A viscous vortex
Grades 2, 6, and 8 (Ontario)
Elementary cycles 1 and 2 (Quebec)
Watch what happens when you drop food colouring into milk in this fascinating experiment that requires few materials.
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Curriculum links
Grade 2
Science and technology: Understanding matter and energy
- Properties of liquids and solids
- Investigate the properties of liquids
- Investigate, through experimentation, interactions that occur as a result of mixing and/or dissolving . . . liquids and liquids
- Identify objects in the natural and built environments as solids or liquids
- Describe the properties of . . . liquids (e.g., they take the shape of the container they are in, and can be poured)
Grade 6
Science and technology: Understanding structures and mechanisms
- Flight
- Use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the properties of air
- Identify the properties of air that make flight possible
Grade 8
Science and technology: Understanding matter and energy
- Fluids
- Investigate and compare the density of a variety of liquids
Elementary cycle 1
Science and technology: The material world
- Mixtures
- Miscible and nonmiscible substances
Elementary cycle 2
Science and technology: Earth and space
- Matter
- Properties and characteristics of matter on Earth
- Soil, water and air
Materials
- A clear, round container (a bowl or wide-mouthed drinking glass)
- Milk
- Food colouring
- A stir stick (a popsicle stick or any similar thin object works fine)
Procedure
- Fill the container with milk.
- Let the container sit so that the milk settles and becomes still.
- Carefully add a drop of food colouring to the centre of the container.
- Using the stir stick, gently drag some of the food colouring around in a circular motion.
- Observe and record what happens!
Tips: Wait for the food colouring to resurface after you drop it into the milk (it only takes a second). You only need to give the food colouring a very short, gentle nudge to get it moving. If it doesn’t do what you want, you can try again a couple times if you are careful.
Suggestions for art activities
This experiment lends itself well to all types of paintings and drawings. Students could use chalk or pastels — even changing the background colour to black for a different effect.
Have students try placing a piece of paper on top of the bowl to soak up the pattern and capture a moment in time.
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