Color-Changing Mil

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 Ages: 6-12

Objective: Demonstrate how chemical reactions can cause changes in color and create a fun visual effect using milk and food coloring.

Materials Needed:

  1. Whole milk (or any milk with a higher fat content)
  2. Food coloring (various colors)
  3. Dish soap
  4. A shallow dish or plate
  5. Cotton swabs

Procedure:

  1. Prepare the Milk:

    • Pour the milk into the shallow dish or plate, filling it just enough to cover the bottom.

  2. Add Food Coloring:

    • Drop several different colors of food coloring onto the surface of the milk. Try placing drops in different areas to create a colorful pattern.

  3. Prepare the Dish Soap:

    • Dip a cotton swab into the dish soap. Make sure the cotton swab is well-coated with soap.

  4. Create the Reaction:

    • Gently touch the soapy cotton swab to the surface of the milk, ideally in the center of where the food coloring was added. Watch the colors move and swirl.

Observation:

  • The food coloring should spread out and swirl around the milk, creating a dynamic, colorful effect.

Explanation:

  • The milk contains fat, which forms a surface tension. When the dish soap is introduced, it breaks down the fat molecules in the milk. This disrupts the surface tension and causes the food coloring to move and swirl. The movement of the colors demonstrates how the soap interacts with the milk and the food coloring.

Extensions:

  1. Different Milk Types:

    • Experiment with different types of milk (e.g., skim, 2%, or almond milk) to see how the fat content affects the reaction.

  2. Color Combinations:

    • Mix different colors of food coloring to create new patterns and effects.

  3. Soap Variations:

    • Test different types of soap (e.g., liquid hand soap vs. dish soap) to see how they impact the reaction.

Safety Note:

  • This experiment is safe and easy to clean up. Ensure that children do not ingest the milk or soap and handle the materials carefully.

This experiment is a great way to visually explore chemical reactions and the effects of surface tension, making science fun and engaging for kids

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