INVESTIGATING THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES DISAPPEARING INK IN DIFFERENT LIQUIDS Krishan G.

Cary Academy

ABSTRACT The purpose of the experiment was to determine the length of time it took for disappearing ink to disappear depending on what acids, bases, and neutrals in it. It was hypothesized that the disappearing ink with an acid in it, either lemon juice or vinegar, would take the longest time to disappear. This was hypothesized because disappearing ink is a base with a large pH, and lemon juice and vinegar are both acids with a small pH, and it was thought that the low pH of the acids would counteract with the high pH of the disappearing ink, causing the ink to lose its functionality, resulting in it taking more time to disappear. The experiment was conducted by filling six beakers with disappearing ink, and adding lemon juice to one, vinegar to another, ammonia to another, liquid antacid to the next, spring water to another, and rubbing alcohol to the last. Next, a portion of the liquid in each beaker was sucked into a dropper, squeezed onto a paper towel, and the time it took for the color to disappear was measured. The disappearing ink with the acids in them actually took the shortest time to disappear, when the disappearing ink and an acid made first contact the blue color instantly disappeared. The disappearing ink with ammonia, spring water, and rubbing alcohol took the longest to disappear; the disappearing ink with the liquid antacid took none. INTRODUCTION The purpose of the experiment was to determine the length of time it took disappearing ink to actually disappear, depending on what different liquids were added to it. Different bases were added to the disappearing ink, as well as different acids and different neutral liquids.

Now, it is time to talk about how the magic happens. First, the carbon dioxide from the air reacts with the water in the disappearing ink, and this forms carbonic acid. Next, the carbonic acid forms a reaction with sodium hydroxide, and this makes sodium carbonate. With the alcohol being an acid, the sodium carbonate causes the pH of the disappearing ink to drop, and finally, this causes all the color of the indicator in the ink to leave. Acids are solutions that let out ions that are positively charged, when in water. If an acid and water mix, the acid will diffuse into the water to let out a hydrogen ion. The hydrogen ion then mixes with a molecule in the water, and this creates a hydronium ion, and these ions are positively charged. Another definition of an acid is a compound where metal can take the spot of the hydrogen. Bases are solutions that have the quality of taking in hydrogen ions. If a bases and water mix, hydrogen atoms released by the molecules in the water attach to the base. When this happens, the hydrogen atom releases another hydrogen atom and an oxygen atom, which will now combine to create a negatively charged hydroxide ion. The reason that acids and bases can react to each other with ease is because an acid is just accepting metal in trade for hydrogen, while a base is just accepting hydrogen in trade of a metal. Indicators are compounds that form a reaction with acids and bases and show colors using the pH of the substance. Litmus is an indicator that put into a small strip of paper. When this small strip of paper is out into an acid, it turns red. When the strip of litmus paper is put into a base, it turns blue. The color of the litmus paper changes depending on the pH value of different substances. How is disappearing ink made? Disappearing ink is made by first, adding thymolphthalein and ethyl alcohol into and beaker, and second, this solution is stirred. Next, water is added to the substance, and the solution is then stirred again, and now the substance will be a white color. After, sodium hydroxide is added, and the substance will now be blue. When this substance is squeezed onto a cloth, all the color will exit out of the ink within a three minute period.

