Lava Lamps
Make your own Lava Lamp!
Teach your kids about lava and volcanoes by doing this fun hands on activity.
Before starting the activities, talk to your kids about lava and volcanoes.
What is lava?
Lava is hot, liquefied rock that flows from a volcano or other opening in the surface of Earth.
How are volcanoes formed?
Volcanoes are formed when magma from within the Earth's upper mantle works its way to the surface. At the surface, it erupts to form lava flows and ash deposits. Over time as the volcano continues to erupt, it will get bigger and bigger.
Watch these short cartoons to learn about lava and volcanoes:
Materials:
A clean plastic bottle (try to use one with smooth sides)
Water
Vegetable Oil (or you could use mineral or baby oil as an alternative)
Fizzing tablets (such as Alka Seltzer)
Food coloring
A liquid measuring cup or plastic funnel
Optional: flashlight
Directions:
1. Fill the bottle up about 1/4 of the way full with water
2. Pour the vegetable oil in the bottle until is almost full. You can use a measuring cup with a spout or a funnel.
3. Add a few drops of you favorite color of food coloring. Watch as the color sinks through the oil.
4. Break your fizzy tablet in half and drop part of it into the bottle. Get ready … here come the bubbly blobs!
Tip: You can even get a flashlight, turn off the lights and drop in another half tablet. This time shine the flashlight through the lava lamp while the blobs are bubbling!
So how does this work?
Great question! The oil floats on top of the water because it is is less dense, or lighter in weight than water. The food coloring has the same density as the water so it sink through the oil and mixes with the water. When you add the tablet it sinks to the bottom then starts to dissolve. As it dissolves it makes gas, carbon dioxide. Gas or air, is lighter than water so it floats to the top. The air bubbles bring some colored water with them to the top. When the air comes out of the colored water blob, the water gets heavy again and sinks. It does this over and over again until the tablet is completely dissolved.
For more information about lava & volcanoes, visit this website.
Shoutout to Science Fun for the idea!
