National Pumpkin Day Science Experiment

October 25, 2020

Posted by Lake Erie Nature and Science Center

National Pumpkin Day is on October 26!

Celebrate with one of our favorite seasonal experiments, just in time for Halloween:

1. Fill a small cup with 30 mL of hydrogen peroxide (12%).
2. Add a squirt of dish soap to your hydrogen peroxide.
3. Mix in some food coloring to give your reaction a bit of effect.
4. Open up the top of your jack-o-lantern and carefully lower the cup of mixture into the jack-o-lantern. Don’t tip it over or you’ll have to start over from the beginning.
5. Mix an entire package of dry yeast with 4 tablespoons of very warm water in a small plastic cup. If the mixture is too thick, like a paste, add more warm water to thin it out.
6. Pour the yeast solution into the cup and quickly replace the top of your jack-o-lantern. It may take a few seconds, but the reaction is well worth the wait!