There are different types of acid and base indicators. Indicators are strips of paper used to determine the pH of a liquid when placed into that liquid. The pH is determined by the color the indicator strips turn. Litmus paper is the indicator that is most commonly used, it turns red in an acid (or stays the same if the litmus paper is red) and it turns blue in a base (or stays the same if the litmus paper is blue). For a phenolphthalein indicator, it will not change any color in a pH of 8.2, and it will turn red in a pH of 10. For a bromophenol blue indicator, in a pH of 3 it will turn yellow, and in a pH of 4.6 it will turn blue. What is in the indicator that helps it to determine the pH of a liquid and change different colors according to the pH is an organic acid or base dye that is usually weak. Disappearing ink, lemon juice, ammonia, and spring water were observed before the experiment was done. The disappearing ink is a dark shade of blue when in it is in a clear bottle, but when it is squeezed out of the bottle onto another surface it will eventually turn clear to a clear color. On a paper towel, it takes 1 drop of disappearing ink 107.86 seconds to vanish. When one drop of disappearing ink squeezed onto the counter top, it takes 666.17 seconds to vanish. Finally, one drop of the disappearing ink squeezed onto a piece of copier paper takes 376.48 seconds to disappear. The density of 10 milliliters of disappearing ink is 1 milliliter. The mass of 10 milliliters of disappearing ink is 10 grams. The ink has a subtle chemical scent, similar to that of paint. However, the ink is not thick and gooey like paint; it is quite wet, thin, and runny. Disappearing ink has a pH of 11.71. Ammonia, which is a base, is a clear color and smells strongly of cat urine. Ten milliliters of ammonia has a mass of 9.9 grams, along with a density of 0.99 milliliters. Ammonia has a pH of 11.34. Lemon Juice, which is an acid, is a clear yellowish color with a strong citrus/lemon scent. Ten milliliters of lemon juice has a mass of 10.1 grams, the density of ten milliliters of lemon juice is 1.01 milliliters. Lemon juice has a pH 0f 2.42. Spring water, which is a neutral, is a clear color, and it does not have a scent. Ten milliliters of spring water has a mass of 10.3 grams, the density of 10 milliliters of spring water is 1.02 milliliters. Spring water has a pH of 6.00. It was hypothesized that disappearing ink will take the longest time to disappear or will not disappear at all if a neutral liquid is added to it. This was hypothesized because

neutral liquids have the lowest pHs, and disappearing ink is a base, which has the highest pH, so therefore it was thought that if a neutral is added to the ink, the color solution would take a long time to vanish, or of course, not vanish at all.

MATERIALS & METHOD Disappearing ink Paper towels Lemon Juice Vinegar Ammonia Ethanol Antacid Spring Water Rubbing alcohol Twelve beakers Twenty four droppers

The first thing that was done in this experiment was placing a few pieces of paper towel out on a counter. One timer was placed on the counter, one next to the paper towel. Next, six beakers were filled up with twenty milliliters of disappearing ink each. Then, 10 mL of ethanol antacid was poured into the first beaker. After, 10 milliliters of ammonia was poured into the second beaker, 10 milliliters of spring water was poured into the third beaker, and ten milliliters of rubbing alcohol was poured into the fourth beaker. Later, 10 milliliters of lemon juice was poured into the fifth beaker, and ten milliliters of vinegar was poured into the sixth beaker. Then, using a dropper, 0.5 mL of the first beaker was squeezed on to the paper towel and it was recorded how long the ink takes to disappear using the timer. Next, using the other five droppers, this step was completed, and this was done with the other beakers. The control of the experiment was the disappearing itself, the independent variable was the liquid that was poured into the disappearing ink, and the dependent variable was the length of time it took for the disappearing ink to disappear depending on what liquids were added to it.

The purpose of the second experiment was to determine whether disappearing ink with a base, a neutral, or an acid would have the highest pH. It was hypothesized that the disappearing ink with a base in it would have the highest pH. This was hypothesized because bases have the highest pHs out of basic, acidic, and neutral liquids. In order to complete this experiment, a pH probe was needed, a computer, and the beakers (still with the solutions in them) from the first experiment. Next, the USB end of the pH probe was plugged into the computer, and the logger pro program was opened. The pH probe itself was then taken out of its holder, put in a beaker filled with water and shook around, just to clean it off. Next, the pH probe was placed into each beaker, one by one, and when it was in the liquid the pH of that substance appeared on the computer screen. Before putting the pH probe in the next beaker, however, it needed to be dipped in the beaker with water in order to be washed of a little. After the pHs of all the solutions had been measured, the pH probe was placed into the beaker of water. The control of the experiment was the disappearing ink itself, the independent variable was the liquid that was put into the ink, and the dependent variable is the pH of the ink after the different liquids have been added to it.

