Hooked on Science: Density layers

Using a few liquids from the kitchen cabinet you can prove each liquid has a different density.

Materials

* Cooking oil

* Water

* Corn syrup

* Tall transparent drinking glass

Instructions

STEP 1: Add a few drops of food coloring to the water.

STEP 2: Fill the tall transparent drinking glass one third of the way with the colored water.

STEP 3: Fill the middle third of the tall transparent drinking glass with corn syrup.

STEP 4: Top off the tall transparent drinking glass with cooking oil.

Explanation

Each liquid has a different density, therefore creating three layers.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hooked onscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.