St. Patrick's Day Science Projects

Add a wee bit of science to your St. Patrick's Day pranks and celebration with these fun chemistry projects.

01

of 09

Dye Beer Green

Green beer is a St. Patrick's Day tradition. Alex Hayden, Getty Images

Use food coloring, not some weird chemical reaction. If you drink enough green beer, it could cause your urine to turn green.You might see even see leprechauns, though that would be from the alcohol, not the coloring.

02

of 09

Light Green Fire

Turn your fire green for a St. Patrick's Day science project. stay hungry for more, Getty Images

Wasn't there green fire in Disney's 1959 movie "Darby O'Gill and the Little People"? If not, there should have been. Eldritch green fire screams Irish and St. Patrick's Day.

03

of 09

Make "Magical" Gold Pennies

You can use chemistry to change the color of copper pennies to silver and gold. Vstock LLC, Getty Images

Use chemistry to make your very own pot of gold by changing the color of pennies from copper to silver and finally to gold! Some say leprechaun gold vanishes before you can spend it. You can't spend this gold either, but that doesn't make the project any less fun.

04

of 09

Fry (and Possibly Eat) Green Eggs

You can use a pH indicator made from cabbage juice to turn egg whites the color green. Steve Cicero, Getty Images

Eat fried green eggs for breakfast. They look a little strange, but most people would prefer it to cabbage and corned beef. Actually, this project uses cabbage juice to turn the eggs green, so it's highly appropriate.

05

of 09

Turn Your Urine Green

Food coloring, some drugs, B vitamins, and licorice can turn urine green. Fernando Trabanco Fotografía, Getty Images

... or play a prank on someone else. If you drink enough green beer (or anything containing green food coloring) this can be one of the consequences. However, green food coloring is not the only way to color urine green.

06

of 09

Turn Your Hair Green

Green hair may not be desirable all the time, but it's the perfect color for St. Pats. Thierry Dosogne

The non-permanent way to achieve this is to use cosmetic hair spray. You can use chemistry to impart a lasting shade of green.

07

of 09

Set a Leprechaun Trap

Make green slime to attract and catch a leprechaun for St. Patrick's Day. Oleksiy Maksymenko, Getty Images

Make green slime and set it someplace tricky to try to catch a leprechaun! It's like a humane glue trap, right? Personally, I'll be highly surprised if you manage to catch a leprechaun using green slime, but it's worth a try.

08

of 09

Decorate with Glowing Green Flowers

Make a real flower, such as this carnation, glow green! This is a fun project for St. Patrick's Day or any time you need a glowing colored flower. Anne and Todd Helmenstine

If you put green food coloring in a white flower's water, you can get a pretty green flower. It's also possible to apply a little chemistry know-how to make a glowing green flower for St. Pats.

09

of 09

Make a Real Four-Leaf Clover

A shamrock and a four-leaf clover are not the same plant. However, four-leaf clovers are associated with St. Patrick's day. Most clover leaves have segments, but you can make your own four-leaf clovers by watering a clover patch with a mutagen. If you decide to do this, use clover in a planter and not your yard, to avoid mutating other organisms in the environment.