It was hypothesized that the disappearing ink with two different bases in it would have the highest pH. This was hypothesized because bases have the highest pHs out of basic, acidic, and neutral liquids. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether disappearing ink with two different bases, two different neutrals, or two different acids would have the highest pH. In order to perform this experiment, six beakers were filled up with 20 mL of disappearing ink. Next, 10 mL of ammonia was poured in one beaker, 10 mL of liquid antacid was poured in another beaker, 10 mL of spring water was poured in another beaker, 10 mL of rubbing alcohol was poured in to another beaker, 10 mL of lemon juice was poured in another beaker, and finally, 10 mL of vinegar was poured in the last beaker. Then, the beaker with liquid antacid and disappearing ink was poured into the beaker with disappearing ink and ammonia, and the beaker with spring water and disappearing ink was poured into the beaker with rubbing alcohol and disappearing ink, and the beaker with lemon juice and disappearing

ink was poured into the beaker with vinegar and disappearing ink. The pH probe from the second experiment was needed, and it was plugged into the computer with the logger pro program opened, washed in a beaker full of water, and then stuck in the first beaker that has disappearing ink and bases in it. The pH of the substance had appeared on the computer screen, and after the pH probe was washed in the beaker of water, placed into the next beaker, washed into the beaker of water, placed into the last beaker, and finally placed into the beaker of water for cleaning. The pH of the liquid the pH probe was in would pop up on the screen of the computer. The control of the experiment was the disappearing ink mixed with the two bases because disappearing ink is a base itself. The independent variable was the liquids that were put into the ink, and the dependent variable was the length of time it took for the disappearing ink to disappear depending on what liquids were added to it.

It was hypothesized that the disappearing ink with the two bases in it would take the shortest amount of time to disappear. This was hypothesized because the ink is a base itself and it was thought that the extra bases only helps the ink disappear. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the length of time the disappearing ink took to disappear depending on what liquids are in it. In order to complete this experiment, the beakers from the first experiment were needed (with the liquids still inside), three paper towels, three droppers, and a timer. First, 0.5 mL of disappearing ink with the bases in it was sucked up using the dropper and squeezed onto the paper towel, while pressing the start button on the timer at the same time. When all the blue color had disappeared, the stop button on the timer was pressed, and the amount of time it took for the ink to disappear was recorded. Next, the paper towels were flatly laid out. Then, 0.5 mL of the beaker with disappearing ink and neutrals in it was sucked up using the next dropper, and squeezed on to the next paper towel while timer was started at the same time. The amount of time it takes for the ink to disappear was recorded. After, 0.5 mL of the beaker with acids in it was sucked up using the next dropper, and was squeezed onto the paper towel while starting the timer at the same time. The amount of time it takes for

the ink to disappear shall be recorded. In this experiment, the timer will need to be reset before moving on to the next beaker. The control of the experiment was the disappearing ink with the two bases in it because the ink is the base itself. The independent variable was the liquid that is put into the ink, and the dependent variable was the pH of the ink depending on what liquids are added to it.

It was hypothesized that the ink with the base and neutral in it would take the longest to disappear. This was hypothesized because a neutral does not really affect the ink at all, and the ink is a base itself. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the length of time the disappearing ink took to disappear depending on what liquids are added to it. In order to complete this experiment, three beakers were filled up with 30 milliliters of disappearing ink each. Ten milliliters of lemon juice and ten milliliter of liquid antacid was poured into one beaker, ten milliliters of ammonia and ten milliliters of vinegar in the next, and ten milliliters of ammonia with ten milliliters of rubbing alcohol in the next. Three droppers were needed, as well as three paper towels and a timer. First, the paper towels were flatly laid out. Then, using the first dropper, 0.5 mL of the liquid in the first beaker was sucked up, and squeezed onto the first paper towel while the start button on the timer was pressed at the same time. The amount of time it took for the substance to disappear was recorded. Next, using the second dropper, 0.5 mL of the liquid in the second beaker was sucked up, and squeezed onto the second paper towel while the start button on the timer was pressed at the same time. The amount of time it took for the solution to disappear was recorded. After, using the third dropper, 0.5 mL of the liquid in the third beaker was sucked up and squeezed on to the third paper towel while the start button on the timer was pressed at the same time. The amount of time it takes for this liquid to disappear was recorded. In this experiment, the timer was reset before moving on to the next beaker. The control of the experiment was the disappearing ink with the base and the neutral in it because the ink is the base itself and the neutral does not have a big effect on the ink. The independent variable was the liquids that were added to the ink, and the dependent variable was the length of time it took for the disappearing ink to disappear.

