Tie Dye Milk Experiment: First we filled a pan up with milk. Then, we put drops of food coloring on it. The children observed how the food coloring stayed in place, because food coloring is less dense than the milk. Then, we put a drop of dish soap on it. Once we put a drop of dish soap on it the surface tension was reduced. As the dish soap spread it attracted the food coloring, this is because dish soap is a “degreaser” and the molecules in it were attacking the fat in the milk. This is what caused motion and created the swirling of the colors.
Changing of the Leaves: We took leaves from two different tree’s and placed them in rubbing alcohol then created energy using hot water. We placed the leaves in the hot water to separate the colors. At first we saw green because the chlorophyll in the leaves gives them their green color, and it is so dominant that it hides the other colors in the leaves. However, in the fall the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down allowing the other colors to finally shine through and show their beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges.
