Layered Liquids: Oil and Water

Today, I mixed water and oil together and discovered something interesting...

Materials needed to do this experiment:

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) of water
• 1/4 cup (60mL) of oil
• a small glass
• food coloring
  

What I Did:

1. First, I poured the water into the glass
2. I Added a couple of drops of green food coloring and mixed them together.
3. Then I added the oil into the glass.
4. Next, I tightly covered the glass with plastic wrap while holding it on top of the sink( just in case it spills).
5. Shake the glass until both liquids are thoroughly mixed.
   

Results:
It started to bubble. After all the bubbles disappeared, i saw that the layer of oil was on top of the water. In the end, there were still some bubbles on the layer of water but no bubbles on the layer of oil.

Science:
This experiment shows that water and oil are "immiscible" because they do not mix. The reason why the oil is on top of the water is because there is a difference in density of the two liquids. Because the oil is less dense than water, it is on top of the water.

IProposeWe make "fireworks" in a glass! :3

How to create underwater "fireworks".

Materials You Will Need:

• Water
• Oil
• Food Coloring
• Tall Clear Glass
• Another cup or glass
• A Fork

Procedures:

1. Fill the top of the tall clear glass almost full with warm water or water at room temperature.
2. Poor about 1-2 tsp of oil into the other cup or glass.
3. Add a couple of drops of food coloring into the cup or glass of oil.
4. Stir to mix the food coloring and the oil with the fork. Stop after breaking up the food coloring drops into smaller drops. You don't want thoroughly mix the liquid.
5. Pour the oil and food coloring into the tall clear glass.
6. Watch how the food coloring slowly sinks into the glass, with each droplet expanding as it falls, resembling fireworks.

Scientific Principles:

1. Food coloring does not dissolve in oil, it only dissolves in water.
2. When you stir the food coloring in the oil, you break up the coloring droplets.
3. Since water is more dense than oil, the oil floats on top of the glass.
   
4. In step 6, the color diffuses outward as the heavier colored droplets fall to the bottom.
   

Safety Precautions:

• Wash your hands before and after experiment
• Be careful not to get food coloring on your clothes but if you do, use diluted bleach in warm water
  

For more information, go to:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/4thofjulychemistry/a/waterfireworks.htm