mason jar science experiment

20 Science Experiments You Can Do in a Jar

By: Author Jacquie Fisher

Posted on Published: January 26, 2016

Categories Kids Activities & Crafts , Science Experiments

We’re starting a new monthly series on the blog today — A Year of Simple Science Experiments!

Each month, we’ll feature some fun science projects that can easily be done at home or in the classroom. 

These hands-on activities will give kids an opportunity to learn about various science concepts and practice their skills in observation, testing and scientific inquiry ( yep! asking all those questions is a GOOD thing 😉 

All of our kids can use more exposure to STEM activities (science, techology, engineering & math) to peak their curiosity and keep them thinking.

January’s activities are all self-contained which means LOTS of exploration with a small chance of messes.  They can be done indoors or outside and most have a very easy set-up. 

Get ready for — Simple Science in a Jar!

Choose a glass or plastic jar/container that is not tinted; it allows you to view the activity from all angles since they are clear. 

Create Your Own Ocean Zones — I Can Teach My Child

Mix Colors with Walking Water — Coffee Cups & Crayons

Test Air Pressure with an Egg — Science Sparks

Watch Grass ‘Breathe’ — Parents

Make an Under-the-Sea World — Edventures with Kids

Observe the Greehouse Effects — Education.com

Create a Salt Volcano — What Do We Do All Day?

Make a Cloud in a Jar — Inspiration Laboratories

Create a Rainbow — Playdough to Plato

Brew up a Snowstorm — Growing a Jeweled Rose

Create a Galaxy — Lemon Lime Adventures

Grow Bean Sprouts — The Imagination Tree

Learn about Water Displacement — Happy Hooligans

Conjure up a Tornado — Juggling with Kids

Explore Chromatography — Buggy & Buddy

Grow Crystals — Babble Dabble Do

Observe Worms — Not Just Cute

Learn about Water Absorption — Paging Fun Mums

Make Your Own Rainforest — Hike. Blog. Love.

Test Density: Sink & Float Experiment — Edventures with Kids

If you’re looking for some ready-made science kits, we love these science-in-a-jar kits — they’re especially nice for birthday gifts!  Affiliate links are included so you can learn more about each one.  And no worries – the ‘jars’ for these kits are plastic 🙂

Looking for more Simple Science Experiments?  Try these!

Chemistry: How to Blow up a Balloon with a Bottle

Botany/Biology:   How Do Leaves Breathe?

Also 20 STEM Activities Inspired by Favorite Movies

5 Easy Science Experiments in a Jar

Last updated: May 29, 2020, at 10:25 a.m. PT

Originally published: May 29, 2020, at 7:11 a.m. PT

Dust off a few of those Mason jars you have hiding in the cupboards, grab a few simple materials, and get ready to try some super cool experiments that all can be done in a simple glass jar! 

Butter in a Jar

An age old classic, that makes a yummy outcome at the end.  Make sure to have some fresh bread nearby! 

Supplies Needed:

• Heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

• Fill the jar about halfway with cream. Leave enough room to shake the cream.
• Replace the lid of the jar, making sure it's nice and tight. Then, shake, shake, shake!  This does require some arm strength, so be prepared to trade off with a partner
• Check your butter every five minutes to see the changes. After the first five minutes, you may not see any changes but at 10 minutes you may see whipped cream! Keep shaking until you notice that you can’t hear liquid very well.  The process will take approximately 15 minutes.
• Spread the butter on your bread and enjoy!

The Science:

Heavy cream has a good amount of fat in it.  By shaking the cream, the fat molecules begin to separate from the liquid.  The more the cream is shaken, the more the fat molecules cling together forming a solid—delicious butter!  

This edible science is for the sweet tooth of the home!  Grow your own crystals with this simple chemistry experiment.   Adult supervision required.

