Make a lava lamp

What you’ll need

  • Clear, recycled jar with lid
  • Water
  • Food colouring
  • Glitter
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • Flashlight

How to do it…

1. Fill the jar three-quarters full of water.
2. Add drops of food colouring until you like the colour you see. A few drops go a long way!
3. Sprinkle in glitter for extra sparkle. Fill the jar almost to the top with vegetable oil and let the mixture separate. 
4. Pour salt into the jar until you see the cool lava lamp effect. When the bubbles stop, add more salt to see it again. Shine a flashlight behind the jar to watch your lava lamp really glow!

How it works

The secret behind the lamp’s lava is science. Oil is lighter, or less dense, than water, so it rises to the surface. Salt is heavier, or more dense, than water, and sinks to the bottom. When you add the salt, blobs of oil attach to the grains and sink. Then the salt dissolves, and the oil returns to the top. The result? A liquid show for the eyes!

Image: Rebecca Hale