Color Changing Milk
It's an explosion of color!
It's an explosion of color! Some very unusual things happen when you mix a little milk, food coloring, and a drop of liquid soap. Use this experiment to amaze your friends and uncover the scientific secrets of soap.
Materials
- Milk (whole or 2%)
- Dinner plate
- Food coloring (red, yellow, green, blue)
- Dish-washing soap (Dawn brand works well)
- Cotton swabs
- Pour enough milk in the dinner plate to completely cover the bottom to the depth of about 1/4 inch. Allow the milk to settle.
- Add one drop of each of the four colors of food coloring - red, yellow, blue, and green - to the milk. Keep the drops close together in the center of the plate of milk.
- Find a clean cotton swab for the next part of the experiment. Predict what will happen when you touch the tip of the cotton swab to the center of the milk. It's important not to stir the mix. Just touch it with the tip of the cotton swab. Go ahead and try it. Did anything happen?
- Now place a drop of liquid dish soap on the other end of the cotton swab. Place the soapy end of the cotton swab back in the middle of the milk and hold it there for 10 to 15 seconds. Look at that burst of color! It's like the 4th of July in a bowl of milk!
- Add another drop of soap to the tip of the cotton swab and try it again. Experiment with placing the cotton swab at different places in the milk. Notice that the colors in the milk continue to move even when the cotton swab is removed. What makes the food coloring in the milk move?
How does it work?
Milk is mostly water but it also contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and tiny droplets of fat suspended in solution. Fats and proteins are sensitive to changes in the surrounding solution (the milk).
The secret of the bursting colors is the chemistry of that tiny drop of soap. Dish soap, because of its bipolar characteristics (nonpolar on one end and polar on the other), weakens the chemical bonds that hold the proteins and fats in solution. The soap's polar, or hydrophilic (water-loving), end dissolves in water, and its hydrophobic (water-fearing) end attaches to a fat globule in the milk. This is when the fun begins.
The molecules of fat bend, roll, twist, and contort in all directions as the soap molecules race around to join up with the fat molecules. During all of this fat molecule gymnastics, the food coloring molecules are bumped and shoved everywhere, providing an easy way to observe all the invisible activity. As the soap becomes evenly mixed with the milk, the action slows down and eventually stops.
Try adding another drop of soap to see if there's any more movement. If so, you discovered there are still more fat molecules that haven't found a partner at the big color dance. Add another drop of soap to start the process again.
Additional Info
Science Fair Connection:
The Color Changing Milk activity is a great demonstration of what happens when you combine dish soap and milk. But it's just that... a demonstration. How can you make this colorful and engaging activity a good science fair project? Change something, create a new experiment, and compare the results.
- Repeat the experiment using water in place of milk. Will you get the same eruption of color? Why or why not?
- What kind of milk produces the best swirling of color: skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk, cream? Does the fat content of the milk affect the reaction?
The dish soap must remain the same in the experiment. Use the same brand for each trial and the same amount of soap. Use the same colors and the same amount of food coloring in each trial. Pour the same amount of liquid into the bottom of the dish. All of these steps ensure that you have standardized the conditions as much as possible and have isolated a variable--the one thing that changes in the experiment. In this case, the variable is the type of milk you are using. Take photos of the reactions (maybe even videotape the reactions) to document your discoveries and share at the science fair.
-
Color Changing Milk
January 19th, 2011
Click the thumbnail below to see the video.
|
Milk Fireworks
Liz - January 15, 2013
This is right up there with corn starch and water for coolest simple science demonstration. Love it, can't wait to use it with students! |
 |
|
Gulf Coast Texas Kindergarten review
Christie Burns - September 19, 2012
Dear Mr. Spangler, |
|
|
|
.........WOW
alexa - August 29, 2012
It is soo much fun! |
|
|
|
Does anyone know how to consistently get a STAR shape
S B - June 19, 2012
I've seen various videos of this experiment, and in a small number of them, the food coloring bursts into a star shape. There seems to be no good information as to the conditions that cause this. I have not been able to reproduce the star shape. Variables include milkfat content, temperature, depth of milk, concentration of food coloring, etc. |
|
|
|
best ever
Louie L. - May 25, 2012
we tried this at school for our inquiry and it was great we all went ooohhhhh and aaahhhhh. after that was over i went home and did this for about an hour and it wished i did it for longer |
|
|
|
Awesome!
