Safety Tips

This experiment is safe for kids, but adult supervision is recommended. Be careful not to spill the liquids, and clean up any spills immediately.

Materials Needed

  • Clear glass jar or tall container
  • Honey
  • Light corn syrup
  • Dish soap
  • Water
  • Food coloring (red, yellow, green, blue)
  • Vegetable oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1
    Prepare Your Liquids

    In separate containers, mix each liquid with a different food coloring. Use red for honey, yellow for corn syrup, green for dish soap, and blue for water.

  2. 2
    Start with Honey

    Carefully pour the colored honey into your jar. This will be your bottom layer.

  3. 3
    Add Corn Syrup

    Slowly pour the colored corn syrup over the honey. Pour it against the side of the jar to prevent mixing.

  4. 4
    Continue Layering

    Add the colored dish soap, then water, and finally the vegetable oil. Each layer should be about the same thickness.

What's Happening?

This experiment demonstrates the concept of density. Each liquid has a different density, which is why they form distinct layers instead of mixing together. The honey is the most dense, so it stays at the bottom, while the oil is the least dense and floats to the top.