Harry Potter Potions Class: Potion Density Demonstration (Part I)

Teacher’s Instructions
Average length: 30 minutes
For grades K-8

Objectives:
 Students will observe that different liquids have different densities
 Students will apply problem solving skills in order to hypothesize where the a seventh
liquid will fall in the density column

Key Terms:
Mass: the amount of matter (or the weight) of an object, typically measured in grams (g).

Volume: a measure of space, in this case the amount of liquid measured in milliliters
(mL).

Density (d): the ratio of a liquid’s or solid’s mass to its volume (g/mL).

Stratification: the arrangement of layers or strata marked by a change in color, texture, or

composition.

Viscosity: a measure of the resistance of a liquid’s ability to flow.

Materials: Part I
 Honey (clover)
 Light Karo syrup
 Green liquid dishwashing soap
 Vegetable oil
 Rubbing alcohol
 Red lamp oil
 1% Milk
 Food coloring
 Crayons/color pencils
 7 clear plastic film canisters with caps
 One 150mL glass beaker or 9-oz clear plastic cup

Safety Instructions:
 Lamp oil is flammable
o Do not dispose of down drains
o Need a separate container to pour lamp oil into
 All other liquids are safe to pour down drain

Procedure:
1. Measure out equal amounts of each liquid (1/8 cup) into seven labeled film canisters
a. Measure the liquids before beginning the demonstration

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 b. Add food coloring to some of the liquids to make the layers easily distinguishable
i. Try to color the liquids so that the layers will alternate between light and
dark colors (see list below)
2. Pour each individual liquid (in the following order) into the center beaker without
allowing the liquids to touch the beaker’s edges:
a. Honey
b. Light Karo syrup (mix with red food coloring)
c. Green liquid dishwashing soap
d. Vegetable oil
e. Rubbing alcohol (mix with blue food coloring)
f. Red lamp oil
3. A density column will form with each liquid comprising a distinct layer
a. Do not fret if the liquid mix slightly
i. However, do not let students actively stir the layers
b. The layers will separate due to the various densities of the liquids
4. Have the students draw in the six different layers using crayons/color pencils
5. Finally, ask the students to hypothesize where a seventh layer (milk) will fall within the
density column
6. Add the milk
7. Have the children color in the layers on their worksheet again (include milk layer)
8. Clean up

Clean up:
1. Pour lamp oil into a separate container
2. All other liquids can be poured down the drain
3. All of the glassware and the film canisters can be washed and reused

How it works:
Despite having the same amount (volume) of two different liquids, the liquids have
different masses. Thus, they have differing densities. The liquids that have the greater masses
will have the greater densities. The liquids with the greater densities sink below the liquids with
the lower densities. For example, 10mL of honey will weigh more (have more mass) than 10mL
of Karo syrup.

Material: liquid Density (g/mL)

Honey 1.36
Light Karo syrup 1.33
Liquid dishwashing soap 1.03
1% Milk ~0.92
Vegetable oil 0.91
Rubbing alcohol 0.87
Lamp oil 0.80

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 Harry Potter Potions Density Experiment
Worksheet for Grades K-4

Draw what you see….

after 6 layers

guess where milk layer will be after milk is added

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 Harry Potter Potions Density Experiment
Worksheet for Grades 5-8

Draw in the layers:

layers before milk is added layers after milk is added

1. If two different liquids have the same volume will they have the same density (why or
why not)?

2. Does the order in which the liquids are poured affect the layering (why or why not)?

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3. What would happen if the layers were mixed together?

4. Based upon the information in the table and the layering of the liquids, what is the
relative density of the milk?

Material: liquid Density (g/mL)

Honey 1.36
Light Karo syrup 1.33
Liquid dishwashing soap 1.03
Milk ?
Vegetable oil 0.91
Rubbing alcohol 0.87
Lamp oil 0.80

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 Harry Potter Potions Class: Stratification of the Black Lake Demonstration
(Part II)
Teacher’s Instructions
Average length: 20-30 minutes
For grades K-8

Objectives:
 Students will learn how different temperatures can affect density
 Students will apply ecological principles to stratification of the water column

Key Terms:
Thermal Stratification: the formation of layers of different temperatures in a lake or
reservoir.

