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Create a Rainbow
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Bear – 3rd Grade
Super Science
Elective
Requirement 4

Create a Rainbow

Bear – 3rd Grade
Super Science
Elective
Requirement 4

Create a Rainbow

Snapshot of Activity

Cub Scouts create a rainbow using 3 simple ingredients.

Indoor
3
3
2
If you want to know more about The Adventure Activity Key click here.
  • 15 tablespoons of sugar
  • 15 tablespoons of warm water
  • Red, green, blue, and yellow liquid food coloring
  • Six clear cups
  • Spoon
  • Table covering

Before the meeting:

  1. Gather supplies.
  2. Set up meeting space to conduct experiment including covering the tabletop.

During the meeting:

  1. Explain to Cub Scouts that they will be conducting an experiment on density. Density describes how much space an object or substance takes up (its volume) in relation to the amount of matter in that object or substance (its mass). Another way to put it is that density is the amount of mass per unit of volume. If an object is heavy and compact, it has a high density.
  2. Conduct the experiment with Cub Scouts help:
    • Put five cups in a row on the table.
    • Add one tablespoon of sugar to the first cup, two tablespoons to the second cup, three to the third, four to the fourth, and five to the fifth.
    • Add three tablespoons of lukewarm water to each cup. Stir until most of the sugar dissolves.
    • Add a drop or two of food coloring to the first four cups, one color per cup. In the fifth cup, mix two colors.
    • Take the fifth cup (the one with the most sugar) and pour half of its contents into the sixth cup (the one that’s empty). 6. Hold the spoon, bowl side up, against the inside of the sixth cup. Slowly and gently pour half the contents of the fourth cup onto the spoon. (Pouring onto the spoon keeps the two liquids from mixing in the cup.) Do the same thing with the third, second, and first cups.
  3. Lead a discussion with Cub Scouts:
    • What is happening?
    • What is causing the colored water to separate?
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