Last summer I came across a very cool science experiment for Fireworks in a Jar on one of my favorite blogs I Can Teach My Child. I have found the most wonderful educational activities and crafts for kids on that site, so you’ll want to check it out if you haven’t already. That experiment has been stuck in the back of my head ever since, and with all the fun 4th of July crafts we’ve been doing this week, I thought it only fitting to include something we can learn from. This seemed like the perfect project!
This is a very simple science experiment to do with your child, and you most likely have everything in your cupboard to do it. You will need warm water, vegetable oil and food coloring.
Fill your jar with warm water.
In a separate bowl, mix 3 – 4 tablespoons of oil and several drops of different colors of food coloring. We used red, blue, yellow and green. Use a fork to gently mix the oil and food coloring together.
Pour the oil mixture into the jar of warm water.
Watch the explosion of color as the food coloring slowly sinks out of the oil and into the water. Be ready, because it is over in just a few minutes as it continues to expand and mix.
What’s the science? Food coloring dissolves in water but not oil. The less dense oil will sit at the top of the water, and the food coloring with begin to sink because the droplets are heavier than the oil. As the food coloring dissolves in the water it will look like a colorful fireworks show right in the jar!
That’s so cool! My son is now fireworks obsessed so we’re totally doing this tomorrow.
My kids would love this. Thanks for sharing!
We homeschool and this would be a fun experiment to do with all 3 kids.
What a fun experiment that would be for a younger family that homeschools!
This is such a neat idea, Im not sure who would be more excited about it, me or my grandaughter! I will definitely be doing this one with her the next time she comes over!
This is really a cool experiment. The grand kids will like this one. Tho I will have to explain how and why it happens to my grandson hes in why and how stage right now. thanks for the great ideas
How fun, my kids would loe this.
this is so creative..i love how the colors explode
That looks cool. I’m sure both of my children would love this!
I used to drip food coloring and India ink into water to see the colors do this but I hadn’t seen it with the layer of oil. Very cool.
What a neat science experiment for my grand kids to do. I love that is so simple too and that it’s making science fun for the kids.