Rocket ScientistDisappearing Ink

 

Aparecium is a spell that makes invisible ink appear.

 

StarWhat you need:

  • white paper
  • lemon juice
  • lamp
  • Q-tip

StarWhat do you do?

  1. Dip the Q-tip in lemon juice. Use the lemon juice to write your secret message on the white paper.
  2. Let the message dry.
  3. When you want to make your message appear, turn on the lamp and let the bulb get hot.
  4. Say "Aparecium!" and hold your paper over the bulb. Do not let the paper get too close to the bulb! You don't want your message to go up in flames!
  5. Watch your message magically appear.

StarHow does it work?

Lemon juice is an acid. The citric acid turns brown when it is heated. Prisoners of war used this method to sneak out messages! They used their own sweat or saliva as ink!

 

You can try these other recipes for inks that go on the paper without a trace, but reappear when treated in a certain way.

Recipe #1

StarWhat you need:

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • iodine
  • sponge
  • wooden spoon

StarWhat do you do?

  1. In a saucepan, mix the cornstarch with the water.
  2. Cook the mixture for two minutes, stirring a few times.
  3. Let the mixture cool, then use the liquid to write your message on paper. Let the paper dry.
  4. Mix 10 drops of iodine in 1/4 cup water.
  5. To reveal your message, sponge the paper with the iodine mixture. Your message will appear in a dark blue and the paper will be light blue.

Recipe #2

StarWhat you need:

  • 1 teaspoon of a laundry detergent containing the ingredient that makes clothes "bright"
  • small paintbrush
  • dark paper
  • black light

StarWhat do you do?

  1. Mix 1 teaspoon of the detergent with 1/2 teaspoon water. Too much water will weaken the effect. Too little water makes a paste that is visible on the paper.
  2. Using a clean paintbrush, write your message on the dark paper.
  3. Turn on the black light. Your message will appear on the paper.

StarHow does it work?

Laundry detergents that claim to brighten clothes contain an chemical that is activated by the sun's ultraviolet rays. Black light emits ultraviolet light.