Colourful milk swirl experiment

Simple science experiments using kitchen and pantry items are fun to do and a great way to help your kids learn. Try this colourful milk swirl experiment. Just watch the video tutorial to show you how.

What you need:

• 1 cup full-cream milk (skim milk contains too much water to be effective with this experiment)
• 4 different food colourings (you have to use the standard ones, natural ones are not as concentrated and so don't work as well)
• Dishwashing liquid
• A medium-sized bowl

Number of players:
1

Activity:

Watch the below video to see how to do a colourful milk swirl experiment.

Pour the milk into the bowl.

Place one drop of each of your colours into the milk, keep the drops close together.

Add a drop of dishwashing liquid to the mix.

Watch the colours swirl around.

Why is it so?

The fat and protein molecules in the milk are altered by the soap. This causes them to roll around. Once the soap molecules have mixed evenly with the fat and protein molecules in the milk the motion will stop. So keep adding drops of dishwashing liquid when the action slows down.

• Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.