Project Details
Theme
October | Chemistry
Messy Level
2
Suggested Location
Lab
Prep & Classroom Structure
Prep:
Pre-pack the materials per child
Ensure students have aprons and goggles for safety
Cup size up to you, taller cups likely will have less pooling at the bottom
Class flow:
Share video
Demo your own lava lamp
Each student would decorate their own cups and then as a whole class they will follow and execute instructions step by step together.
Have fun with it!
What’s happening? Oil and water do not mix, and oil is less dense, so it floats above the water. When the Alka-Seltzer reacts with the water, it produces carbon dioxide gas, which carries colored water upward through the oil; when the bubbles pop, the water sinks back down.
Materials
Clear plastic cup (4oz)
Water
Vegetable oil
Food coloring
Alka-Seltzer tablet
Permanent marker
Black construction paper or cardstock
Tape
Measuring cups
Droppers
Project Instructions
Decorate the outside of your clear cup to look like a Halloween monster, such as Frankenstein, a vampire, or a silly creature.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the bottom of the cup.
Pour ⅓ cup of water into the cup and gently mix so the water becomes colored.
Slowly pour in ⅔ cup of vegetable oil.
Wait a moment and observe how the oil and water separate into two layers.
Drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the cup.
Watch as colorful bubbles rise and fall through the oil, creating a monster-themed lava lamp effect.
Observe what happens until the bubbling slows down. Add another piece of Alka-Seltzer if you want to restart the reaction.
Class Video
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