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Jefferson Elem: Staff Articles: Christiansen (5th Grade)

Color Changing Milk

by Sheri Christiansen

    Students in Mrs. Christiansen’s 5th grade science class are learning about the scientific method.  They are practicing forming questions, hypotheses, and conclusions.  Students are following the steps of the scientific method when conducting science experiments.  
Last week, students did an experiment to see what would happen if they put Dawn dish soap on a cotton swab and placed it in a plate of whole milk with four colors of food coloring.  


    Here’s how it works.The fats and proteins in the milk are sensitive, and when soap is added, the weak chemical bonds that hold the proteins in solutions are altered.  The molecules of protein and fat bend, roll, twist, and contort in all directions.  The food coloring molecules are bumped and shoved everywhere making the invisible easy to observe.  Also, since milk is mostly water, it has surface tension.  Soap wrecks the surface tension by breaking the bonds between water molecules and allows the colors to go crazy in the milk.  Many “Oooohs” and “Aaaahhhs” were heard from all over the room during this colorful display.

 
 

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