
Glitter Lava Lamp with Antacid Tablets
Easy
What makes the blobs in a lava lamp rise and fall over and over? The secret is gas bubbles changing the density of water. When gas attaches to a water droplet, the droplet becomes lighter than oil and floats up. At the top the gas escapes and the droplet sinks again.
You fill a bottle with oil and colored water. Add glitter for sparkle. Then drop in an antacid tablet. The tablet releases gas that carries shimmery blobs up through the oil.
Watch the cycle repeat as long as the tablet keeps fizzing.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that combining water, oil, food coloring, glitter, and antacid tablets will create the rising and sinking bubbles in the glitter lava lamp.
Method & Materials
You will fill a jar with water and oil, add food coloring and glitter for extra sparkle, and then drop in antacid tablets one by one. Try adding in several tablets at once for a lot more bubbling!
You will need a jar, water, oil, food coloring, glitter, and antacid tablets to create your magical glitter lava lamp.
Results
The glitter lava lamp experiment produced a fascinating display of swirling bubbles and sparkling colors. When the antacid tablet reached the water it generated colored blobs that rose up through the oil. The colored blobs then sunk to the bottom. The movement of the bubbles through the oil made the glitter sparkle and dance around.
Why do this project?
This science project is unique because it combines creativity and scientific principles with a beautiful display. It explores the properties of oil and water, along with solids, liquids and gases while creating a dazzling piece of art.
Also Consider
Try using different types of oil (vegetable oil, mineral oil) and observe if it affects the movement of the bubbles.
Use different sizes or shapes of containers and compare the bubble patterns formed in each.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
Elevate the excitement of your lava lamp by infusing it with the sparkling magic of glitter!
Discover the magic of crafting your own mesmerizing lava lamp masterpiece with baby oil, water and glitter!
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