Fifth graders have been busy learning about molecules! We have been exploring what causes different types of molecules to dissolve. To further understand, we first investigated the attraction between molecules of the same kind. We placed drops of water on a penny then did the same with oil to see which liquid would gather the most drops. We observed that water molecules held together better than oil molecules.
Next, we tested different emulsifiers to see which would keep two liquids, water and oil, from separating to create a stable mixture. After testing flour, cornstarch, and lecithin, we found that lecithin is the best emulsifier to keep oil and water mixed.
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