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Fireworks in a Jar
Science experiment for kids
Fireworks in a jar is a really simple and fun science experiment that will amaze your kids!
This easy science project only uses three ingredients-which you probably already have in your kitchen…water, oil and food coloring!
Fireworks in a jar is a safe, hands-on way to teach kids concepts about cause and effect, color mixing, polarity and density.
Before you begin, explain the steps of the experiment to your child. Ask your child to predict what will happen. During the experiment ask your child to describe their observations. After the experiment, talk to your child about their hypothesis-was it correct? If it was incorrect, talk with your child about what actually happened.
purpose
Explores scientific concepts
Experiments with cause and effect
Introduces new vocabulary words
Hands-on learning
Teaches concept of density and polarity
Explores color mixing
directions
Fireworks in a Jar Science Experiment
Fill a jar 3/4 of full with warm water
Add 3-4 TBLS of oil to a shallow plate
Pick 3 colors of food coloring and add 3-4 drops of each color to the oil
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Using the back of a fork to break about the food coloring into smaller droplets
Carefully pour the oil and food coloring into the jar of water
The food coloring will cut through the oil and drop into the water
Once the food coloring drops into the water it will make a little “explosion” when it hits the water and begins to dissolve
Oil and water can’t mix because water is made up of polar molecules and oil is made up of non-polar molecules
Oil is less dense than water so will float above the more dense water
Food coloring is aslo unable to to mix with oil
Food coloring is heavier than oil so will drop from the oil into the water
When it does the food coloring will make what looks like a little “explosions” as it hits the water and begins to dissolve.
purposeful play
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