Oil Bubbles in Water

Here’s a fun experiment for you that is super simple and only requires a few items that I’m certain you already have in your kitchen (oil, water & salt).

You could even add food coloring to the water if you wanted to add a different element to the fun.

Oil Bubbles in Water Experiment Video

Create Oil Bubbles in Water

Supplies Needed

• Large Empty Clear Jar
• 2 Cups of Water
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 Tablespoons of Salt

Experiment Instructions

 

Step 1 – Begin by fulling a large jar about halfway full of water

Step 2 – Next, add a cup of vegetable oil to the jar. Wait 30 seconds for the oil to completely separates from the water.

Step 3 – Add a heaping tablespoon of salt to the jar.

Step 4 – Watch the Bubbles form at the bottom and float back to the top.

How Does the Experiment Work?

We learned before that oil and water don’t mix. Therefore, after putting both oil and water into the same container, the two liquids will separate (oil on top, water on the bottom).

When we add the salt to the jar, it immediately sinks to the bottom taking a little of the oil with it. Once it gets to the bottom of the jar, the salt begins to dissolve. As the salt dissolves, the oil that was pulled to the bottom begins to rise back to the top of the water and create oil bubbles.

I hope you enjoyed the experiment.  Here are some printable instructions

Oil Bubbles in Water Science Experiment

Print

Materials

• Large Empty Clear Jar
• 2 Cups of Water
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 Tablespoons of Salt

Instructions

1. Begin by fulling a large jar about halfway full of water
2. Next, add a cup of vegetable oil to the jar. Wait 30 seconds for the oil to completely separates from the water.
3. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt to the jar.
4. Watch the Bubbles form at the bottom and float back to the top.