Black Magic (Color Chromatography)
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The Exploratorium
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With a coffee filter, a black marker, and a cup of water, discover the secret colors hidden in black ink. This activity explores capillary action--how water moves up paper--and chromatography--how different elements of the ink are carried along at different rates, allowing you to see that black ink is actually made up of many different colors.
- Under 5 minutes
- 5 to 10 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per student
- Ages 8 - 18
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- scissors
- white paper coffee filter or paper towel
- black non-permanent marker (water-based)
- coffee cup or mug
- water
Subjects
- Physical Sciences
- Light and Optics
- Reflection and Refraction
- States of Matter
- Liquids
- Structure and Properties of Matter
- Mass and Weight
- Light and Optics
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Crime Science
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- see color
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All Rights Reserved, Exploratorium, ©1998
