Lava Bottle
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The lava bottle allows us to explore molecular polarity using simple household materials- water, oil, food coloring, and Alka seltzer. Molecular polarity sounds confusing, but it is just how much one molecule is attracted to another molecule with the same structure. For example, water molecules are attracted to other water molecules. Oil molecules are attracted to other oil molecules.
Molecules can either be hydrophilic (water-loving) or hydrophobic (water-fearing). Molecules with high polarity are hydrophilic and they mix well with other polar molecules.
Supplies
Vegetable oil
A bottle
Water
Funnel
Food coloring
Alka seltzer
Fill the bottle 1/4 with water
Fill the bottle 3/4 with oil
Leave 1 inch at the top
Add food coloring
Swirl the bottle
Wait...
Let the food coloring & water mix
Break the alka seltzer tablet
Insert one piece at a time
Be amazed!
Experiment
To bring your bottle back to life just add another tablet!
You can experiment with your lava bottle by tinkering with a few things.
Does changing the temperature of your water make the bubbles last longer or make more bubbles?
What happens if you put the cap on the bottle after you put in the Alka seltzer?
How does the size of the bottle affect the number of bubbles produced?
Be curious and experiment!