweeten the juice with sugar or honey for a treat. 

The blue in blueberries comes from a pigment called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is base and the lemon juice is an acid. When the lemon juice is added to the blueberry water, it lowers the pH and makes the water change color. 

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