The Easiest STEM Activity Ever: Magic Wax Water
Are you looking for the world’s easiest STEM activity? Look no further!
This activity is incredibly easy but extremely engaging! My students are always hyper-focused on the task at hand when we do this exploration. I call this activity “Wax Water”.
Here’s the idea. Because of the cohesion of water molecules, water will bead up into droplets on wax paper, allowing students to manipulate it with a toothpick, a pipette, or even their fingers. They can drag droplets into large beads of water, or take a large droplet and separate them back out. You can dye the water to practice color mixing, or just play with regular water. Whichever you choose, I promise your students will be mesmerized.
Here’s how you do it.
Materials Needed:
Wax paper sheets
Toothpicks
Liquid watercolors or food coloring (optional)
Water dropper or pipette
Procedure:
Prepare Your Workspace:
Lay out sheets of wax paper on a flat surface. This will serve as your canvas for the magical water droplet experiment. I recommend taping the wax paper to the table.
Dye Your Water:
In small containers, dilute liquid watercolors or food coloring with water. You can use themed colors (like red and green for Christmas), practice color mixing, or skip this step entirely!
Load Your Dropper:
Using a water dropper or pipette, load it with the dyed water. This will allow students to control the size and placement of each droplet.
Release the Droplets:
Gently squeeze the dropper to release droplets of colored water onto the wax paper. Watch in awe as the water beads up, showcasing the cohesion of water molecules.
Manipulate with Toothpicks:
Now comes the creative part! Using toothpicks, delicately manipulate the water droplets on the wax paper. Observe how the cohesive forces of water allow the droplets to bead up and move freely around the wax paper.
Educational Insights:
Cohesion and Surface Tension:
Explore the concept of cohesion as you witness the water droplets forming spherical shapes due to the inherent forces that bind water molecules together. Discuss how surface tension plays a role in this captivating phenomenon.
Scientific Observation:
Encourage participants to make scientific observations. What happens when you add more droplets? How do the colors interact? What patterns emerge as you manipulate the droplets with toothpicks?
Artistic Expression:
Beyond the scientific marvel, this activity encourages artistic expression. Experiment with different color combinations, create patterns, and even try to depict scenes or abstract designs using the water droplets.
With very little prep, and materials you likely have on hand, you can create a STEM experiment that will wow your students while teaching about molecules. The cohesion of water, coupled with the manipulation allowed by toothpicks, provides a hands-on learning experience that is both educational and entertaining. So, gather your materials, unleash your creativity, and explore the world of molecular science in a fun way!
