Science experiment: Make rainbow paper

Put a splash of colour back into your imagination and make some rainbow paper. Mix and match some nail varnishes and have a play with the sunlight to see how bright the colours can be.

What you need:

• bowl
• nail varnish
• black paper

Number of players:
1+

Activity:

Half fill a bowl with water.

Add a drop of nail varnish to the water and allow it time to spread out.

Dip a small black piece of paper and lift it out.

What happens?
If you tilt the black paper, you should be able to see rainbows. Why?

Because when you dip the black piece of paper in the water, varnish is transferred onto it and when it is exposed to light, the light is reflected by the layers of varnish.

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