Oil and water do not mix. I’m always reminded of this when I go to wash a measuring cup or spoon that has been used to measure cooking oil for a recipe…it always seems to take a lot more effort, and a lot more soap, to get the measuring device clean again. And while the combination of oil and water can be somewhat of a pain when it comes to washing dishes…the two components make for some pretty spectacular science experiments…like this simple Oil & Water Exploration!
I came across this fun Oil & Water Experiment for Kids, over on Growing A Jeweled Rose, and immediately wanted to try it with my little nugget! And while our clear container never looked like the pictures in Crystal’s post (with the colored water suspended in the oil), we still had a blast exploring the reactions between these two chemical components.
What child doesn’t love squirting colored water out of a pipette or eye-dropper? It’s even better when the colored water droplets sink through a layer of clear baby oil, creating a mound of bubbles on the bottom of the container. Then the bubbles pop! And you’re left with a layer of dark liquid (if you look from the side of the container) or a dabbled artistic masterpiece (if you look from the top of the container). Of course, if you continue adding color after color to the container…you will eventually end up with a layer of brown water underneath all of the oil. π
We loved watching all of our colored bubbles sink to the bottom of the container. And we enjoyed exploring the difference in perspective, with the views from the sides of the container, versus the view from the top! Watching the interaction (or lack thereof) between the oil and water, never got old!
Oil & Water Exploration
Supplies:
- Clear Glass Container
- Baby Oil
- Water
- Food Coloring
- Several Small Containers or Bowls
- Pipettes or Eye-Droppers (We utilized several extra medicine droppers that we had acquired over time)
Instructions:
- Fill the clear glass container approximately 3/4 full with baby oil. Set aside.
- Next, fill your small containers or bowls with water. Add a different color of food coloring to each container, and stir to mix thoroughly.
- Set your container of baby oil, along with your containers of colored water, on a flat surface. Suck some colored water into your pipettes (or eye-droppers) and slowly squeeze the colored water into the container full of baby oil.
- Let the exploration begin!
Tip: We placed our container of oil on top of a white sheet of paper, so that we could see the different colors of water more clearly.
We must have conducted this little experiment for more than 30 minutes…it was so colorful and entertaining! I took the opportunity to inform our little nugget about the science behind the experiment, and why it was possible for the oil and water to remain separate from one another.
Water and oil are made up of tiny particles called molecules. The molecules in water are packed together very densely, making water heavier than oil…which is why the water always sinks to the bottom of the container. The two components never mix, because, as they say in chemistry…like dissolves like. This means that polar liquids (such as water) only dissolve in other polar liquids. And non-polar liquids (such as oil) tend to only mix with other non-polar liquids. This is why these two substances always separate when they are added together…even if you put them in a closed container and shake it up vigorously, the particles will eventually separate, and the water molecules will always sink to the bottom.
Isn’t science neat? If you’re looking for more fun ways to explore the wonders of oil and water with your kiddos, make sure to check out thisΒ Oil & Water Galaxy Sensory Bottle and thisΒ Oil & Water Ocean Sensory Bottle.