It was hypothesized that ink with the base and neutral in it would have the highest pH. This was hypothesized because bases have the highest pH, the ink is a base itself, and adding a neutral to the disappearing ink does not highly affects the pH level. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the pH level of disappearing ink depending on what liquids are added to it. In order to complete this experiment, three beakers each needed to be filled up with 30 mL of disappearing ink. Ten milliliters of lemon juice and ten milliliters of liquid antacid needed to be poured into one beaker, ten milliliters of ammonia and ten milliliters of vinegar in the next, and ten milliliters of ammonia with ten milliliters of rubbing alcohol in the next. Next, the pH probe needed to be taken out of the beaker of water that it sat in to be cleaned, and was then placed in the first beaker with the other end plugged into a computer with the logger pro program opened. The pH of the substance appeared on the computer screen. Then, the pH probe needed to be rinsed in the beaker of water then placed into the next beaker. The pH of that solution appeared on the computer screen. After, the pH probe needed to be rinsed in a beaker of water and then placed in the next beaker. The pH of the liquid in the beaker appeared on the computer screen. The pHs of all three substances were recorded. The control of the experiment was the disappearing ink with the base and a neutral in it because the ink is a base itself and a neutral does not affect it. The independent variable was the liquids that were put into the ink and the dependent variable was the pH of the disappearing ink after the liquids had been added.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION During the first experiment, ten milliliters of different types of liquids were added to twenty milliliters of disappearing ink in a beaker, and then it was measured the time it took for the finished substance to disappear. Liquids that were added to the ink were two acids, lemon juice and vinegar, two neutrals, spring water and rubbing alcohol, and two bases, ammonia and liquid antacid. The time it took twenty milliliters of disappearing ink by itself to disappear is the control of this experiment.

Time Finsished Solution Takes to Disappear On a PAper Towel (s)

350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

Different Liquid Added to Ink

Figure 1: Amount of time it takes for disappearing ink to disappear with different liquids added to it. In the experiment that was done first, 0.5 mL of disappearing ink takes 331.60 seconds to disappear on a paper towel. When 10 milliliters of liquid antacid was added to 20 milliliters of disappearing ink, all the blue color drifts to the top of the solution, and this leaves a clear substance at the bottom. When 10 milliliters of lemon juice, which is an acid, was added to 20 mL of disappearing ink, the substance turned the color of the lemon juice within a matter of seconds, all the blue color quickly faded away, and when 0.5 milliliters is sucked into the dropper, no blue color is present, the solution is clear, and when it is put on the paper towel, it is still clear. When 10 milliliters of vinegar, which is an acid, was added to 20 mL of disappearing ink, the substance turned clear, and when 0.5 milliliters is sucked into the dropper, no blue color is present, the solution is clear, and when it is put on the paper towel, it is still clear. It was realized that when an acid was put in the ink, the blue color quickly vanished. When 20 mL disappearing ink with 10 mL of vinegar and 0.5 mL of that is squeezed into the dropper it has disappeared automatically, when out onto the paper towel no blue color is present either. When 10 mL of spring water is added to 20 mL of disappearing ink and 0.5 mL is squeezed into a dropper and squeezed onto a paper towel the solution spreads and it takes 304.34 seconds to disappear. When 10 mL of rubbing alcohol is added to 20 mL

of disappearing ink and 0.5 mL is squeezed into a dropper and squeezed onto a paper towel it takes 222.34 seconds to disappear. When 10 mL of ammonia is added to 20 mL of disappearing ink and 0.5 mL is squeezed into a dropper and then onto a paper towel it takes 220.39 seconds to disappear. When bases and neutrals were put into the ink, however, the color stayed the same, except when liquid antacid was put into it, all the color had drifted to the top of the beaker.

