What Happens When You Put Candle Wax In Water?

Putting candle wax in water is an engaging science experiment that demonstrates some interesting physical science concepts. When wax encounters water, several reactions occur that reveal information about material properties and interactions. This simple activity using basic household materials can illustrate principles related to density, polarity, chemical structure, and states of matter.

The purpose of this experiment is to observe what happens when wax and water are combined. By melting wax and carefully adding it to room temperature water, we can witness the chemical and physical changes that take place. The wax undergoes shape changes and color effects as it reacts with the water. Through firsthand observation and analysis, we gain insight into why the wax behaves the way it does when interacting with water.

Setup

To perform this experiment, you will need just a few simple materials (source):

• A candle
• A glass or clear jar
• Water

The best type of container to use is a tall, narrow glass or jar (source). This allows you to easily observe the changes in the water level as the experiment progresses. The container should be filled about 1/4 to 1/3 full with water.

Melting the Wax

To melt candle wax for experiments, first cut or scrape the wax off the candle into small pieces using a knife or peeler. This makes it easier to melt the wax quickly and evenly. According to the article Melting candle wax to explore states of matter, cutting the wax into smaller pieces gives more surface area for the heat to act on and lets the wax melt faster.

Next, the wax pieces can be heated in a glass container to melt it into liquid form. The article 3 Ways to Melt Wax for Candle Making recommends using a double boiler, slow cooker, or microwave set on 30 second intervals to gently and evenly melt the wax. It’s important not to overheat the wax, which can cause smoking or discoloration.

Adding Wax to Water

When melted candle wax is poured into water, the temperature of the water plays an important role in determining the wax’s reaction. If the water is cold, the wax will quickly start to harden and solidify upon contact. The wax droplets will form odd shapes, getting distorted as the wax coagulates rapidly (https://www.reddit.com/r/candlemaking/comments/xkieml/i_accidentally_got_a_small_amount_of_water_into/). If the water is warm or hot, the wax will take longer to harden, having more time to spread out across the water’s surface before cooling. The wax may flatten out into thin sheets or form circular globs depending on factors like water temperature and wax composition.

In general, candle wax and water do not mix well. The wax, being hydrophobic, will repel and float on top of water rather than dissolving (https://www.quora.com/What-happens-when-you-mix-water-and-candle-wax). This reaction makes melted wax and water an interesting combination to experiment with, producing unusual wax formations as the hot liquid wax meets the cool water. However, any moisture trapped in candle wax can be problematic, so caution should be exercised if adding water intentionally.

Wax Reactions

When candle wax is added to water, some interesting reactions occur. The wax will initially start melting when heat is applied, turning from a solid to a liquid state. However, as soon as the liquid wax hits the water, it rapidly begins solidifying again.

Depending on the type and amount of wax used, it may end up either floating on top of the water, dispersing throughout the water, or sinking to the bottom. The rapid temperature change from the hot wax meeting the cooler water causes the wax to harden again almost instantly. This transformation from liquid back to solid happens so fast that the wax doesn’t have time to fully mix with the water before it reheats.

So while the wax briefly takes on a liquid form when melted, it almost immediately reverts to a solid when coming into contact with room temperature water. The water acts as a heat sink, drawing out the thermal energy from the hot wax and causing it to rapidly cool and harden once more.

Wax Shapes

When the candle wax drips into the water, it rapidly cools and forms various shapes. The shape the wax takes depends on several factors. As the hot wax hits the cold water, it quickly loses heat and solidifies. The wax can take the shape of abstract blobs, droplets, spikes, or smooth round shapes. According to How to Do a Candle Wax Reading, the shapes can resemble identifiable objects or symbols as well. For example, wax blobs may look like animals, hearts, clouds, or other significant forms.

The wax shape primarily depends on the temperature difference between the hot wax and cold water. A larger temperature differential leads to faster cooling and more abstract, spiky shapes. If the wax is just slightly warmer than the water, it will cool and solidify slower, leading to smoother curves and blobs. The viscosity of the wax also impacts the shapes – thinner wax flows more smoothly while thicker wax holds its shape. The height the wax falls from affects the shapes too, with higher drops leading to flatter and more splattered wax. Even factors like water movement can change how the wax spreads and cools. Interpreting the meaning of the shapes is a key part of divination practices like carromancy.

