Jupiter in a Jar

Challenge: Simulate Jupiters clouds and make a calming sensory bottle at the same time.

Images/ video clips of finished activity

Challenge: Simulate Jupiters clouds and make a calming sensory bottle at the same time.

Rheoscopic fluid can show motion effects like ocean currents, turbulence, aerodynamics and fluid dynamics.

If you have ever used a pearly white shampoo to clean your hair, you have used a rheoscopic fluid. Rheoscopic fluids are known as current showing fluids, that is, they can show you all of the tiny directional movements of water in a bottle. Because they are a bit sparkly and look out of this world, a lot of people think bottles of rheoscopic fluid look like Jupiter in a bottle (or jar).

Source: Dr. Erica of Rosie Research - Thank you Dr. Erica!

Supplies Needed

Empty bottle or jar
Pearlescent soap (shiny hand soap)
Orange food coloring
Water
Glitter*
Super glue/ hot glue/ plumber's tape (to seal bottle)

* Optional - and it looks the coolest with extra fine glitter or a combination of different sized glitter. I used extra fine, fine, regular, and chunky glitter... What can I say... I like glitter

Instructions

Click on the step for further info and tips.

Gather your supplies.

Empty water bottle or jar a resealable lid
Pearlescent soap (shiny hand soap)
Orange food coloring (or red and yellow/ pink and yellow)
Water
Glitter*
Super glue/ hot glue/ plumber's tape (to seal bottle)

* Optional - and it looks the coolest with extra fine glitter or a combination of different sized glitter. I used extra fine, fine, regular, and chunky glitter... What can I say... I like glitter 🤷🏽‍♀️

2. Put water in jar, add some soap, stir, then add food coloring, and stir.

Fill the jar about 3/4ths of the way full. And fill the bottom of the jar with the pearlescent soap and then slowly stir. Add one drop of orange food coloring. If you don't have orange, then one drop of yellow and 1/2 drop of red (or one drop of pink)

3. Add glitter

I added ultra fine brown and silver glitter. Then fine orange holographic glitter. Then regular sized orange glitter. Then chunky red glitter.

... As I said earlier, I am a big fan of glitter.

4. Fill up the rest of the way with water.

Pour slowly to try not to make bubbles and you can use paper towel to wipe off and bubble foam that has formed.

5. Glue or otherwise seal the bottle or jar so it can be shaken without spilling.

You could use hot glue, but superglue or plumbers tape works a little better.

Images/ video clips of finished activity

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