The oil & water experiment is easy to set-up, mess-free, and it makes a great boredom buster when the kids are stuck inside. Besides that, it's just plain fun!
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- Oil
- Water
- Food coloring
- Pipettes
- Cups/bowls
- A pie pan (or similar)
Method
- Begin by filling a shallow dish with oil. We used baby oil here, but other oils will also work. Set this aside.
- In a cup combine 3-5 drops of food coloring with water and mix, using one cup for each color of water that you wish to make.
The Experiment
- Give kids pipettes and have them squirt the varying colors of water into the pan of oil.
- What happens? The water and oil do not mix. Instead, amazing effects are produced!
Extend the Fun
Give kids a clear container of oil so that they can explore with these polar liquids in a different way. Fill the container with oil, and then have kids squirt the water colors into the container. Then, observe the reaction between the two liquids.
My girls were in awe when we tried this and loved watching the water bubbles dance and move in the oil. Overall, this was a really cool experiment, and the activity in itself is lots of fun!
If you ever need to get dinner on the table and the kids are hitting that "witching hour" keep this activity in mind. All you need are few common items, and the kids will play for hours!
If you ever need to get dinner on the table and the kids are hitting that "witching hour" keep this activity in mind. All you need are few common items, and the kids will play for hours!
The Science
Why does the water not mix with the oil?
- Oil is less dense than water. Given the variance in densities the two liquids cannot mix.
- Oil and water also do not mix because water molecules are more attracted to each other than to oil molecules.
- Read more about why oil & water do not mix.
- Read more about the oil & water science experiment.
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MORE FUN SCIENCE
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