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Time for some #TuesdayMorning learning: The luminescent chemistry of lava lamps!
Lava lamps were invented in 1963 by a British accountant, Edward Craven-Walker, and marketed under the name Astro Lamps. The name might have changed since then, but the chemistry largely hasnât.
Lava lamps were invented in 1963 by a British accountant, Edward Craven-Walker, and marketed under the name Astro Lamps. The name might have changed since then, but the chemistry largely hasnât.
The whirling globs we remember are made mainly of paraffin wax, with compounds like carbon tetrachloride added to increase its density. The liquid the wax floats in can be water or mineral oil, with dyes and sparkles added for whimsy.
So what causes the wax to float and fall?
When the lamp is turned on, the incandescent light bulb in the base heats the interior of the lamp.
The wax expands when heated, and since density = mass/volume, when the volume goes up, the density of the wax goes down, and it floats.
When the lamp is turned on, the incandescent light bulb in the base heats the interior of the lamp.
The wax expands when heated, and since density = mass/volume, when the volume goes up, the density of the wax goes down, and it floats.
When the ball of goop reaches the top of the lamp it cools down, decreases in volume and thus density, and falls back to the bottom to begin its journey again.
A veritable Sisyphus of home decoration.
A veritable Sisyphus of home decoration.
The exact composition of the wax and liquid are trade secrets, but theyâre constantly being improved on. You can make a basic lava lamp at home with just oil, water and aspirin.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/pdf/lesson_plan17.pdf
http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/pdf/lesson_plan17.pdf
The newest innovation in the lava lamp legacy was the addition of ferrofluid. These liquids have microscopic magnetic particles suspended in them that allow you to interact with your lava globs with a magnet!
Besides mood lighting, lava lamps have also been used as random number generators.
Programs were made to change the motion of lava blobs into truly random numbers, for use in cryptography.
Programs were made to change the motion of lava blobs into truly random numbers, for use in cryptography.
Whatever you use them for though, DON'T DRINK THEM. Multiple people have been hospitalized for consuming the insides of these psychedelic accessories.
You can see this thread in article form, with all it's citations, here: https://mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know/luminescent-chemistry-lava-lamps
You can see more of my work here: http://adamcvean.com/
And you can hire me to write for your org here!: https://adamcvean.wordpress.com/want-me-to-write-for-you/
You can see more of my work here: http://adamcvean.com/
And you can hire me to write for your org here!: https://adamcvean.wordpress.com/want-me-to-write-for-you/
Personal anecdote time: I had 2 lava lamps growing up. First a pink one, then a green one. Both eventually discarded because the incandescent light bulb *melted* through the plastic base.
