How to make a lava lamp

You can make a lava lamp at home without spending a lot of money. If the experiment is conducted by children, then parents should be nearby. This is due to the fact that the lamp contains oil and alcohol.

First you need to take any glass container that you can close and shake. This is the future base for the lava lamp. Then, mineral or baby oil is poured into the container, it will serve as a material for future lamp bubbles. If you want to make a multi-colored lamp, then you can use multi-colored oil paints. It should be borne in mind that the oil phase may separate from the dye in the future.

Next, a mixture of three components is added to the glass jar: seventy percent medical alcohol, ninety percent isopropyl alcohol and water. Both substances are purchased at the pharmacy. So that the density of the mixture of alcohols is close to the density of mineral oil, it is necessary to take the components in the correct proportions.

6 parts of medical alcohol and 13 parts of isopropyl alcohol are mixed. If there are no measuring cups and other devices at hand, then you can add one cup of medical alcohol, and then two cups of isopropyl alcohol and a little more of it.

The mixture is poured into a jar, it is necessary to wait until the oil sinks to the bottom and will slightly bulge out from under the layer of alcohols. If the surface of the oil is not convex enough, you can add isopropyl alcohol.

After that, it is necessary to tighten the jar firmly and put on a heat-resistant surface for subsequent heating. You can use a candle holder and a thin metal cover on top. But at the same time, there should be enough space under the surface for installing a small candle there.

With the equation of density of alcohols and oil, an ideal lava lamp is obtained. When heated, the oil expands and rises, there it cools and again sinks to the bottom. After the system is tested, it is necessary to choose a constant source of heat, which will become an incandescent lamp.

Whatever the size of the can, it is forbidden to take a lamp more than 40 watts, as the glass may crack. Next, a directional light lamp is selected, where the lamp is screwed. She should look up.

Next, you need to wait until the lava lamp warms up. This can take up to two hours. But usually home options become active faster.