Watch Silent Underwater Fireworks and Discover the Science of Oil and Water

Try this silent fireworks moment of science at home! 

Here’s What You’ll Need

1. food coloring

2. a small dish of oil

3. a tall glass of water. 

Make Silent Underwater Fireworks

Step 1: Drop 2–3 colors of food coloring into the oil and stir it up to make teeny-tiny drops.

Step 2: Slowly pour the oil and food coloring into the water.

Step 3: Watch closely as your underwater fireworks explode!

What’s going on? 

Food coloring is mostly water, and water is denser than oil. So the oil floats, while the droplets slowly sink and burst into the water below. The falling droplets create colorful currents that mix and join together in swirls beneath the still surface.