• 1 cup water
• 4 cups sugar
• Edible glitter
• Food coloring
• The day before starting your sugar crystal experiment, cut a piece of string a little longer than your jars. Tie one end of the string to a straw. Tie a knot in the other end. Get the strings wet and coat them in sugar. Let them dry overnight.  
• The following day add four cups of sugar and one cup of water to a saucepan and heat until boiling.  This will form your supersaturated solution. Stir until the sugar is dissolved but be careful not to heat the sugar so much that it starts to turn into candy. Keep the temperature right at 210 degrees. Remove the sugar from the heat.  
• Pour your sugar mixture into the jars.  Add edible food coloring to each jar and add some edible glitter.   
• Lower the string into the jar and place the jars in a safe place.   
• Let the sugar crystals form for at least a week. Once the sugar crystals are as big as you want them, remove them from the sugar solution. Lay them on a paper towel or plate and let them dry for several hours.  
• When the sugar crystals are dry, inspect them with a magnifying glass or microscope. How are the crystals similar? How are they different?   

Sugar crystals form as a result of a supersaturated solution.  A supersaturated solution contains more sugar than could be dissolved in water under normal conditions. In a saturated solution, the sugar molecules have a higher chance of bumping into one another because there is less space to move around. When this happens, the sugar molecules start sticking together, eventually forming bigger and bigger crystals, like the ones you will see here!  

Fireworks in a Jar

This much quieter way to enjoy fireworks uses just a jar and some simple materials but makes for an explosion of science fun.

Supplies Needed:      

• An empty jar
• 4 tbsp of cooking oil
• Paper towels
• Begin by filling an empty jar 3/4 of the way with water.  Set this to the side.  
• In a bowl combine 3 tablespoons of cooking oil along with several drops of food coloring. Add 3-5 drops of food coloring for each color that you are using.  
• Use a spoon to stir the food coloring into the oil. It will not mix but stirring will help to break the food coloring into smaller droplets.  
• Now, pour the container of oil into the jar of water. After a moment or two the oil will settle at the top of the jar, but the food coloring will begin to shoot down and mix into the water, creating a "fireworks" effect!  
• The food colors will continue to shoot down like fireworks until all the droplets have fallen from the oil.   

The origin of this experiment is that food coloring will mix with water but not oil. This is because of their varying liquid densities.  The oil is less dense, causing it to float on top of the water.  The food coloring is denser than the oil, so it falls through and mixes into the water, creating the firework effect.  

Tornado in a Jar

Have you ever seen a tornado?  While an amazing phenomenon of Mother Nature, we much prefer the calmer (and safer) version at home!

• A jar (with a lid)
• Measuring spoons
• Optional additions: Food coloring, Iridescent glitter
• Begin by filling a jar with cold water, leaving 1-2 inches from the top.
•  Add 1-2 drops of food coloring and/or glitter if desired.
• Add 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and mix gently. 
• The vinegar just helps to dissolve any bubbles from forming so you can more easily see the "tornado".   
• Once the ingredients are combined firmly grip the jar and swirl it around and around. Then, stop!   
• What happens? The jar has stopped, and the liquid is still moving—you have made a water vortex, or a tornado, inside of the jar!
• Try this experiment with varying temperatures of water.  Do the results change?

The Science:  

A tornado is a violent, rotating column of air that forms under the right weather conditions. When a tornado forms, it creates a vortex which is a spinning, often turbulent flow of air. You created our own vortex by swirling the contents of the jar and are able observe the motion of a tornado.  

Disappearing Egg-in-a-Jar  

Magic-meets-Science in this super cool experiment, in which you will be able to make the shell of an egg, disappear! Abracadabra!  

• 16-ounce mason jar with lid and ring
• White vinegar
• Raw egg (“older” eggs will work better)

Instructions:  

• Gently place the egg into the mason jar.   
• Fill with vinegar leaving 1/2" space at the top. It is important to leave room at the top of the jar or it might burst from the carbon dioxide gas produced by the reaction.   
• Loosely cover the jar with the lid and ring. Again, make sure it is not too tight so that the gas can escape the jar. 
• Let sit for about two to four days. Remove from jar and rinse off in water. Observe your shell-less egg!  Can you bounce it? Bounce the egg by holding it 1-2 inches above a surface and letting it go. What happens? [Tip: do this over a plate or in the sink in case the egg breaks]  

Eggshells are made of calcium carbonate. When you submerge the egg in vinegar, the acid in the vinegar reacts with the calcium carbonate and produces carbon dioxide.  As the shell dissolves, the thin membrane of the egg is left behind. The membrane is semi-permeable, which means the vinegar can pass through it. The egg absorbs the vinegar, and that’s why you see the egg increase in size as it continues to sit in the vinegar.    

