Lava Lamp
What is a lava lamp?
Have you ever seen a lava lamp? A lava lamp is a decorative lamp and a kind of liquid motion lamps. It was invented in 1963 by British entrepreneur Edward Craven Walker. Basically there are two components in the lava lamp: a wax compound and a liquid compound. The heat from the light bulb at the bottom of the lamp is applied to the wax compound and affects its density. In this experiment, we will also use the liquid density and make beautiful lava lamps.
Materials
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clear container
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vinegar
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vegetable oil
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baking soda
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food colorings
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lamp
Procedures
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Remove the lid from the container and put 2 or 3 spoons of baking soda into the jar.
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Fill the jar with vegetable oil to about three-quarters full. Leave about an inch at the top because it is going to bubble soon.
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Pour some vinegar in a cup and add a few drops of food coloring.
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Put the jar on top of a lamp.
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Add the vinegar into the oil and watch! (Do not put a lid on the container.)
Attention! If you want to put a lid on the container, wait until the reaction has completely stopped. As a gas is released
because of the chemical reaction, make sure no more pressure is built from the reaction and then you can put a lid on the
container. Or the reaction could cause the container to rupture when you place a lid on it.
Science Behind It
When you add the vinegar, which is more dense than the oil, it sinks down through the oil. When the vinegar (acetic acid) meets baking soda (a base) which stays at the bottom, a chemical reaction begins. They produce carbon dioxide. You can see the bubbles take some vinegar to the top. When the bubbles pop at the surface, vinegar droplets fall back down. That’s because vinegar is more dense than oil. This carries on while the chemical reaction continues. When it stops, you can add more vinegar to start it again.