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Description

Could you make an image disappear using just a bowl of water? Take on our science experiment and you can do just that! Use the science of ‘Refraction’ to make things disappear and then reappear again.

Resources

‘The Disappearing Experiment’ colouring sheets
Colouring pens/pencils
Zip lock bags
Blu-tack
Permanent marker pen
Large jug or box of water

Instructions

Leader Preparation
A leader will need to source the equipment needed for this activity, including printing some colouring sheets. A large jug or box of water will also need to be prepared.


1) Hand each child a colouring sheet and ask them to colour it in. We have provided some examples that you can use, or you could create your own. If creating your own, please make sure they are small enough to go inside your zip lock bags.
2) Once the children have finished colouring in the picture, place it inside the zip lock bag. Use a little bit of blu-tack to help hold the picture in place.
3) Now children should use the permanent marker pen to draw around the outline of the image, onto the zip lock bag. This doesn’t need to be too detailed, just the outline of the shape that has been coloured in. A leader may need to help with this.
4) A leader should prepare a large jug or box of water that can be used for this next part of the activity. It’s important the jug or box is transparent.
5) Explain to the children that they are going to dip their bag and image into the water. Ask them what they think might happen.
6) One at a time, children should dip their bag into the water. For this experiment to work, the bag should be dipped vertically into the water and children should look from above.
7) What has happened? The coloured image should have disappeared, with just the outline of the image remaining. Encourage children to dip the bag in and out of the water to see the coloured image continue to appear and then disappear again.
8) Ask the group if any of them have any ideas as to how this impressive illusion is working.
9) The image is disappearing thanks to something called ‘refraction’. Share some of the facts in our ‘Did You Know?’ section to help explain some of the science behind this activity.

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