Activity: Discovery Tubes
FOR THE TEACHER
Summary
This is a fun, visual activity for young students. It allows for understanding of fundamental
chemistry topics, including mixtures, miscibility, density and viscosity while analyzing a
handheld colorful toy.
Grade Level
Elementary school
Objectives
By the end of this activity, students should be able to
 Contribute examples of physical properties for a substance referencing their
observations.
 Understand that some substances will mix with one another, while others will not. This
observation should allow students to classify mixtures appropriately as either
heterogeneous or homogeneous.
 Understand the meaning of viscosity and use the term when describing portions of the
mixture in the discovery tube.
 Define the term density and use examples from the discovery tubes to compare the
density of substances.
 Recognize when substances in a solution are miscible or immiscible with one another.
Chemistry Topics
This lesson supports students’ understanding of
 Physical Properties
 Mixtures
 Density
 Viscosity
Time
Teacher Preparation: 60-90 minutes
Lesson: 45 minutes
Materials
 2 feet of large vinyl tubing per discovery tube, 9/16 in. by 3/8 in. diameter (10 tubes can
be made from this amount)
 2 cm of small vinyl tubing per discovery tube, 3/8 in. by ¼ inch (this will serve as the
connector/plug)
 Scissors
 Hot glue gun and several glue sticks
 Water
 Baby Oil
 Cornstarch
 Assorted Food Coloring
 Glitter
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Funnel (narrow tip)
Two - 50ml graduated cylinder
One - 10ml graduated cylinder
1 tbsp. measuring spoon
Small Perler beads
Small colored rocks
Disposable plastic cup
Oobleck (you will prepare this)
Safety
 Wear gloves and a lab apron when creating the Discovery Tubes.
 The hot glue gun and scissors should be handled by an adult.
Teacher Notes
 This activity works best if the teacher creates the discovery tubes prior to the lesson. I
would not suggest that students help to create the tubes, as it is rather difficult and
messy.
 Teachers should save the discovery tubes; they can be reused from year to year.
 Types of Discovery Tubes:
1. Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter
2. Baby Oil + Colored Water +Perler beads
3. Baby Oil + Colored Water + Colored rocks
4. Baby Oil + Oobleck + Glitter
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Teacher procedures for preparing the discovery tubes:
1. Plug in your hot glue gun, and leave it on until you are completely finished creating
all of the tubes that you will need.
2. Cut the large vinyl tubing into pieces that measure 2 feet in length. You will need one
2-foot piece for each discovery tube. Cut as many as you will need now.
3. Cut the small vinyl tubing into 2cm pieces. You will need one 2cm piece for each
discovery tube.
4. Using your hot glue gun fill each of the 2cm pieces of vinyl tubing with hot glue, these
will serve as a connector and a plug in the discovery tube.
5. Now, using the hot glue gun, add glue to the inside of one end of a large vinyl tube.
While the glue is hot, force one of the plugs you created in step #4 into the end of the
tube. Repeat this step for each of the tubes that you intend to make.
6. The large vinyl tubing has an approximate volume of 44ml when it is cut to 2ft in
length. When adding ingredients to the tubes, it is important that the tubes retain
about 8-10ml of air. This will allow for the contents to move freely throughout the
tube.
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Creating Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter Discovery Tube:
1. Measure 1ml of glitter; carefully pour the glitter directly to the empty tube.
Note: When adding ingredients to the discovery tube, it is best if the tube is
vertically elongated as much as possible.
2. Using the graduated cylinder, measure 17ml of water. Add food coloring to the
water if you would like it to be more colorful.
3. Add 17ml baby oil to the same graduated cylinder.
4. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube, and carefully pour all of the
contents from the graduated cylinder into the tube.
5. Use a paper towel to dry the end of the tubing and the edging (this will allow it to
seal easier)
6. Using the hot glue gun, add glue to both ends of the tubing, making sure to cover
the connector end/plug. Force the plug into the open end of the tube, to create a
ring. You will need to hold it here for a minute or two to ensure the glue sets.
Make certain that the tube does not leak. If there is any leakage, add more glue to
the edges to secure the connection.
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Creating Baby Oil + Colored Water + Perler Beads Discovery Tube:
1. Add 2 perler beads to the tube.
2. Using the graduated cylinder, measure 17ml of water. Add food coloring to the
water if you would like it to be more colorful.
3. Using the graduated cylinder, measure 17ml of baby oil.
4. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube; add approximately 5ml of
water to the tube.
5. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube; add approximately 5ml of
water to the tube.
6. Add 2 perler beads to the tube.
7. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube; add approximately 5ml of
water to the tube.
8. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube; add approximately 5ml of
water to the tube.
9. Repeat steps 6-8 until you have used all of your measured ingredients.
10. Use a paper towel to dry the end of the tubing and the edging (this will allow it to
seal easier)
11. Using the hot glue gun, add glue to both ends of the tubing, making sure to cover
the connector end/plug. Force the plug into the open end of the tube, to create a
ring. You will need to hold it here for a minute or two to ensure the glue sets.
