Weird Science Wednesday

Roses are Red?

Materials

• 2 Fountain pen ink cartridges. (1 red and 1 green)
• 2 Test Tubes
• Water
• Sharp Knife
• White blossom flower, like a carnation or rose, with a 6-8 inch stem
• 10 Ounce Drinking glass

Method

• Pour each ink cartridge into a separate test tube.
• Dilute the ink by half filling each tube with water.
• With a knife, carefully slit the stem of the flower so that it's base has two halves, each as long as the test tube. The stem should remain whole above the slit. 
• Put on stem half in each test tube and place test tubes (still holding the stem) inside the glass.
• Keep the tubes upright for several hours.
• The blossom will have changed color gradually, one part becoming red and the other part turning green

 
The Science

• The diluted ink is mainly water, which the plant needs for nourishment. It travels though the narrow channels that transport water and nutrients to the different parts of a plant. The coloring hits the end of the line when it reaches the blossom, and then the water either is used by the plant or evaporates and leaves the coloring of the ink behind. This turns the blossom different colors.