Real fireworks can be a hazard, and that’s why fireworks in a jar are the best option! Celebrate New Year’s or any holiday during the year with this easy science experiment. Plus, this little project only uses 3 ingredients! Everyone will love homemade fireworks in a jar during your celebrations. The best part – no loud noises are involved!
You can add these science experiments in a jar activity to your holiday celebration fun over New Year’s, use it as a resource for your science lesson plans, or as a fun way to keep the kids occupied. One of the best chemical reactions is a child’s fascination.
This science experiment in a jar activity is easy to set up, has low prep, targets important concepts, and is so much fun! Plus, the supply list is super affordable, and you may have most, if not all the items at home.
Materials Required
All you need is the following:
- Water
- Canola oil (This is a vegetable oil)
- Food coloring
Check out our favorite kindergarten and preschool supplies list here.
Watch the fireworks in a jar oil and water science experiment video
While you’re at it, why not set up these free New Years activities too?
Plus, here’s a link to all the Official United States 2024 Holidays so you know when to make fireworks in a jar!
How to Make Fireworks in a Jar
Head to your kitchen and grab your supplies. Use a large jar or bowl. Full disclosure: if you don’t have a separate bowl for extra use, you can use a disposable cup; I use any old cup or container and incur no additional cost.
The fireworks in a jar experiment asks the scientific question, ‘What happens when oil and water mix?’. Ask the kids and let them jot down their hypotheses (guesses).
1– Fill the mason jar with warm water up to 3/4 of the jar.
2– Add about 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a separate bowl or cup. Thereafter, add drops of food coloring to the oil. We used red, blue, green, and orange.
3– Try to break up the colored droplets with a fork.
4– Add the oil and food coloring mixture to the water mixture.
5– Then, wait for the food coloring to fall into the water and watch the ‘fireworks.’
Look how beautiful the effects are! Share your images with me on Instagram @funwithmama.
Check out more STEM activities and simple science experiments like:
- Water in a Bag– a fun water experiment
- Walking Water– to understand color mixing
- Skittles Rainbow– a candy science project kids will love!
Variations for Fireworks in a Jar
What variables can you change to engage the kids further?
- Mix different colors in one jar, or use one color per jar.
- Experiment with cold water and let the kids observe if there are any visible changes to the fireworks.
The Science Behind Fireworks in a Jar
This experiment entails diving into the concept of liquid density. This concept includes both physics and chemistry! When you observe the fireworks in a jar, you will see that oil and water do not mix. But why don’t they mix?
Liquids have different weights or densities as a result of their molecular structure (this is what they’re made up of). Water is heavier than oil, and therefore, it sinks because it is made up of a different number of molecules than oil.
Food coloring (the one you find on shelves in grocery stores) is water-based and will dissolve in water but not in oil. This is why the food coloring drops and oil remain separate in the jar. As you pour the oil and colored drops into the jar, the food coloring drops begin to sink because they are heavier than the oil. Once they reach the water in the jar, it creates a fireworks effect in the jar. Adding the food coloring to the oil slows down the process of the water and food coloring mixing!
For your lesson plans
Interested in the scientific details behind the activity? Here are some key points which you can explain to older kids:
- Water and oil are immiscible; this means they do not mix.
- We all know that water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water is polar and has a partial negative charge from the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge from the hydrogen atoms. These positive and negative charges allow the molecules to be attracted to each other and form strong bonds.
- Oil is composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms – it is called a hydrocarbon. Unlike water, these hydrocarbons are non-polar, meaning there are no positive or negative charges. The bonds are not strong enough to break the bonds between water molecules and this is why they don’t mix. We call oil hydrophobic or ‘water fearing’.
- Food coloring is water-based and it will not mix with oil. It will form tiny spheres within it. It is more dense than oil because the atoms are more tightly packed than oil. This causes the coloring to sink. When you pour the oil and food coloring the oil floats to the top and carries the food coloring inside it. But, when the liquids settle, the food coloring sinks into the oil and goes into the water.
Now the real magic happens. Food coloring is denser than water so it sinks right to the bottom of the jar. As it sinks, it begins to mix and slowly dissolve into the water. As the dye spreads, it leaves a beautiful trail that resembles fireworks.
Benefits of Science Experiments for Early Childhood Development
It’s important to incorporate scientific experiments for early childhood development. Science experiments:
- Encourage curiosity and exploration.
- Foster scientific literacy.
- Cultivate a love of learning.
- Promote teamwork and communication skills.
- Teach problem-solving skills.
Click here for more Benefits Of Science Experiments For Kids.
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