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Mason Jar Science: Slimy, Squishy, Super-Cool Experiments

You use mason jars for everything from shabby-chic glassware to meal prep. Now, you can add science supply to the list. Mason Jar Science: 40 Slimy, Squishy, Super-Cool Experiments, from Jonathan Adolph, is filled with a ton of cool science experiments : slime, tiny tornadoes, compasses, lava lamps and more. We scooped three of the super-cool ideas that you’ll find in the book, you can see them all in the video below.

If you want more mason jar science experiments, you can pre-order the book (out May 29th, 2018) by clicking here .

— Gabby Cullen

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• Biosphere in a Jar

Step-by-Step

With the help of an adult, find and clean a clear glass jar (a Mason jar works perfect!). The jar can be any size you like.

You will be collecting 4 primary things for your jar: standing water you find outdoors, soil/soot, plants, moss/algae

Take your jar and fill it with soil or soot, depending on what type of environment you want to create. Try to keep the dirt from going more than halfway up the jar, as this limits your plants' and your jar's ability to create a humid environment.

Using a kitchen utensil or your hand, place the plants in the jar and arrange how you like, placing the roots into the dirt. Don’t worry if the roots aren’t buried all the way down into the dirt. They will be fine!

Place the moss or algae on top of the dirt. If your dirt or water source already contain moss or algae, you can skip this step.

Add murky water you find outside, on top of your soil. How much you add is up to you but do not completely submerge your plants!

Seal your jar and place it near a window inside your house. Spend the next several weeks observing your jar. Your plants will come to life!

This is super important: You must use murky water you find outside! Standing water from outside works great if it has been exposed to nature. This is because it now contains bacteria, bug eggs or larva, etc. that will make up the residents of your jar. Without these components, you will not be able to create a balanced eco system! The bugs, bacteria, etc. breathe oxygen and expel CO 2   while the plants breathe the CO 2   and expel oxygen. This, plus the micro flora and fauna, create a cycle that supports life.

Extra Credit

There is no limit to the kinds of environment you can create with these Bio Jars. If done correctly, they can last for years! Experiment with different types of water and plants , and you will see some incredible things. You can often shine a light inside the jars and see little critters crawling around as well!

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Science Experiments

Make a Cloud Form in a Jar Science Experiment

Ever wonder how clouds are made? This super fun and simple experiment will help teach your kids about the physical changes and reactions that happen as clouds form within the atmosphere. They will be amazed as they see their own cloud begin to take form while they learn new weather vocabulary.

In addition to creating your own cloud, you can use this chart to explore the different types of clouds and where they form in the sky.

Below you’ll find our demonstration video, helpful tips to make your experiment successful, printable materials list and instructions, as well as easy to understand explanation of how the experiment works.

Note: Because this experiment requires boiling water, adult supervision is required.

JUMP TO SECTION:   Instructions  |  Video Tutorial  |  How it Works

Supplies Needed

• Glass Jar with a Lid (we used a pint mason jar)
• 1 cup Hot Boiling Water
• Blue Food Coloring (optional)
• Aerosol Hairspray
• 3-5 cubes of Ice

Cloud in a Jar Science Lab Kit – Only $5

Use our easy Cloud in a Jar Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

Make a Cloud in a Jar Science Experiment Instructions

Step 1 – Pour 1 cup of hot boiling water into a glass jar. Helpful Tip: Use food coloring to dye the water blue before pouring it into the jar. This is not required, but does help distinguish the cloud from the water. Plus, it makes the water look like the sky.

Step 2 – Quickly spray hairspray into the jar.

Step 3 – Immediately put the lid onto the jar. Helpful Tip: This step must be performed quickly, so have the lid handy. It also helps to have multiple people doing the experiment. One to spray the hairspray and one to put on the lid.

Step 4 – Place 3-5 pieces of ice on top of the lid of the jar.

Step 5 – Now it’s time to observe what happens. Watch the top portion of the jar carefully and write down what happens. As time passes, you will see a cloud begin to form.

Step 6 – After observing the cloud form in the jar, remove the lid, and watch as it move out of the jar and into the air. Do you know the why the cloud formed? Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.

