Skip to content
Your progress

Checking your sign-in…

Who's learning?

Each profile keeps its own read lessons, badges, streak, and practice scores on this device.

Lesson 6 of 19

A test for something new

Show on a big screen

4 min

Text size

Blow air through a straw into lime water, a clear test liquid. It turns milky, a cloudy white.

Loading lab…

The idea

Two glasses. Tap water and lime water.
Step 1 of 4
  1. Two glasses. Tap water and lime water.
  2. Blow air into each one through a straw.
  3. Tap water: bubbles only. It stays clear.
  4. Lime water: it turns milky. A white solid forms.

A chemical change makes one or more new substances. The process is a chemical reaction.

Your breath has carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide reacts with lime water. The new white solid makes the water milky.

Lime water + carbon dioxide → calcium carbonate (white solid) + water

The rule

A chemical change makes a new substance. Lime water turning milky shows carbon dioxide.

Vinegar and baking soda fizz. The gas is carbon dioxide too, a new substance. So that is a chemical change. Chalk and washing soda fizz in vinegar too.

Your teacher may show these tests. Do not try them at home.

Try the lab to finish this lesson.