Hello,

 

I need help with making a density column. I need four liquids that I can put into a container, shake, and have them all return to there separate layers. I have corn oil, and water. I have tried alcohol, other oils, and household cleaners, everything I can possibly imagine in my house but everything mixes with either the corn oil or water. I do not know what else to do, I am desperate. I cannot use anything flammable or too toxic. Please help.

 

Thank you, Brianna

You could use syrup for the bottom layer. I'm not sure what you could use to top the corn oil, probably the only choice is ethyl alcohol or the like.

 

If someone happens to have heavy water (hydrogen-1s replaced by deuterium), you can really annoy your friends with "hey, I bet you 5$ that this ice cube sinks when I put it in the water glass".

Alcohols like ethanol won't work, they are miscible with water

D'oh! Good point. What about kerosene? Or is that too flammable for you gimpy?

you could do it easily if it wasn`t for the shaking part, since polar molecules are somewhat limited in diversity, I think 4 is pushing it!

 

if you didn`t have to shake it though, different concs of sugar syrup (you can even color them) and you can make several layers without a problem (think Cocktails).

Hey, why don't you use gallium? It's quite heavy and will even go under the syrup. Just remember to keep the columns temp above 30 to keep it that way.

Hmmm... Interesting, I wonder if you could use Mercury too, or would it form an amalgam?

 

that would make a good 4, and if heats allowed, I don`t see any reason it shouldn`t qualify

 

Nice train of thought Gilded

Thanks mate.

 

I bet mercury would be fine too, but if gimpy prefers as non-toxic liquids as possible, then gallium is probably a healthier option.

Hello' date='

 

I need help with making a density column. I need four liquids that I can put into a container, shake, and have them all return to there separate layers. I have corn oil, and water. I have tried alcohol, other oils, and household cleaners, everything I can possibly imagine in my house but everything mixes with either the corn oil or water. I do not know what else to do, I am desperate. I cannot use anything flammable or too toxic. Please help.

 

Thank you, Brianna[/quote']

I like the idea of mercury.

 

Anyway, try this site on "layering liquids".

http://www.terrificscience.org/lessonexchange/genchemPDF/LayeringLiquids.pdf

The problem with gallium is that you'll have to keep the cylinder somewhat warm so that it doesn't solidify on you, plus gallium will "wet" glass so once you shake it up you'll just have a cylindrical mirror. Mercury, though kind of toxic, would be the best thing to use.

Yeah, gallium has a nasty sticking habit.

ok, so that`s at least 3 of them then

How about an organic solvent like chloroform or carbon tetra chloride which is im-miscible with water. You could even saturate it with chlorine or bromine or iodine for a desired colour.