We asked the question: How does a lava lamp work?
Predictions:
The Water and Oil will not mix
The Oil might somehow turn into bubbles
The soluble panadol will fizz in the water
The food colouring will mix into the water and teh oil
Bubbles will move up and down
Method:
1/4 fill a glass with water
Add a few drops of food colouring
Tilt the glass on an angle and fill the glass up with oil
Drop in the soluble panadol
Observations and Results:
The oil did not mix into the water
Nothing happens while the tablet was in oil. But once it hits teh water it started fizzing
Big blobs of coloured water float to the surface and sink again
Conclusion:
Tablets that fizz in water contain an acid and a second type of chemical called a base. While the tablet is dry the acid and base can't react. Dissolve one in water and the acid-base reaction takes off, producing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
Water sinks in oil because it is denser. Carbon dioxide gas is less dense than oil so it floats. The rising blobs of water contain lots of carbon dioxide bubbles, so they float. At the surface the bubbles pop, the gas escapes and the blob sinks again.
We had so much fun carrying out this experiment - check out the photos below....
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