Hannah - May 9, 2012
That is so cool! I found out that the soap is attracted to fat! Never knew that until today! ;-) |
|
|
|
Why does this work with non-fat milk also
Bradley - May 8, 2012
We thought this experiment worked because the detergent chased the fat to connect up with it. We imagined that if we did the experiment with non-fat milk that nothing would happen. But it turned out that it worked just as well with non-fat milk as with full-fat milk. |
|
|
|
Better than magic! It's a miracle!
Louise - May 6, 2012
This is a really awesome piece of work, thanks for the share and i love your web, by the way! |
|
|
|
easy peasy
mda - May 2, 2012
my son is in the 2nd grade and he can't wait to show this off at his science fair!!!!! |
|
|
|
Color Changing Milk is Kool
Anna Matlock - May 1, 2012
That is so kool. My name is Anna and i am doing this project for the Science Show Case at my school, Neosho Middle School, i am in 6th grade and i want to send a shout out to Mrs. Robison the best science teacher ever!!! |
|
|
|
color changing milk!!!
marisol - March 7, 2012
amazing just cant explain how amazing it is lovedddddd ittttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!super easy tooo |
|
|
|
awsome
nicole - February 29, 2012
I am only in third grade and i love this experiment it is one of the best things for a contest!!!!!I did it on febuary 3rd |
|
|
|
exploding colours
Tristan Muller - September 22, 2011
really interesting! |
|
|
|
Soooo Cool!!!
Jenny - August 15, 2011
I am in 8th grade. I thought that the soap will sit on the bottom, but -psst- I was wrong!!! When I inserted the soap, and those colars spread, I was like wowwwww. Cool experiment. |
|
|
|
Learned alot
Mikey - May 13, 2011
My daughter is doing this for her 3rd grade science fair project. She has learned about; matter, molecules, and molecular bonding, theres more to this project than the awesome colors and effects. A great way to introduce the world of science!!! |
|
|
|
Best Science Fair Project!
Juana - April 27, 2011
I'm In 6th Grade And This Is A Great Experiment For Any Grade :D Good Luck! |
|
|
|
Thank you:)
DJ.K - April 26, 2011
Heyy, im in the 5th grade and my science group didnt know what to do but know we do thank you thank you thank you!!!! |
|
|
|
Thank you
Alvin - March 14, 2011
i am 4th grade and thank you so much for this wonderful project i wish i would win the science fair thank you very much! Steve it is fun to do this color changing milk |
|
|
|
c00lll:)
judy - March 3, 2011
thIss iS a c0ol sCIieNCe idEA...iT iiS awSOme!!:) |
|
|
|
OMG awsome
Devin geskie - February 26, 2011
This the most cool thing ever if you move it around it makes a world pool. |
|
|
|
fun for the family
Alysia H - January 20, 2011
This is great! But don't use concentrated dye drops, they are too heavy and don't rest on the surface as well. We tried other liquids, including water (it actually seemed to work the opposite way, with the dish soap attracting the color), and olive oil (it broke into little bubbles, not much movement), and lemon juice (not much action there). Very fun. |
|
|
|
AWSOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
CIERA - January 19, 2011
THIS IS AWSOME PROJECT ITS FUN AND IT GETS U A A+ |
|
|
|
awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sammy - January 4, 2011
this was the best project ever |
|
|
|
A winner!
Sammy Salim - December 24, 2010
I chose this project last year in the school science fair and guess what? I came in first place and went home with a trophe.The teachers,principal,plus the judges were all impressed.Happy day for me. |
|
|
|
it's so cool!!!!!!!
