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How Lava Lamps Work

From How Things Work

How Lava Lamps Work
3 min3rd4th5th6thScienceTechnology
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Summary

The blobs in a lava lamp rise and sink because heat changes how dense the wax is compared with the liquid around it. A short Nat Geo Kids clip (2:57) you can drop straight into a lesson.

Viewer safety

All ages
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Teaching resources

Discussion questions

Discussion

The blobs in a lava lamp rise and sink because heat changes how dense the wax is compared with the liquid around it.

  1. In your own words, what was this clip mostly about?
  2. What did you learn about heat that you didn't know before?
  3. What's one question this makes you want to investigate further?

Quick work-a-long

Words to know: heat, density, rise.

Try it: Tell a partner what "How Lava Lamps Work" was about using these three words, then write down one new thing you learned and one thing you still wonder.

How Lava Lamps Work — TV on a Rolling Cart