Ingredients
Ingredients:
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Clear bottles or jars (preferably plastic, with caps)
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Vegetable oil – around 1 cup per bottle
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Water – about 1/3 cup per bottle
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Food coloring – assorted rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
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Effervescent tablets (e.g., Alka-Seltzer or other antacid tablets)
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Glitter (optional) – for extra sparkle
Kitchen Tools:
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Measuring cups
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Funnel (optional but helpful)
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Spoons
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Mixing bowl
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Small cups or bowls for mixing colors
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Tray or towel (to catch spills)
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Knife or tablet cutter (for breaking tablets)
Instructions
Place a tray or towel under your workspace to catch any spills. Set up your bottles or jars — one for each color you plan to use. Make sure they’re clean and dry.
Using a measuring cup, pour about 1/3 cup of water into each bottle. The water will sit at the bottom due to its higher density compared to oil.
Add 4-6 drops of food coloring to each bottle. Use a different color for each bottle to achieve the full rainbow effect. Stir gently with a spoon or swirl the bottle to combine the water and food coloring thoroughly.
Slowly pour about 1 cup of vegetable oil into each bottle using a funnel or measuring cup. Pour carefully to avoid mixing the water and oil layers. The oil will float on top, creating a distinct separation between the colored water below and the oil above.
Break an effervescent tablet into two or three pieces. Drop one piece into a bottle and observe the reaction. Bubbles will form, carrying the colored water upwards in blobs that mimic the flowing lava of a real lamp. As the bubbles reach the top, they pop and release the gas, causing the color blobs to sink back down creating a mesmerizing effect.
Repeat the process with the other bottles, using one color at a time to build your rainbow collection of homemade lava lamps!
Notes
While this isn’t a “cooking” recipe in the traditional sense, it does involve the science of emulsification, chemical reactions, and fluid dynamics. Using kitchen tools ensures accurate measurements and easy cleanup. Make sure to supervise children, especially when handling tablets and food coloring.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes