We've all walked in water, and have the soggy socks and muddy feet to prove it. But have you ever seen water walk?
With this fascinating science experiment, you will be able to see water "walk" from one cup to another. Using a simple setup of cups filled with water and food coloring, your can witness how water appears to defy gravity to travel from one vessel to the next. All without having to get your feet wet!
GATHER THIS:
- Three clear cups or jars (they should be approximately the same size)
- White paper towels
- Food coloring in various colors or beet juice
- Water
THEN DO THIS:
- Cut a paper towel in half. Then fold one piece in half lengthwise, and in half lengthwise again so you have a long strip of paper towel. Do the same with the other piece of remaining paper towel.
- Line the three cups up next to each other in a row.
- Fill the two outer cups halfway with water, and keep the middle cup empty.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the cups with water (choose two different colors).
- Place one end of the paper towel strip in the cup with water, and the other end in the empty cup. Do the same with the other paper towel strip.
- Wait and watch as the colored water “walks” from the outer cups to the middle cup. This is one walk you won’t get tired from!
ASK THIS:
- What did the water do when you placed the paper towel in the cup?
- What happened to the colors when they filled the middle cup?
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
The water travels through gaps in the paper towel fibers and "walks" into the empty jar. This is a process called capillary action, and is what helps water climb from a plant's roots upward to the rest of the plant and leaves.
