5 science experiments that you can do with oil that look insanely cool

Oil and water are such opposites that it's become a cliche to say that a pair of people "go together like oil and water." The following experiments play with the differing densities of water and oil to create a fun, hands-on activity for kids and adults.
If you're looking for a simple, affordable way to entertain the kids while teaching them something try one of these fun ideas.
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1 Water and oil
Combining oil and water is a fun way to visualize different densities of liquids. The oil floats on top because it's lighter than the water. The food coloring contains water which makes it denser than the oil. Over time the coloring becomes so dense that it sinks beneath the oil creating a firework appearance.
2. Liquid switch
This experiment looks like it defies gravity. In reality, the densities are so dissimilar that the oil and water cannot occupy the same space, so the denser liquid (water) sinks, while the oil rises to the top. Be careful when doing this experiment, it can get messy.
3. Rainbow in a jar (h/t Sweet and Simple Things)
This is a unique take on the density of water and oil because you use different items that are either oil based or water based to create this fun visual. It's a great way to see which liquids in your home are mostly water and which are mostly some type of oil.
4. Oil spill cleanup experiment
Oil spills are an unfortunate risk when huge cargo ships are carrying thousands of gallons of the liquid travel across open waters. Oil doesn't mix with water but sits on top of it, which makes it particularly dangerous for animals in the wild. Check out this simple experiment to see how oil cleanup works.
5. Freezing oil and water
By now you probably know that when combined, oil will always rise to the top and water will settle at the bottom. Or will it? In this experiment, water wins because when it's frozen, the water expands, making it lighter than the oil.
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