How to Make a Simple Lava Lamp

Create your own bubbling, colorful lava lamp using common kitchen ingredients and science. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Fill your container. Fill your bottle about one-quarter full with water. Then, fill the rest of the bottle with vegetable oil, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Wait a few minutes for the oil and water to separate completely.
2. Add your color. Add 5 to 10 drops of food coloring into the bottle. Watch as the drops fall through the oil and mix only with the water layer at the bottom.
3. Start the reaction. Break your antacid tablet into smaller pieces. Drop one piece into the bottle and watch the magic happen as the gas bubbles carry the colored water up through the oil.