Density Tower

Make a Colorful Tower of Stacked Liquids!

Ever wondered why some liquids sink while others float? With just a few household items, you can create a stunning layered tower that shows how different liquids settle based on their density. This colorful experiment is a fun way to explore the concept of density in a visual way!

Materials You’ll Need

To create your own density tower, gather these supplies:

• Tall, clear glass or jar (1 per experiment)

• Honey – about 2 tablespoons

• Water – about 2 tablespoons

• Vegetable oil – about 2 tablespoons

• Rubbing alcohol – about 2 tablespoons

• Food coloring (optional, for coloring the layers)

• Spoon (for gentle pouring)

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Add Honey (Bottom Layer): Pour about 2 tablespoons of honey into the bottom of the glass or jar. Honey is the densest, so it will stay at the bottom.

2. Color the Water (Optional): Add a drop of food coloring to 2 tablespoons of water, if desired, then gently pour it over the honey using a spoon to avoid splashing. The water will sit on top of the honey.

3. Add Vegetable Oil: Slowly pour about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on top of the water layer. The oil will float above the water because it is less dense.

4. Color the Rubbing Alcohol (Optional): If you want to make the alcohol layer visible, add a drop of food coloring to it. Then gently pour about 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol on top of the oil, completing your density tower!

   
   

The Science Behind It

Each layer in your density tower stays separate because of density—the mass per unit volume of a substance:

1. Each liquid has a unique density. In this experiment, honey is the densest, followed by water, then vegetable oil, and finally, rubbing alcohol, which is the least dense. This order causes each liquid to settle in its own layer, from most dense at the bottom to least dense at the top. The floating effect lets us see the different densities visually, creating a colorful density tower.

2. Some of these liquids, like water and oil, do not mix because they have different molecular properties (water is polar, while oil is nonpolar). Even if you try to stir the layers together, they will eventually separate again.

   
   

This experiment provides a colorful, hands-on way to explore density and immiscibility. Try adding additional liquids like dish soap, peanut butter, or syrup, and see if you can predict where they will fit into your density tower!