Color Effects

The color of the candle wax has a significant impact on the results when dropped into water. As the wax melts, the dye or pigment mixed into the wax will begin dispersing into the water, creating colorful swirls and patterns.

By mixing different colored waxes together, even more unique effects can be achieved. For example, a red and blue wax mixture will likely result in purple patterns as the colors blend together in the water. Using contrasting colors like yellow and blue can create visually striking combinations as well.

According to CandleScience, liquid dyes are the easiest to mix and blend wax colors. A little bit of dye goes a long way, with 1 ounce able to color up to 125 pounds of wax. When mixing colors, it’s best to add small amounts at a time until the desired shade is reached.

The coloring possibilities are nearly endless when melting and dripping different colored waxes into water. It’s an easy way to create colorful works of art with the effects of the wax dispersing and blending in the water.

Making Changes

There are a few interesting modifications you can make to the basic candle wax in water experiment to see how it changes the results. Two key variables you can adjust are the temperature of the water and the container used.

Trying different water temperatures can lead to noticeable differences. For example, using very cold water around freezing temperature (32°F/0°C) will make the wax pieces solidify quickly when added. The wax may even float on the surface rather than sinking. On the other hand, very hot water near boiling temperature (212°F/100°C) will keep the melted wax in liquid form longer before it re-solidifies. This allows the wax to spread out more and sink lower in the water before taking shape.

The container used also impacts how the melted wax behaves when added to water. A narrow vase or tube will limit the wax to rising in a column straight up and down. A wide shallow bowl will allow the wax to spread out horizontally as well. The depth of the water can also determine if the wax sinks fully or floats. The material of the container (glass, plastic, metal, etc.) can lead to subtle differences in heat transfer as well.

Trying out these kinds of changes is a great way to take the candle wax in water experiment to the next level. It helps kids better understand concepts like states of matter, temperature, density, polarity, and more through hands-on investigation and observation.

Applications

The candle wax in water experiment has some interesting real-world applications, especially in education and art.

Educational Uses

This simple experiment is commonly used in science classes to demonstrate basic principles of chemistry and physics. Teachers often have students perform the experiment themselves as a hands-on lesson about exothermic reactions, states of matter, and air pressure. It visually shows how heat given off from the burning candle warms the air in the glass, causing it to expand and push down on the water. This provides an engaging way for students to learn about the behavior of gases and phase changes. The experiment can be tailored to various age groups and class levels. Some educational sites provide worksheets and suggestions for turning it into an investigative lab activity.

Art Uses

Melting and manipulating wax in water creates interesting visual effects that some artists use for creative expression. The wax can be swirled, dripped, and molded into flowing shapes as it solidifies under water. Color can also be added to the wax or water to create colorful fluid patterns. For example, some artists put colored candle wax in clear vases or cylinders filled with tinted water. As the wax melts, it produces psychedelic swirls and blobs suspended in the water. The resulting art pieces take advantage of the unique physical properties of wax when immersed in water. This technique allows for an organic, free-form means of artistic design.

Conclusion

In summary, the candle wax in water experiment demonstrates several interesting scientific principles. When candle wax melts, the hydrocarbons vaporize and rise up through the water. As the vapors cool at the water’s surface, they condense back into liquid wax. This causes the melted wax to form interesting shapes as it re-solidifies. The condensed wax floats on the water’s surface tension. The flame also produces carbon dioxide gas which gets trapped under the wax, making it appear to magically rise.

Further experimentation could explore using different types of wax, oils, or alcohol. Varying the depth and width of the glass/jar would also affect the results. It would be interesting to measure the temperature change in the water during the experiment. Overall, this simple experiment provides a compelling demonstration of phase changes, density, surface tension, and chemical reactions. It engages curiosity and scientific thinking in an accessible and entertaining way.