Science

Magic Milk - Moving Colours Experiment!

This week in science, we had a go at the moving colours experiment. This is a great experiment for kids to learn about chemical reactions.


This experiment is really fun, easy and simple to set up at home with everyday items from around the house. 

You will need:

• plate/shallow bowl
• 1/2 cup – 1 cup milk
• 1-2 drops of dishwashing liquid
• food colouring - various colours
• cotton buds

Hansen helping with step one

Begin by pouring milk into a bowl or plate. You will need to ensure you have enough milk to cover the base of the plate. Add a few drops of food colouring to the milk, we used 3 drops each four different colours .  

Payton, with Step 2, watching the colours split

Carefully dip your cotton bud into a drop or 2 of dishwashing liquid and place the dipped end of the bud into the middle of the milk. Quickly a chemical reaction will occur, we will see the colours begin to spread away from the dishwashing liquid drop and split in two.

Geetha and Ibrahim stirring the milk

Next, you can slowly stir around the outside of the bowl or plate and watch the magic happen!

Some groups decided to go a step further and add extra dishwashing liquid to the milk to see what would happen after the initial reaction. We had some great results!

Ibrahim experimenting with extra dishwashing liquid

What is the science behind it?

The dish soap does not mix with the milk. Instead it floats on top and spreads over the surface. As it spreads, it grabs the food colouring. Soap is a "degreaser" so the molecules in it are attacking the fat in the milk, causing motion which creates the swirling of the colours.

You can check out more on this experiment here: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/milk-color-explosion/

Hanyyah having a go stirring the milk

Boyd, Pearl and Sajjad watching the colours move

Junior, Lilly-Rose and Anjhea's experiment

Comment down below if you have tried this at home! We would love to hear from you.



RAINBOW IN A BOWL - Another colourful experiment!
Thursday 22nd June 2017

Today we did the "Rainbow in a bowl" experiment. The children had a lot of fun doing this activity. Another simple experiment you can try at home using everyday items.

You will need:

• plate/shallow bowl
• 1/2 cup – 1 cup water
• various colours of M'n'Ms (skittles work just as well)

                                     Begin by placing about 6 different coloured 

                                    M'n'Ms evenly around the edge of your bowl

                                                                                    

Next, slowly and gently pour the entire cup

of water into the bowl and be careful not to bump 

the table or move the bowl in any way.

                         

  Sit back and see what happens!

                               

The colours are starting to come off the lollies!                                      

                                            

                            

We noticed that the colours came of the lollies and went into the water - but they did not mix!

Below are some photos of us and our experiments!

Geetha and Aileen being scientists

Junior and Payton waiting to see the reaction

Hansen, Lilly-Rose and Gogo working together

                                                                                                 

   Aileen looking at the different colours

Boyd and Jay were very proud of their bowl

Pearl and Ibrahim moved their bowl around to see what would happen




Junior and Payton carefully pouring the water into their bowl

What can we learn from this experiment?

Skittles are coated in food colouring and sugar. When you pour water over the skittles the coloured coating dissolves spreading through the water.The colour and sugar dissolve into the water and then diffuse through the water.

Give this quick and easy experiment a go at home!