Steve Spangler Science® Heat Sensitive Paper

• Thermochromic paper that changes color when the temperature changes
• Great lab tool for illustrating insulators
• Fun addition to incorporate in a variety of science experiments

Behold the hottest paper this side of the sun. No, seriously‚ hold a piece of this magical paper in your hand and watch as the area you touch changes from blue or magenta to white! It isn’t sorcery – that image is frozen there through thermochromic science. Heat Sensitive Paper is the mind-boggling result of a process that coats one side of a piece of regular old paper with special thermochromic ink. The thermochromic ink loses its color when it reaches a certain temperature.

It’s amazing how easy it is to use Heat Sensitive Paper to teach young researchers. While science is clearly the most fun subject in school, playing with (uh, that is doing research with) this paper will support other subject and skill areas. Heat Sensitive Paper lends itself to a variety of activities…some are experimental and some are just fun.

How Does It Work?

Heat Sensitive Paper changes color through a special thermochromic ink. The ink contains a pigment that responds to temperature change. You can find similar inks in anything from toilet seats to coffee mugs. How cool!