Want to make your own lava lamp? It’s easy, fun, and you only need a few things from your kitchen! This homemade science experiment shows how oil and water don’t mix — and the bubbles look just like a real lava lamp.
What You’ll Need:
- A clear glass or plastic bottle (empty and clean)
- Water
- Vegetable oil (or any cooking oil)
- Food coloring (any color you like)
- Alka-Seltzer tablet (or any fizzy tablet)
Instructions:
- Fill the bottle with water
Fill your bottle about one-quarter full with water. - Add oil
Slowly pour in cooking oil until the bottle is almost full. Wait a minute — the oil will float on top of the water because oil is lighter. - Add food coloring
Put in a few drops of food coloring. It will sink through the oil and mix with the water at the bottom. - Drop in the fizzy tablet
Break the Alka-Seltzer tablet into smaller pieces. Drop one piece into the bottle and watch the magic happen!
What’s Happening?
When the tablet hits the water, it starts to fizz and release gas (carbon dioxide). The gas forms bubbles that carry the colored water up through the oil. When the bubbles pop at the top, the colored water sinks back down — just like a real lava lamp!
Tips:
- Want to keep the fun going? Just add another piece of the fizzy tablet when the bubbles stop.
- Use a flashlight in a dark room to make it glow like a real lamp!
Safety Note:
This lava lamp is for fun and not for drinking. Always clean up after you’re done and keep small parts away from young children.
Now you know how to make a cool, bubbly lava lamp right in your kitchen — using simple science and stuff you already have at home!
