How to Make Homemade Fizzy Sherbet Powder

Did you know that many of the delicious treats you enjoy every day are the result of chemistry? In fact, almost all things made in the kitchen involve chemical reactions, like baking bread or cookies, sautéing vegetables, and even making coffee or tea. The video above shows another tasty treat that can be made with simple kitchen chemistry. Here’s how it’s done:

Materials

Jelly crystals (Jello powder; optional for flavoring)
Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Citric acid powder (food grade)
Bi-carb soda (baking soda)
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Adult supervision (Adult supervision at all times please)

Procedure

1. If you would like to make your fizzy sherbet a special flavor, start by adding 1 tablespoon of Jello powder to your mixing bowl.
2. Next, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.
3. Add ½ teaspoon of citric acid powder to your mixing bowl.
4. Finally, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to your bowl and mix all of these powders together with your spoon.
5. Simple as that and you’ve made your fizzy sherbet powder that’s ready for tasting. Using the spoon or pinching some between your fingers, try a sample. What happens when the powder touches your tongue? Does it start fizzing up right away? Try licking a lollipop and dipping it into your powder for an added treat!

Concept

The fizzy reaction that happens when the sherbet powder touches your tongue is actually an acid-base reaction. The baking powder is a base while the citric acid is an acid (of course, “acid” is in the name!).

When these substances are in powdered form, the reaction happen very very slowly, so you cannot see it happening. Once liquid is added (like your saliva or water), the powders dissolve and the reaction happens much more quickly, fizzing up and releasing carbon dioxide gas.

The powdered sugar and Jello powder are just meant to make this treat taste a bit better.