Make A Groovy Lava Lite

jalex · 03-13-2002, 11:09 PM

Conducting a science experiment doesn't have to incite terror in the minds of both parents and children. A fun way to examine the principles of density and immiscible liquids (fluids that just won't mix) is by creating a homemade version of that classic mind-expanding device, the lava lite.
PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE MATERIALS:
Glass jar
Water with food coloring added
Vegetable oil
Shaker filled with salt

TO DO:
Fill a glass jar with about 3 inches of water and add food coloring until the shade matches the tapestries in your pad. Add 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and wait until the layers settle. Watching carefully, shake salt into the jar while you count to five. The oil and salt should form a glob and sink to the bottom of the jar. As the salt dissolves in the water, the oil should float back to the top. Keep adding more salt to watch the action repeat. As you sprinkle on the salt, watch the globs of oil sink, rest on the bottom, then rise again.
WHAT'S GOING ON & WHY:
At first, the oil floats on the water because it's lighter—or, more accurately, it's less dense than the water. It also doesn't mix with water, so it won't dissolve. The salt, however, is denser than the water and does dissolve. When you shake it onto the oil, it clings and drags a glob to the bottom. In time, however, the salt starts to dissolve in the water. At a certain point, it can no longer hold down the oil blob, which then floats back up to the surface.

BritterLuv · 03-18-2002, 02:45 PM

DD will really have fun with this.

***ahippiechic*** · 04-10-2002, 01:56 AM

This is SO cool, thanx jalex!

kikidawn · 09-16-2004, 11:14 AM

my son loved this

shelhop · 09-17-2004, 11:52 AM

Very cool. This might be an excellent project for my dd's first year at the school's science fair.

03-13-2002, 11:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
jalex Mentally disturbed Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Home is wherever the army sends us Posts: 4,524 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 18 Thanked 136 Times in 10 Posts	Make A Groovy Lava Lite Conducting a science experiment doesn't have to incite terror in the minds of both parents and children. A fun way to examine the principles of density and immiscible liquids (fluids that just won't mix) is by creating a homemade version of that classic mind-expanding device, the lava lite. PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE MATERIALS: Glass jar Water with food coloring added Vegetable oil Shaker filled with salt TO DO: Fill a glass jar with about 3 inches of water and add food coloring until the shade matches the tapestries in your pad. Add 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and wait until the layers settle. Watching carefully, shake salt into the jar while you count to five. The oil and salt should form a glob and sink to the bottom of the jar. As the salt dissolves in the water, the oil should float back to the top. Keep adding more salt to watch the action repeat. As you sprinkle on the salt, watch the globs of oil sink, rest on the bottom, then rise again. WHAT'S GOING ON & WHY: At first, the oil floats on the water because it's lighter—or, more accurately, it's less dense than the water. It also doesn't mix with water, so it won't dissolve. The salt, however, is denser than the water and does dissolve. When you shake it onto the oil, it clings and drags a glob to the bottom. In time, however, the salt starts to dissolve in the water. At a certain point, it can no longer hold down the oil blob, which then floats back up to the surface. __________________ Get our guys out of Iraq!!

04-10-2002, 01:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
*ahippiechic* BIGBIG Meanie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Jason's Safehouse Posts: 20,202 iTrader: (23) Thanks: 2,692 Thanked 8,365 Times in 2,349 Posts	This is SO cool, thanx jalex! __________________

09-16-2004, 11:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
kikidawn Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Anderson Missouri Posts: 262 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Make A Groovy Lava Lite my son loved this __________________ kikidawn

09-17-2004, 11:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
shelhop Crazy Sweepin' Mama Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Hanover, MI Posts: 1,536 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Make A Groovy Lava Lite Very cool. This might be an excellent project for my dd's first year at the school's science fair. __________________ If the mailman knew that my heart races when the UPS man comes by, would he still bring me freebies?

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03-18-2002, 02:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
BritterLuv Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Somewhere in California Posts: 314 iTrader: (0) Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	DD will really have fun with this.