- Tap water
- Rubbing alcohol (do not drink this)
- Clear, narrow-necked plastic bottle (11-ounce water bottles work well)
- Food coloring
- Clear plastic drinking straw
- Modeling clay
- Pour equal parts of tap water and rubbing alcohol into the bottle, filling about 1/8 to a 1/4 of the bottle.
- Add a couple of drops of food coloring and mix.
- Put the straw in the bottle, (DO NOT DRINK MIXTURE) but don’t let the straw touch the bottom.
- Use the modeling clay to seal the neck of the bottle, so the straw stays in place.
- Now hold your hands on the bottle and watch what happens to the mixture in the bottle.
Results
You just made a thermometer, congratulations!! Like all thermometers, the mixture expanded when it was warmed (by the body heat from your hands). When the liquid expanded it no longer fit in the bottom of the bottle. As the alcohol expanded the colored mixture moved up through the straw.
Keep an eye on your thermometer to see how it changes throughout the day. Maybe you could place it by a window to see it warmed by the sunlight in the day. What happens when it gets colder at night? Does wind affect the thermometer? If you want to accurately read the temperature, you will need to use a real thermometer that is carefully calibrated for temperature changes. This one is just for fun - just to see how a thermometer works.
When you are finished with your thermometer, don’t forget to clean up thoroughly. Show your parents that you are responsible.