Description:

With this project, you can make your own (temporary) lava lamp with household materials! It's easy and safe, and it looks very cool.

Materials:

• Bottle/Jar
  

Instructions:

1. Fill your jar most of the way with oil

Explanation, Questions, and Review:

The reason why the oil and water don't mix is because the oil is nonpolar and the water is polar. The alka-seltzer reacts with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles. These stick to the water droplets. The water/gas combo is less dense than the oil, so they rise to the top of the flask. At the top, the gas bubbles pop and escape into the air, allowing the dense water to sink back to the bottom again.