This project demonstrates the effect of soap on the surface tension of milk by adding food coloring. Students will witness how soap disrupts the milk's surface, creating colorful swirls.
If I add dish soap to milk with food coloring, then the soap will break the surface tension, causing the colors to swirl and mix excitingly.
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Pour milk into a shallow dish.
Add a few drops of different food colors in various spots on the milk's surface.
Dip a cotton swab into dish soap.
Gently touch the soapy swab onto the milk's surface.
Observe the reaction and swirling patterns.
Repeat with different spots and colors.
Record the patterns and colors created.
The dish soap will reduce the milk's surface tension and cause the food coloring to swirl and create beautiful, colorful patterns.
Type of milk
Pattern created by food coloring
Amount of milk, Amount of food coloring, Type of dish soap
Ensure no one drinks or ingests the milk mixture. Clean up any spills immediately.
Use a video to show the swirling effect in action.
Discuss the science of surface tension in simple terms.
Provide a handout with step-by-step photos of the experiment.
The soap reduces the milk's surface tension, allowing the food coloring to move freely and create swirls.
Whole milk works best due to its higher fat content, which reacts more visibly with the soap.
This experiment is best with milk, but you can try other liquids and observe different effects.
