Tie Dye Coffee Filters
The following is an easy to set up experiment using a process called "chromatography." Sounds
complicated, but when you break down the word, "chroma" means "color," and "-graphy" means
"writing." Chromatography is the process of breaking down solutions or "mixtures" of colors into
their individual parts.
You will put a dot of color onto a porous piece of paper (coffee filters work well) and let a liquid
wick its way up the paper. When the liquid hits the color, it will dissolve it and separate the color
into its constituents; if it has them. For example blue doesn't necessarily break down into pieces,
but a black marker splits into many different colors.
Materials:
Two small beakers hold some liquid, several coffee filters, water and rubbing alcohol, several
different colored markers (both water based and Sharpies), and two small plastic cups.
Procedure:
1. Put a dot of a marker onto the coffee filter, about ½ inch from the edge
2. Re-dot that spot with the same marker (ensures a good color amount). Don't flatten the filter!
3. Add more colors around the edge in the same fashion as listed in steps 1 and 2. Make sure to use
lots of different colors and types of markers (black is the best to try)
4. Do the same to another coffee filter (to compare what happens, make them identical)
5. Pour water into one pie pan (enough to cover the bottom, but not too much)
6. Pour the same amount of rubbing alcohol into the other pie pan
7. Put the small plastic cups in each pie pan (these will stop the coffee filter from falling into the
liquid)
8. Turn the coffee filters upside down and into each pie pan (the flat part of the filter should be
pointing up)
Tie Dye Coffee Filters
9. Make sure the liquid is always touching the base of the filter. Add more as needed
10. Watch the liquid wick its way up to the top, possibly dissolving the colors and carrying them
upwards
11. After the colors have been pulled apart, take the filters out and let them dry
This is a simple experiment, but has some colorful results. You should see how the water works on
the water-based markers, but not on the Sharpies. The rubbing alcohol, however, splits up the
Sharpies. (This is useful information for when you get Sharpie on a surface you didn't want it to be
on... clean it with rubbing alcohol!) Kids can decorate the flattened coffee filters that are now
rainbow colored and look tie-dyed and hang them up for their loving moms on Mother's Day.
The experimenting doesn't have to be over yet, however. In fact, this is when the science really
starts to happen. Children will wonder why water works on some markers, but not on others, and
will want to test out other colors another time. Do water color paints work? What about crayons?
Whatever they do, it's in the name of science, and by encouraging their experimenting you will be
furthering their scientific development.
How does it work? (Sharpie/Alcohol)
This is really a lesson in the concepts of solubility, color mixing, and the movement of molecules.
The Sharpie markers contain permanent ink, which will not wash away with water. Permanent ink
is hydrophobic, meaning it is not soluble in water. However, the molecules of ink are soluble in
another solvent called rubbing alcohol. This solvent carries the different colors of ink with it as it
spreads in a circular pattern from the center of the shirt.
Butterfly
Materials: tie dyed coffee filter,
cleaners and markers. Pinch
middle and clip with a clothes
add pipe cleaners for the
clothes pin, pipe
coffee filter in the
pin. Draw eyes and
antennae.