Spreading Colors
The explanation behind this is more than just surface tension and its reduction due to the addition of soap.
- Add
a layer (a centimeter thick or even less is enough) of milk on a
plate/pan. This doesn't work as well with skim milk, the higher the fat
content in the milk the better.
- Add a couple of drops of diferent food colors apart from each other -- hence, close to the sides than the center of the plate. The food color drops will not mix in the milk.
- Dip a Q-tip in soap and place it in the middle of the plate.
- You
might need to wait for 15-20 seconds. All of a sudden, colors will
start moving around. You should see swirls of colors. After seeing this
for a while, you can move the q-tip around, even moving it to close to
where the color drops were initially placed.


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