Materials
- A white plate
- Skittles or similar colorful candy
- Warm water
Procedure
- Place the Skittles in a circle around the edge of the plate.
- Carefully pour warm water into the center until it just touches the candy.
- Watch as the colors dissolve and move to the center, creating a rainbow effect!
Choose Your Learning Level
Elementary
The candy coating melts in the water and spreads out. Each color moves without mixing right away, making a rainbow pattern!
Questions to Think About
- What colors do you see first?
- Why don’t the colors mix right away?
- What happens if you use cold water instead?
Middle
Skittles have sugar and food dye that dissolve in water. As the dye spreads, it moves in straight lines because of the difference in concentration. The colors stay separated because of the balance between diffusion and density.
Questions to Think About
- What makes the colors move outward?
- How does water temperature affect the speed?
- Why do the colors stay in lanes?