To help celebrate National Science Week I have been running some fun Science activities during the lunch break. It has been wonderful watching children of all different ages work together and seeing the older children help out the younger ones. 

On the first day we made ‘Lava Lamps’. They were a lot of fun and only use basic ingredients that most of us have at home (bi-carb, cooking oil, vinegar and foo dye). You can follow the instructions below to make your own lava lamp at home.

Method

1. Put a few of spoonfuls of bi-carb soda into one plastic cup or empty soft drink bottle.

2. Pour cooking oil over the top of the bi-carb until the cup or bottle is half full.

3. Fill another cup about 1/4 full with vinegar and add a few drops of food dye.

4. Slowly pour the vinegar into the cup or bottle containing the oil and bi-carb. 

5. Watch the magic.

                                    

How it works

The vinegar is heavier than the oil so sinks to the bottom where it reacts with the bi-carb producing bubbles of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide bubbles are lighter than the oil so float to the top. Once they have popped at the top the vinegar sinks back down again.