Make certain that the tube does not leak. If there is any leakage, add more glue to
the edges to secure the connection.
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Creating Baby Oil + Colored Water + Colored Rocks:
1. Add 4-6 colored rocks to the tube.
2. Using the graduated cylinder, measure 17ml of water. Add food coloring to the
water if you would like it to be more colorful.
3. Add 17ml baby oil to the same graduated cylinder.
4. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube, and carefully pour all of the
contents from the graduated cylinder into the tube.
5. Add 4-6 additional colored rocks to the tube.
6. Use a paper towel to dry the end of the tubing and the edging (this will allow it to
seal easier)
7. Using the hot glue gun, add glue to both ends of the tubing, making sure to cover
the connector end/plug. Force the plug into the open end of the tube, to create a
ring. You will need to hold it here for a minute or two to ensure the glue sets.
Make certain that the tube does not leak. If there is any leakage, add more glue to
the edges to secure the connection.
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Creating Baby Oil + Oobleck + Glitter:
1. First, make your Oobleck mixture (this will make enough for use in 1-2 tubes):
o Combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of water and several
drops of food coloring in a small disposable plastic cup.
o Mix the ingredients thoroughly until a uniform paste has formed.
o Oobleck with have properties of both a solid and a liquid, but it will flow
into the tubing as a liquid.
2. Measure 1ml of glitter; carefully pour the glitter directly to the empty tube.
Note: When adding ingredients to the discovery tube, it is best if the tube is
vertically elongated as much as possible.
3. Using the graduated cylinder, measure 35ml baby oil to the same graduated
cylinder.
4. Place the funnel in the open end of the vinyl tube, and carefully pour all of the oil
from the graduated cylinder into the tube.
5. Carefully add the Oobleck to the tube (I would not advise using the funnel). The
best way to add the Oobleck is by manipulating the cup and reshaping it to slowly
pour the Oobleck into the opening of the tube.
6. Use a paper towel to dry the end of the tubing and the edging (this will allow it to
seal easier)
7. Using the hot glue gun, add glue to both ends of the tubing, making sure to cover
the connector end/plug. Force the plug into the open end of the tube, to create a
ring. You will need to hold it here for a minute or two to ensure the glue sets.
Make certain that the tube does not leak. If there is any leakage, add more glue to
the edges to secure the connection.
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Teaching Concepts for each of the Discovery Tubes:
There are many physical properties to observe in each of the Discovery Tubes. Below is a
breakdown of specific properties that are suggested for the teacher to focus on in each
instance:
1. Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter
o Mixtures: The oil and water will not mix, so this would be a good time to
talk about the concept of mixtures. This is a heterogeneous mixture, as
you can visually distinguish between the components.
o The water and food coloring form a homogeneous mixture that can also
be referred to as a solution, since it is a liquid mixture.
o The vocab words “miscible” and “immiscible” can also be introduced as
both concepts are evident in the tube. Water and oil are immiscible (do
not mix), whereas the food coloring and water are miscible (mix
completely)
o Question students to find examples of these vocabulary terms in the
discover tubes.
2. Baby Oil + Colored Water +Perler beads
o Mixtures can also be discussed in this discovery tube, the same concepts
as are discussed in the “Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter” can be
observed.
o This tube presents a good opportunity to investigate density. You will see
that the beads will move through the oil, but not through the water. They
will seem trapped by the pockets of water in the tube. This is because the
water in more dense than the oil and the beads. The beads are more dense
than the oil, but less dense than the water. This is why the beads appear to
travel through the oil, but not through the colored water.
3. Baby Oil + Colored Water + Colored rocks
o Mixtures can also be discussed in this discovery tube, the same concepts
as are discussed in the “Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter” can be
observed.
o This tube is another good opportunity to investigate density. The rocks
will move through both the oil and the water in this tube, as opposed to
the beads ability to pass through only one. However, the rocks will move
through the oil and the water at different speeds. They will move quicker
through the oil than they will move through the water. This is because,
even though the rocks are more dense than both the oil and the water, the
water has a higher density than the oil, so the rocks can pass through the
oil easier.
Note: Having students observe how the perler beads move in the discovery tube
compared to how the rocks move in the discovery tube is a good lesson in density
comparison.
4. Baby Oil + Oobleck + Glitter
o Mixtures can also be discussed in this discovery tube, the same concepts
as are discussed in the “Baby Oil + Colored Water + Glitter” can be
observed.
o The Oobleck and the oil are immiscible, and will not mix together.
o Viscosity is a physical property that can be discussed when observing this
discovery tube. Viscosity references the internal friction of a substance,
and its resistance to flow. A highly viscous liquid will flow very slowly.
Students should see that Ooblack has a very high viscosity, whereas the
baby oil has a low viscosity.
o An extension here would be to focus on Oobleck (Non-Newtonian fluids)
and its unusual behavior, as well as the properties that make it different
than other common liquids.