Magic Milk

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 Ages: 5-12

Objective: Demonstrate the reaction between dish soap and milk, creating a colorful explosion.

Materials Needed:

  1. A shallow dish or plate
  2. Whole milk (enough to cover the bottom of the dish)
  3. Food coloring (various colors)
  4. Dish soap
  5. Cotton swabs or a toothpick

Procedure:

  1. Prepare the Dish:

    • Pour enough whole milk into the shallow dish to cover the bottom. The milk should be about 1/2 inch deep.

  2. Add Food Coloring:

    • Add a few drops of different colors of food coloring to the milk. Place the drops near the center of the dish, but not touching each other.

  3. Prepare the Dish Soap:

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

  4. Create the Reaction:

    • Gently touch the surface of the milk in the center of the food coloring drops with the soapy cotton swab or toothpick. Hold it there and watch the magic happen!

Observation:

  • The food coloring will quickly spread out and swirl around the milk, creating a colorful and dynamic pattern.

Explanation:

  • Milk contains fat, and the dish soap breaks down the fat molecules. When the soap is introduced to the milk, it reduces the surface tension, causing the fat molecules to move and create the swirling effect. The food coloring allows you to see this reaction more clearly.

Extensions:

  1. Different Milks:

    • Try using different types of milk (skim, 2%, cream) to see how the reaction changes with different fat contents.

  2. Shapes and Patterns:

    • Experiment with placing the food coloring drops in different patterns or using different amounts of dish soap to see how it affects the results.

  3. Temperature Variations:

    • Test how the temperature of the milk (cold, room temperature, warm) affects the reaction.

Safety Note:

  • This experiment is safe and easy to clean up. Ensure children understand not to ingest any of the materials used.

This experiment is visually stunning and teaches kids about the properties of milk and how soap works to break down fats, all while having fun with colors. 

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