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Why Do Apples Turn Brown?

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  • DOMAIN(S)
    Cognitive Development and General Knowledge (CD)
  • INDICATOR(S)
    CD-CP3.4c, CD-CP3.4c
  • AGE GROUP(S)
    48-60 months

Show the children an apple that has turned brown. Ask if that has ever happened to their apples. Tell them apples turn brown because oxygen in the air combines with iron in the cut apple to form iron oxides. Enzymes in the fruit make this process go faster. The oxidation process is also what causes metals to rust. The children will not understand this fully but you can still discuss it. Problem-solve ideas for keeping the apple from turning brown. Plan an experiment to test your theories, and use ideas the children come up with. Test the following ingredients to see which ones work best. Use the apple core as your control.


Honey (1 teaspoon honey mixed with 1 cup water)

Lemon juice (1 teaspoon juice mixed with 1 cup water)

Salt (1/2 teaspoon salt mixed with 1 cup water)

Vitamin C (1 tablet crushed and dissolved in 1 cup of water)

Lemon-lime soda

Carbonated water (bubbly water)

Tap water

Control - use the apple core


This activity could be done in small group.  

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