Ok well perhaps not the floor, but the classroom was certainly full of lava lamps that were created by STEM Club tonight. The pupils loved measuring the correct amounts of water and oil and choosing the food colouring to add to their lamp but they were in awe when the Alka Seltzer tablets were added to release the gas and really make their lamps bubble. We stood each bottle in turn over a mobile phone torch which really illuminated the contents of the bottle so they pupils could see the gas bubbles rising. There was lots of opportunity for discussion on why the oil floated on top of the water, where the bubbles came from and what the science was behind the magic. The pupils were thrilled to take home their lava lamps with an extra fizzy tablet so they could show everyone at home what they had been learning.