Mikee - December 6, 2010
it's awesome!i tried it one time and it worked.i told my teacher that I'm gonna do this as my science project and I told her that is is about surface tension..she told me that i can use water or water w/salt in my experiment, so it doesn't look like it's just a demonstration. Will it worked with water or water w/ salt? |
|
|
|
O.M.G THATS COOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ROCK ON
sydni - November 22, 2010
WHEN I TRIED IT I WAS AMAZED AND SO WAS MY FAMILY WEE ALL TRIED IT AND IT BLEW OUR MIND AND NOW IM GOING TO BLOW MY CLASS AND TEACHERS MIND TOMORROW |
|
|
|
hahahahahahahahahahah thIS WAS FUN!!
jesus - November 22, 2010
hey my name is Jesus and i did this experiment and it was really easy and the supplies were not expencive also i had a blast doing this!!!!!@!!!~!!!#%#%#&$*^*^#*^#^#%@# these are the words i cant explain about this experiemnt |
|
|
|
awesomeness
heather - November 22, 2010
oooooooooooommmmmmmgggggg..... this was so kool it made so many colors and it was an easy experiment.... |
|
|
|
Thanks
Justine - November 3, 2010
ok i need a science fair experiment and i just tried it and it worked wonders. God may bless for this amazing experiment. Thank you once again. |
|
|
|
amazzing
jasmin - October 17, 2010
it was an amazing experiment for grade 6 i like it and it was easy too my mother liked it |
|
|
|
OMG ESPLOSION
Chey Rokz - October 17, 2010
I've done this so many times I love this project I do it over and over againg its very fun |
|
|
|
This was GREAT!!!
lizzie - October 6, 2010
this science project is surely going to goet me a 100 its so unique!!! |
|
|
|
Student favorite!
Renee - August 28, 2010
After having spent a year doing various chemistry labs, many of my high school students agree this is their favorite and the one they will remember - and it's so simple and safe. |
|
|
|
milk and food coloring
Angela Francis - July 9, 2010
I just tried this with my 4 and 6 year old. We were blown away. I can't believe I have never tried this before. I will use this with my first graders this year. |
|
|
|
Colorful explosion
Leticia - May 29, 2010
I am a 4th grade teacher and the reaction from my kids was amazing! Great class project to show chemical reaction. |
|
|
|
AWESOME!
Heather - May 5, 2010
This was a great science fair project for my 1st grader! Very easy and fun to do! |
|
|
|
OMG
Ydrancheska Haveras - April 15, 2010
OMG this was totally crazyyyyyy, i fell in love with it!!!!! 0MG THIS IS MY SCIENCE EXIT PROJECT THANK YALLLLL |
|
|
|
W-O-W-!!!!!
Garrett - March 22, 2010
Awesome I will probably get a 100 |
|
|
|
Color Changing Milk
Brianna & Jeniah - March 21, 2010
me and my friend used our time to do our project n this experiment.we thought it was so cool that just dawn soap could change the way the 4 drops of food coloring and how they react with milk! |
|
|
|
Very cool explosion of colors
Wes - March 7, 2010
This was easy and safe and actually makes a lot of sense. |
|
|
|
tie dye milk!
Janet - February 18, 2010
I tried this experiment with my 6 year old yesterday. We used one dish of 1% milk and one dish of half-and-half. Both came out well but very differently! This is a quick, easy, impressive experiment. We will definitely try it again soon. |
|
|
|
Jens Review
Jen - February 10, 2010
Grade 8 science fair project. This project is awsome. |
|
|
|
Explosion of Colour!
Kody Auger Mississppi - October 19, 2009
ITS AN EXPLOSION OF COLOUR! ITS LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY IN A BOWL!!!! |
|
|
|
Science
Dr. Cara Lott Roswell, GA - September 8, 2009
So cool. These projects are easily adapted for students with special needs. |
|
|
Best Sellers
-
Water Gel - Magic Slush Powder $6.99
-
Jelly Marbles - Clear Spheres $9.99
-
Magic Sand $4.99
-
Mentos Geyser Tube $4.99
-
Bacteria Growing Kit $14.99
-
Instant Snow Powder $9.99
-
Neodymium Magnet $15.99
-
Steve Spangler Book Set $25.00
or 
emails. 