In the experiment that was performed second, different liquids were added to disappearing ink and the pH of the ink after the liquids had been added to it was measured.
pH of Solution With DIfferent Liquid in It 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

Type of Liquid in Disappearing Ink

Figure 2: pH of ink with different liquid in it The pH of 10 mL of liquid antacid added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 8.95. The pH of 10 mL of ammonia added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 11.36. The pH of 10 mL of lemon juice added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 2.60. The pH of 10 mL of vinegar added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 2.93. The pH of 10 mL of spring water added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 11.50. The pH of 10 mL of rubbing alcohol added to 20 mL of disappearing ink is 11.74. The pH of 20 mL of disappearing ink itself is 11.65. When the acids were added to the ink, the pH dropped by a lot, but when neutrals and bases were added to the ink, it did not affect the pH of the ink itself very much. In the third experiment that was performed, two different acids were added to disappearing ink, two different bases were added to disappearing ink, and two different

neutrals were added to disappearing ink, After all the different liquids had been mixed, the pH of the finished solutions was measured.
pH of Disappearing Ink After the Different Liquids Have Been Added to It 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Spring Water/Rubbing Lemon Juice/Vinegar Alcohol Ammonia/Liquid Antacid

Different Liquids In Disappearing Ink

When the two beakers of disappearing ink with acids (lemon juice and vinegar) are mixed, there pH is 2.58. When the two beakers of disappearing ink with neutrals (spring water and rubbing alcohol) in them were mixed, the pH is 11.19. When the two beakers of disappearing ink with bases (ammonia and liquid antacid) in them are mixed the pH is 10.72. It was realized that the pH of the disappearing was only greatly affected when the acids were added to it. In the fourth experiment that was performed, two different acids were added to disappearing ink, two different bases were added to disappearing ink, and to different neutrals were added to disappearing. The time it took for the disappearing ink to disappear on a paper towel after the different liquids were added to it was then measured.

Time it Takes For Disappearing Ink to Disappear WIth Different Liquids in It

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Spring Water/Rubbing Lemon Juice/Vinegar Alcohol Ammonia/Liquid Antacid

Different Liquids Added to Disappearing Ink

When 0.5 mL of lemon juice and vinegar is sucked into the dropper the liquid is the lemon juice color and squeezed onto the paper towel no color is present. When 0.5 mL of spring water and rubbing alcohol is squeezed on a paper towel 0.5 mL takes 68.89 seconds to disappear. When 0.5 mL of ammonia and liquid antacid is sucked into a dropper and squeezed onto a paper towel it takes 87 seconds to disappear. It was realized that when the acids were added to the disappearing ink and squeezed onto the paper towel it took no time to disappear, but when bases and neutrals were added to the disappearing ink and squeezed on a paper towel it took a little bit of time to disappear. In the fifth experiment that was performed, an acid and a base were added to disappearing ink, and a base and a neutral were added to the disappearing ink. The pH of the disappearing ink after the different liquids have been added to it was then measured.

Amount of Timeit Takes for the Disapearing IN to Disappear After The diffrent liquids have been added to it.

300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Vinegar/Ammonia Ammonia/Rubbing Alcohol Differenr Liquids Added to Disappearing Ink

When 30 mL of disappearing ink was mixed with vinegar and ammonia it has a pH of 5.72. When 30 mL of disappearing was ink mixed with ammonia and rubbing alcohol it has a pH of 11.79. It was realized that when an acid was in the ink, it took no time at all to disappear, but without an acid, the ink took a little bit of time before all the color had vanished. In the sixth experiment that was performed, an acid and a base were added to disappearing ink, and a base and a base and a neutral were added to disappearing ink. The amount of time it took for the disappearing ink to disappear after the different liquids had been added was then measured.
pH of DisappearingInk After Different Liuids Have Beeen Added to It 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Vinegar/Ammonia Ammonia/Rubbing Alcohol Liquids in Disappearing Ink

When vinegar and ammonia is mixed together and 0.5 mL of that takes no time to disappear on a paper towel, when it is sucked into the dropper it is also clear. When ammonia and rubbing alcohol is mixed together and 0.5 mL of that is squeezed onto a paper towel it takes 274.12 seconds to disappear.

