Hey Ray: The return of the disappearing ink prank
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There are some trends on social media that can be great lessons.
Like the disappearing ink prank.
While the prank itself is not a great lesson, what makes the prank great is. This ink, which you can buy in most stores with a prank section, is fun because the ink looks like it is going to ruin someone's clothing, but it disappears.
The reason it works is a simple, but really cool acid-base indicator reaction.
An acid is a substance that reacts with some metals, like iron, to release hydrogen, and reacts with bases to form salts. Bases are substances that can neutralize acid by reacting with hydrogen ions. When bases react with acids, most will form water and salts.
While it looks like the ink is disappearing, you are actually seeing a reaction take place.
According to ScienceNotes.org, there is an indicator in disappearing ink that is colored when it interacts with a base, and colorless when it interacts with an acid.
After you splash the ink onto something, the contents of the ink react with carbon dioxide in the air to form a carbonic acid. This acid reacts with the sodium hydroxide in the disappearing ink. This causes a reaction that neutralizes the solution causing the indicator, or ink color, to disappear.
Simply, the disappearing ink reacts with the Carbon Dioxide in the air, causing the ink to disappear. This takes a little time to happen, so the subject of your prank thinks you ruined their shirt with ink, but that cool solution will hopefully lead to a laugh later on.
Who knew that a prank could be full of so much science?