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What happens when you mix water, alcohol and tiny beads?

This experiment not only sparkles, it helps teach you about atoms and their properties. Have you ever heard of polar molecules and what they do?

Here is your chance to find out in an engrossing and very informative way.

• Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• Vegetable oil
• A plastic container or a glass jar that has an interesting shape (like a slender olive jar, or fancy jelly jar)
• Sequins, small beads, glitter and the like
• Food coloring (optional)
• Clear tape (optional)

1. You may want an adult to help you with the alcohol, since it is not intended to be sniffed or exposed to the eyes. Also, glass can break, so please be careful.
2. Fill the container 1/4 full with rubbing alcohol. Add food coloring now, if you choose.
3. Pour vegetable oil into the container, allowing for 1/2 inch of air at the top. Allow for the oil to settle.
4. Add the tiny, shin things and the glitter. Use as much as you like, but don’t use anything that will break the container when you shake it (marbles are not good for this experiment).
5. After you’ve added all of your sparklies, pour in enough oil to fill the jar, and screw on the lid very tightly. You can even seal it with tape, so it won’t leak.
6. Gently shake the container until the alcohol and oil mix. The mixture will turn an opaque color, and your glitter and tiny beads will swirl about dreamily. Allow the oil to settle again (it will take about 5-10 minutes). Now try spinning the jar instead of shaking it– notice a difference?

What Happened

When you mix oil and alcohol, the alcohol floats on top of the oil, because its molecules are less dense. Essentially, the alcohol is lighter than the oil.

To better understand why the two liquids don’t form a solution, we need to understand what makes up the molecules of the compounds called oil and alcohol. Atoms are the building-blocks of molecules (like cells in your body). The atoms that make up alcohol have more of a positive charge on one side of the molecule, and a more negative charge on the other side. These are known as polar molecules. Polar molecules prefer to stick together– the positive charge of one side of the molecule attracts the negative side of another molecule. They like to stay together when they are drawn to each other (sort of like humans!). The oil particles, however, are not as dependent on each other. Their charge is more evenly distributed, and they don’t adhere to the alcohol molecules. That’s why they don’t dissolve and form a single liquid– you can see that they remain separated. What we have created is called a suspension.