Materials:
 Two 150mL beakers
 One 10mL graduated cylinder
 Two small pipettes
 Ice cubes (or snow)
 Microwave or hot plate
 Food coloring (red and blue)

Safety Instructions:
 All materials are safe to pour down the drain

Procedure: Part II
1. Fill the two beakers with ½ cup of water each
2. Add a few drops of red food coloring one of the beakers and place in the microwave for
~1 minute or on the hot plate for ~5 minutes
a. Do not boil the water
3. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to the other beaker and add a handful of ice cubes
or snow to it
4. After a few minutes, pipette ~5mL of the blue water into the graduated cylinder
5. Then carefully, pipette the red water into the graduated cylinder
a. Pipette slowly to prevent the water from mixing
i. two distinct layers should form
1. blue on the bottom (cooler)
2. red on the top (warmer)
a. a sample of how the layering should appear is on the
following page

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 The water column should look like this image.

How it works:
Cold water is denser than warm water because the colder water molecules move slowly
than warmer water molecules. In the warmer water, the molecules are colliding more often and
bounce off each other more vigorously. Thus they need more space for their collisions. Cold
water molecules do not have as energetic collisions. Therefore colder water is more compacted
(denser).
Water reaches it maximum density at 4°C (39.2°F). Solid water (ice) is less dense than
the water at 4°C along the bottom lakes during the winter months. This is why ice floats.

Additional Notes:
For part I of the experiment, the class can be divided into small groups, which will each
make their own density column (with adult supervision). However, I highly recommend that an
adult pours a demonstration column in addition to the student columns. This will allow the
students to see how the layering is supposed to appear, in the event that the food coloring mixes
too much in the student columns. An appropriately poured density column is integral for
determining the layering of the milk within the column, as well as the layering of the other
fluids.
In order for the two water samples to be adequately cooled/heated, the water ice/heat
should be applied to the two beakers before beginning the seven layer density column
demonstration.

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 Harry Potter Potions Class: Potion Density Demonstration
Pupil’s Procedure

Materials: Part I
 Mandrake sputum (honey)
 Dragon blood (light Karo syrup)
 Goblin snot (dish soap)
 Slug slime (vegetable oil)
 Basilisk venom (rubbing alcohol)
 Gillyweed poison (lamp oil)
 Werewolves’ milk (1% milk)
 9-oz. clear plastic cup

Procedure:
1. Pour each individual liquid (in the following order) into the center beaker without
allowing the liquids to touch the beaker’s edges:
a. Mandrake sputum
b. Dragon blood
c. Goblin snot
d. Slug slime
e. Basilisk venom
f. Gillyweed poison
2. A density column will form with each liquid comprising a distinct layer
3. Draw the six different layers of the density column on your worksheet
4. Hypothesize where a seventh layer (Werewolves’ milk) will fall within the density
column
5. Add the Werewolves’ milk
6. Draw the seven different layers (including werewolves’ milk) of the density column on
your worksheet
7. Clean up

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 Harry Potter Potions Class: Stratification of the Black Lake
Pupil’s Worksheet

Color in the layers:

1. Why did the red water “float”? Why did the blue water “sink”?

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 2. Why does layering happen in lakes? Does this demonstration relate to the layering that
occurs in lakes?

3. Did some of the water mix? Does mixing happen in lakes?

References:

Tro, Nivaldo J. Chemistry: A Molecular Approach. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Education, Inc. 2008. Print.

Steve Spangler Science: Seven Layer Density Column. Web. 5 Jan. 2010.
<http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/seven-layer-density-column>.

Home Science Tools: Liquid Density Experiments. Web. 5 Jan. 2010.

<http://www.hometrainingtools.com/article.asp?ai=1305&bhcd2=1263235169>.

Images acquired via:

< http://aranamuerta.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/bottles-006.jpg>

<https://kleinsclasses.wikispaces.com/file/view/handbookgrad_cylinder.gif/56048188/ha
ndbook-grad_cylinder.gif>

< http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/seven-layer-density-column>

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