Science Question:
Can you make permanent ink dissolve? A solvent can break the bond of a permanent marker, freeing the ink to spread and burst.
Supplies needed:
• Spray bottle
• 70% rubbing alcohol
• Aluminium foil or cardboard to line the inside of the shirt
• White T-shirt
• Coloured permanent markers
The Experiment:
Fill the spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. Cut your foil and put it inside the shirt to keep your marker from bleeding through. Colour your shirt with the markers and spray the shirt with alcohol.
The outcome:
Watch as the colours morph into a colourful explosion!
Why it worked:
The alcohol acts as a solvent and dissolves the ink as it saturates the shirt causing the ink to spread.
TIP: After your shirt is dry, wash it alone so the colours don’t bleed onto the rest of your laundry.
Variations:
• If you don’t have an old shirt to spare, this same technique can be used on paper towels or coffee filters.
• Try hydrogen peroxide or water and see how the colours change (or don’t!).
Did you know?
Way back in the 12th century BC, the Chinese used ink from squids to write and draw with.
Source: The 101 Coolest Science Experiments by Rachel Miller, Holly Homer & Jamie Harrington.