Food - Drink
The Reason Lemons Float And Limes Sink In Drinks
By STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
If you often enjoy a gin fizz or margarita, you may have noticed that the lemon slices in a gin fizz typically float, while the limes in a margarita sink to the bottom of the glass. Limes are typically smaller and lighter than lemons, so you may wonder why the two fruits behave this way when added to cocktails.
Even though limes are smaller than lemons, they're also denser, which is why they sink while lemons float. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 87.4% of a lemon's weight is made up of its water content, while a lime's weight is 88.26% water, making it just slightly denser.
According to Steve Spangler’s Amazing Science Experiences, a lime is only .1 g/ml denser than a lemon, but this difference is enough to make a lime sink. The phenomenon has nothing to do with any other ingredients in the drinks you add a lemon or lime to, whether it's a margarita or plain old water.