CONCLUSIONS In the first experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that if an acid was added to the ink it would take the longest time to disappear or not disappear at all was incorrect. In the first experiment, the ink disappeared the fastest when an acidic liquid was added to it, when basic and neutral liquids it did not disappear right away. It was inferred that the acidic liquids actually neutralized all the color the instant they mix, instead of causing all of the color to stay. When an acid was added to the ink, the color disappeared right away, but when a neutral or base was added to the ink, the color did not leave right away. However, when liquid antacid was added to disappearing ink, all the blue color drifted to the top of the liquid leaving a clear solution at the bottom. When this substance was sucked into a dropper, no color was present, and when squeezed onto a paper towel, it took no time to disappear. The experiment could be improved by putting more of an acid, base, or neutral in the disappearing ink, so we can really see how greatly they affect it.

In the second experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that if a base was added to the ink it would have the highest pH was incorrect. It was inferred that a base does actually affect the pH of the ink and causes it to change because it has a large pH, and when colliding with the large pH of the disappearing ink, the pH of the overall substance will decrease. When a neutral was added to the disappearing ink, it had the highest pH. This was thought to have happened because neutrals do not affect disappearing ink as much. When acids were added to the disappearing ink the pH greatly decreased, but when bases and neutrals were added to the disappearing ink the pH did not greatly increase or greatly decrease. The experiment could be improved by adding more of an

acid, base, or neutral in the disappearing ink, so it can really be seen how greatly they affect it. In the third experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that the disappearing ink with two different bases in it would have the highest pH was incorrect. It was inferred that the large pH of the base mixing with the large pH of ink caused the pH of the ink to drop. The ink had the highest pH when the two neutrals were added to it, and it was thought that the neutral did not have such a large pH so it did not greatly affect the ink. The pH of the ink was only greatly affected when the two acids were added to it, but it was not affected by a lot when bases and neutrals were added to it. The experiment could be improved by adding more of each of the different liquids in the ink, so it can really be seen how greatly they affect it. In the fourth experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that disappearing ink with the in it would take the longest time to disappear was correct. It was inferred that since disappearing ink is a base itself, adding more bases would increase its basic content, causing it to hold on to its color longer. The experiment could be improved by adding more of the different types of liquids to the disappearing ink so it can really be seen how greatly they affect it.

In the fifth experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that the disappearing ink with the base and neutral in it would have the highest pH is correct. It was inferred that when a base and a neutral were added to the ink it did not affect it that greatly, because the ink is a base itself and a neutral just didnt change it much. The pH of the ink only greatly changed when an acid was added to it, but when no acid was added to it did not greatly affect the pH of the disappearing ink by itself.

In the sixth experiment that was performed, the hypothesis that the ink with the base and a neutral in would take the longest time to disappear was correct. It was inferred that when a base and a neutral were added to the ink it did not affect it that greatly, but whenever an acid is added to the ink it greatly affects it. The experiment could be improved by adding more of the different types of liquids to the disappearing ink so it can really be seen how greatly they affect it.

Future experiments that could be performed are using different kinds of acids, neutrals, and bases, and figuring out the pH when they are added to disappearing ink and how long the finished substances take to disappear. These different acids and bases could also be combined and put into disappearing ink, and the pH can be measured, as well as how long the finished substances take to disappear. Another experiment that could be done is experimenting with acids, bases, and disappearing ink using different amounts of each liquid, and testing them on different surfaces, such as the counter top, copier paper, or lined paper.

REFERENCES "acid and base." Compton's by Britannica. Encyclopdia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. Challoner, Jack. The Visual Dictionary of Chemistry. 1st American ed. New York: New York DK Publishing, 1996. Print. Katz, David A. Disappearing Ink. David A. Katz, 2006. Web. Accessed 22 January 2013.

National Geographic, et all. Chemistry. New York. The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc, 2008. Print. Ophardt, Charles E. Acid and Base Indicators. Virtual Chembook. Elmhurst College, 2003. Web. Accessed 31 January 2013.

Steve Spangler Science. Disappearing Ink. Steve Spangler Science. Steve Spangler Science, 2013. Web. Accessed 24 January 2013.