Magic Shows and tricks fascinate adults and toddlers alike. We know for sure that it is sleight of hand and a little bit of science at work – but, the awe and surprise make us cheer and applaud. Do you know even you can easily perform many magic tricks only if you understand the science behind it? Well, we’re here to reveal the secrets behind some famous magic tricks.

#1. A Potato Plot

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This is one of the easiest tricks to try your hand at. Take a drinking straw and place your thumb at one end, ensuring that no air passes through it. Then, take a potato and hold it from the far end. Stab it with the straw with full force and witness a feeble-looking straw pierce through a hard potato.

The science behind it?

It’s quite simple. When you cover the end of the straw with your thumb, you trap the air molecules present in it. And, abracadabra! the straw gets the required strength to make its way through the potato.

#2. A Sly Spy

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Try replacing your ink with lemon or orange juice to deliver your secret messages like a spy. Write your message on a sheet of paper and let it dry. And then, take it close to a candle and see your message appear out of thin air.

The science behind it?

The acid and the carbon compounds in the lemon juice weakens the paper, making it prone to oxidisation when heated. Thus, the message written with lemon juice on the paper burns faster in comparison to the rest of the sheet.

#3. A Pepper Con

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For this trick, start by sprinkling some black pepper in a plate/bowl filled with water. Then, dip a finger/a chopstick in it. You won’t see any change. But, when you dip your finger with a drop of dishwashing liquid on it, you’ll see the pepper move towards the edges, as if it was due to your magic touch.

The science behind it?

Just like the trick, the concept behind it is very interesting. By nature, the water molecules tend to stick together. The invasion of the soap, however, disturbs the surface tension, making the water molecules turn away from it. As a result, the hydrophobic (water-repelling) pepper also gets carried away towards the edges, making it all look like pure magic!

By now, you have not only learnt a few magic tricks but also learnt some amazing science facts. We now suggest that you try to put magic and science together to formulate some unique tricks altogether. You can also take help from the Extramarks Science Experiments App to clear your science fundamentals. You can perform experiments in the virtual lab to see chemical reactions or look at videos that explain how the Law of Displacement works. The app will, therefore, make you fall in love with science and help you think of magic and science in a new light.