Lehigh students make egg bath bombs, learn fizzing chemistry in spring workshop

Egg-shaped bath bombs gave Lehigh students a simple way to see the science first. In HST 101, the mix of baking soda and citric acid did what bath bombs always do: react in water, release carbon dioxide, and send out the fizz that makes the craft feel instant and satisfying.

The DIY Egg Bath Bombs workshop ran Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It was hosted by LU Chemistry Club and Out in STEM at Lehigh University, and the event listing said it was open to undergraduate students and graduate students. Participants were invited to make their own egg-shaped bath bombs for spring, with fun colors and scents folded into the activity.

That seasonal twist mattered because the project stayed accessible while still showing real chemistry. A bath bomb is more than a pretty mold and a fragrance boost. Science Buddies explains that the fizz comes from an acid-base reaction, and the Royal Society of Chemistry notes that bath-bomb investigations can help learners understand chemical change as something that creates new materials and cannot be easily reversed. Lehigh’s workshop put that lesson in student hands instead of leaving it on a slide deck.

The inclusion piece was just as visible. Out in STEM at Lehigh University is the campus chapter of oSTEM, the LGBTQ-affirming STEM organization that connects students and professionals across science, technology, engineering and mathematics. oSTEM says it has more than 150 collegiate and professional chapters, while Lehigh says it offers more than 200 student clubs and organizations. In that setting, a small craft event became a larger example of how campus science programming can build community as well as skills.

For bath-bomb fans, the workshop showed why the hobby keeps fitting into classrooms and student events. The recipe concept is familiar, but the payoff is immediate: mix, mold, and watch the reaction start when the bomb hits water. Lehigh’s spring version added an egg shape, bright colors and scent, but the chemistry stayed the same, turning a seasonal craft into a clear, hands-on lesson in fizzing reaction chemistry.