ACS: Science ABCs - 'A' is for Apple
Learn about science and do cool experiments!
Meet Archie of the orchard,
An apple kind of guy.
He picks a batch, then cooks them
For apple sauce and pie.
When Archie cuts up apples,
The slices all turn brown.
They don’t look very yummy,
Which makes his buddies frown.
But Archie is a good cook
Who knows a special way
To stop the color changing
At any time of day.
What You’ll Need
- Paper Towels
- 1 Sheet of Paper
- 3 Apple Pieces
- Lemon Juice
- Water
What makes Archie’s apples turn brown?
When the protective skin of an apple is cut, oxygen from the air mixes with certain substances in the apple, which makes it turn. In the experiment, you observed how the acid in lemon juice interferes with the reaction that causes the browning. That’s why people often sprinkle lemon juice on cut-up apples and other fruit. The acid in the juice keeps the fruits from turning brown.
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Resource k12
Learn about science and do cool experiments!
Meet Archie of the orchard,
An apple kind of guy.
He picks a batch, then cooks them
For apple sauce and pie.
When Archie cuts up apples,
The slices all turn brown.
They don’t look very yummy,
Which makes his buddies frown.
But Archie is a good cook
Who knows a special way
To stop the color changing
At any time of day.
What You’ll Need
- Paper Towels
- 1 Sheet of Paper
- 3 Apple Pieces
- Lemon Juice
- Water
What makes Archie’s apples turn brown?
When the protective skin of an apple is cut, oxygen from the air mixes with certain substances in the apple, which makes it turn. In the experiment, you observed how the acid in lemon juice interferes with the reaction that causes the browning. That’s why people often sprinkle lemon juice on cut-up apples and other fruit. The acid in the juice keeps the fruits from turning brown.
Try this activity
What are you looking for?
Organization
Website URL
Type of Resource
Tutorial
Video