Video Tutorial

How Does the Science Experiment Work

Clouds form when water from Earth’s surface is heated and evaporates (physical change from liquid to gas), rises into the atmosphere, and then cools and condenses (physical change from gas to liquid) onto microscopic particles (ie. dust, dirt, ash) in the air.

In our experiment, the warm water in the jar caused the air inside the jar to heat up. When this happened some of the water evaporated into the air. This evaporation caused water vapor in the jar. Then the warm, moist air (water vapor) rose from the surface of the water to the top of the jar. Once it reached the top of the jar, the warm, moist air began to cool down. This is because of the ice that was on the lid of the jar. The water vapor in the cooling air then condensed onto the particles of hairspray, forming a cloud in the jar!

If you observe the cloud carefully, you’ll notice that it swirls around the jar. This swirling is caused by a convection current of warm air rising and cold air sinking. A convection current is a current caused the rising and sinking of a heated and cooled fluid.

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:

Make a Cloud Science Experiment

• 1 cup Hot Boiling Water

Instructions

• Pour 1 cup of hot boiling water into a glass jar.Helpful Tip: Use food coloring to dye the water blue before pouring it into the jar. This is not required, but does help distinguish the cloud from the water. Plus, it makes the water look like the sky.
• Quickly spray hairspray into the jar.
• Immediately put the lid onto the jar. Helpful Tip: This step must be performed quickly, so have the lid handy. It also helps to have multiple people doing the experiment. One to spray the hairspray and one to put on the lid.
• Place a 3-5 pieces of ice on top of the lid of the jar.
• Watch the top of the jar carefully and you will see a cloud begin to form.
• After observing the cloud in the jar, remove the lid and watch the cloud escape out of the jar.

Reader Interactions

January 24, 2019 at 3:54 pm

January 26, 2020 at 6:43 pm

Thank you! Love this.

September 18, 2020 at 4:17 pm

I loved the experiment, I would have liked to do it but I did not have all the ingredients

October 5, 2021 at 3:35 pm

January 26, 2022 at 10:29 am

Hi Danielle. Our class enjoyed watching the experiment, and learning how clouds are formed.

March 11, 2022 at 10:02 am

Very helpful thanks

April 19, 2022 at 1:47 pm

April 28, 2022 at 3:17 pm

its awesome how the cloud forms, I love it!

July 31, 2023 at 2:14 pm

Love the experiment, will definetly try in my class. But I have a question. What is the hairspray for?

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24+ Science Experiments in a Jar

Science Experiments in a Jar are the best! For these science activities, you don’t have to worry about big messes or lots of ingredients. Grab a few mason jars or gather your recycled glass bottles and get ready to excite your kids with these fun science projects.

Science Activities for Kids

Science Experiments in a Jar

Over the years we’ve done so many fun science experiments and  STEM activities for kids. And we especially love the Science activities we have done in mason jars.

Science Experiments for Preschoolers and Kindergarten

Ocean science for kids.

Rain Cloud In A Jar Preschool Science Experiment

Science Experiment With Color Changing Flowers

Valentine Volcano – Volcano Experiment

Science Projects

DIY Mason Jar Glitter Lava Lamps from hellowonderful.co

Growing Beans On Cotton Balls from theimaginationtree.com

Weather Science DIY Thermometer For Kids from lemonlimeadventures.com

Exploring Liquid Density with Sensory Bottles from buggyandbuddy.com

Make Your Own Ocean Zones In A Jar from icanteachmychild.com

Super Simple Heat Experiment from coffeecupsandcrayons.com

Easy And Fun Walking Rainbow Science Experiment from schoolingamonkey.com

Outdoor Science For Kids A Sediment Jar from raisinglifelonglearners.com

Fireworks In A Jar from icanteachmychild.com

Popcorn And Salt Science Experiment from awefilledhomemaker.com

3 Weather In A Jar Science Experiments For Kids from hellowonderful.co

Floating Egg Science Experiment-comparing Eggs from fantasticfunandlearning.com

Grow Your Own Rainbow Crystals from littlebinsforlittlehands.com

Snow Storm In A Jar from lemonlimeadventures.com

A Lesson In Light Refraction Bending Pencil Science from raisinglifelonglearners.com

Yeast Science Experiment For Kids from sugarspiceandglitter.com

Pin Science Experiments for Kids to Save

Studies have shown that you will also love the following ideas if you like them. I have pulled them together for you right here!

