Intro:
We were hoping that in this project, we would learn the science behind making a lava lamp. We researched lava lamps and how the ingredients of the lava lamp factor in it being functional and were able to make our very own lava lamp. We observed many things while doing this project and even got to learn from our flaws. It was a really cool inspiring experience that taught my group that we're only human but we can still learn from our flaws.
Looking Back:
Our experiment worked out well. We were able to obtain all of the ingredients needed to make a home made lava lamp and it worked. However it only worked for a little bit because we didn't put enough water. Therefore the oil overpowered the amount of water and there were less bubbles after the food drops and Alka-Seltzer was added. In the end, the lava lamp had tiny blue food coloring bubbles floating around in oil. We have pictures of the steps in our procedure, and the final result.
Looking Beyond:
The oil and water do not mix because they can't form any chemical bonds. Oil is less dense than water, therefore the oil stays above the water when they are mixed. This can also be seen in oil spills where since the oil and water can't bond, the oil just stays floating at the surface.
Looking Inward:
My partner and I made a functioning lava lamp, but it didn't go perfectly as planned. This is because as I said before, we didn't put enough water, so when we dropped in the Alka-Seltzer, there was more oily bubbles rather than watery bubbles. Otherwise, I think my partner and I did pretty well on this experiment.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Nayeli and another group that was doing the same project as us at the same time. We worked well together, but there were lots of things going on. We divided the responsibilities up evenly. I purchased the Alka-Seltzer, and brought an empty bottle while Nayeli bought oil, and found food coloring from chemistry class. Although it could've gone better, we still succeeded in making a lava lamp.
Looking Forward:
Once again, I would have put more water before adding the oil in because after the oil was added if I put more water, it would take a while for the oil to rise above the water again. Next time I would probably just work with my group instead of collaborating with another group because there were more things to worry about and it's more simple to work with one person than 3. I could probably continue this project by making a real lava lamp that glows in the dark, and maybe I will do it one day.
Take Away:
I really liked this project because I love the idea of making a lava lamp with ordinary materials. However it was still amazing because what starts out as a bottle of water and oil can become a vibrant fluster of colorful bubbles with the touch of food coloring and Alka-Seltzer. This is because when the Alka-Seltzer is dropped in the water, they react with the water at the bottom causing bubbles to form and race up and down the bottle. It was a truly dazzling thing to watch.
We were hoping that in this project, we would learn the science behind making a lava lamp. We researched lava lamps and how the ingredients of the lava lamp factor in it being functional and were able to make our very own lava lamp. We observed many things while doing this project and even got to learn from our flaws. It was a really cool inspiring experience that taught my group that we're only human but we can still learn from our flaws.
Looking Back:
Our experiment worked out well. We were able to obtain all of the ingredients needed to make a home made lava lamp and it worked. However it only worked for a little bit because we didn't put enough water. Therefore the oil overpowered the amount of water and there were less bubbles after the food drops and Alka-Seltzer was added. In the end, the lava lamp had tiny blue food coloring bubbles floating around in oil. We have pictures of the steps in our procedure, and the final result.
Looking Beyond:
The oil and water do not mix because they can't form any chemical bonds. Oil is less dense than water, therefore the oil stays above the water when they are mixed. This can also be seen in oil spills where since the oil and water can't bond, the oil just stays floating at the surface.
Looking Inward:
My partner and I made a functioning lava lamp, but it didn't go perfectly as planned. This is because as I said before, we didn't put enough water, so when we dropped in the Alka-Seltzer, there was more oily bubbles rather than watery bubbles. Otherwise, I think my partner and I did pretty well on this experiment.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Nayeli and another group that was doing the same project as us at the same time. We worked well together, but there were lots of things going on. We divided the responsibilities up evenly. I purchased the Alka-Seltzer, and brought an empty bottle while Nayeli bought oil, and found food coloring from chemistry class. Although it could've gone better, we still succeeded in making a lava lamp.
Looking Forward:
Once again, I would have put more water before adding the oil in because after the oil was added if I put more water, it would take a while for the oil to rise above the water again. Next time I would probably just work with my group instead of collaborating with another group because there were more things to worry about and it's more simple to work with one person than 3. I could probably continue this project by making a real lava lamp that glows in the dark, and maybe I will do it one day.
Take Away:
I really liked this project because I love the idea of making a lava lamp with ordinary materials. However it was still amazing because what starts out as a bottle of water and oil can become a vibrant fluster of colorful bubbles with the touch of food coloring and Alka-Seltzer. This is because when the Alka-Seltzer is dropped in the water, they react with the water at the bottom causing bubbles to form and race up and down the bottle. It was a truly dazzling thing to watch.