Defying Gravity Water Experiment

 This is a super fun, artsy, and colorful science project to do with your kids. This is great and simple for any ages. All you need is three see through containers, two folded sheets of paper towels (I folded them in half twice), and red and blue food coloring.

Fill two containers with water and add three drops of the food coloring. Stir well. Place the empty one in the middle. 

Then fold your paper towels and place the ends in the colored water. Add the dry ends into the center container. Make sure they’re touching. 

Quickly the water will start to crawl up the paper towels. 

What is the science behind this? Talk to your students while the water climbs. It will take an hour at most and really depends on your paper towels and containers. 

The process of the water climbing the paper towel is called capillary action. This means the molecules of the water and the paper “get along” better than the molecules circulating inside of the water. As a result, they bind together and travel towards the middle glass.

Because the colors we chose are primary colors, they will form purple in the center container. You may also try this experiment with blue and yellow to make green or red and yellow to make orange. Ask your kid which color they prefer, and that will keep them engaged.