Create your own lava lamp using household materials. Explore how density and effervescence work together to make colors swirl and move. 

What You Need: 

• Water 
• Liquid dish soap 
• Vegetable oil 
• Alka seltzer 
• Food dye 
• Jar 

What You Do: 

1. Fill the jar up 3/4th of the way with oil. 
2. Fill the rest with water. 
3. Add a few drops of food dye.  
4. Break your Alka-Seltzer into small pieces. 
5. Drop the pieces into the jar. 
6. Allow the bubbles to form. 
7. Watch the magic happen. 
8. Seal the jar. 

Words to Use: 

• Density: The degree to which an area is filled with people or things. 
• Liquid: A substance that will fill the shape of the container that it is in. 
• Effervescent: A liquid that produces bubbles of gas. 
• Polarity: Chemicals and substances can be positive or negatively charged.  
• Volume: A measurement of the amount of space that a substance or object fills 

Questions to Ask:  

• What do you notice about the water and oil when it rests?  
• Why do you think the oil floats to the top and then sinks again? 
• What if you used syrup instead of oil? 
• Can you hear the bubbles? 

Change It Up: 

• Age It Down: Just add food dye, water and oil to the jar and shake it. Watch as the oil and water separate into different layers. 
• Age It Up: Add all the ingredients and alka seltzer to create the swirling lava lamp.

Learning Connections:  

• Creativity 
• Curiosity 
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) 
• Fine Motor Development 
• Using Tools 

Curriculum Connections:
NC Standard Course of Study 

• Science: K.P.2, EX.2.P.2.1, 3.P.2, 5.P.2 
• Math: NC.3.NF.1, NC.5.MD.4