Magic Milk Science Experiment for Kids with Video 

Watermelon Volcano – Watermelon Science Project

purposeful play

Fireworks in a jar, science experiment for kids.

• March 24, 2020

Just a heads up-This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy something through one of my links-you won't pay a penny more-but I'll make a small commission. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Science experiment for kids.

Fireworks in a jar is a really simple and fun science experiment that will amaze your kids! 

This easy science project only uses three ingredients-which you probably already have in your kitchen…water, oil and food coloring! 

Fireworks in a jar is a safe, hands-on way to teach kids concepts about cause and effect, color mixing, polarity and density. 

Before you begin, explain the steps of the experiment to your child. Ask your child to predict what will happen. During the experiment ask your child to describe their observations. After the experiment, talk to your child about their hypothesis-was it correct? If it was incorrect, talk with your child about what actually happened. 

Food Coloring

Cooking oil, explores scientific concepts, experiments with cause and effect, introduces new vocabulary words, hands-on learning, teaches concept of density and polarity, explores color mixing, fireworks in a jar science experiment, step 1: fill jar, fill a jar 3/4 of full with warm water, step 2: add oil and food coloring, add 3-4 tbls of oil to a shallow plate, pick 3 colors of food coloring and add 3-4 drops of each color to the oil, tips: i found that using three drops of three colors worked best-any more than that darkened the water too quickly, step 3: break up food coloring, using the back of a fork to break about the food coloring into smaller droplets, step 4: add oil, carefully pour the oil and food coloring into the jar of water, the food coloring will cut through the oil and drop into the water, once the food coloring drops into the water it will make a little “explosion” when it hits the water and begins to dissolve, how does it work, oil and water can’t mix because water is made up of polar molecules and oil is made up of non-polar molecules , oil is less dense than water so will float above the more dense water, food coloring is aslo unable to to mix with oil, food coloring is heavier than oil so will drop from the oil into the water, when it does the food coloring will make what looks like a little “explosions” as it hits the water and begins to dissolve., more science activities for kids.

Rainbow Cupcake Science Experiment

Rainbow Lava Lamp Science Experiment

Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin

Snowflake Baking Soda Experiment

Snowstorm in a Jar Science Experiment

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Christmas Magic Milk Science Experiment

Christmas Lava Lamp Science Experiment

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Summer Beach Moon Sand

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Cloud In A Jar STEM Activity

Ever look up into the sky and wonder how clouds form? Or have you ever flown through the clouds in a plane and thought how cool is this? Weather activities like this cloud in a jar can be so fun and simple and spark curiosity in kids. We have plenty of simple science experiments with a weather theme for all year round, as well as spring STEM!

Get ready to add this simple cloud in a jar activity to your weather science lesson plans this season. If you want to learn all about how clouds are formed, let’s dig in! While you’re at it, make sure to check out these other fun weather activities for kids .

How To Make A Cloud In A Jar

Let’s get right to making a cloud in a jar for an awesome STEM activity. Grab a few simple supplies and be prepared to amaze your kids!

• Jar with a lid
• Aerosol hairspray

Instructions:

STEP 1: Pour warm water (not boiling) into the jar and swirl it around to warm the inside of the whole jar.

STEP 2: Turn the lid upside down and place several ice cubes on top of it. Place the lid onto the jar.

STEP 3: Quickly remove the lid and give a quick spray of aerosol hairspray. Replace the lid.

STEP 4: Remove the lid and watch the cloud escape!

FREE printable weather project pack!

How Are Clouds Formed?

Three things are needed to make a cloud. First, you need warm moist air. Next, you need a cooling process. Lastly, you need a cloud condensation nucleus or something to start the cloud. An example of this could be a dust particle!

By pouring warm water into a jar and trapping it, you create the first step which is warm, moist air. This warm air rises and meets with the cool air at the top of the jar which is made by the ice cubes.

The aerosol hairspray provides the cloud condensation nuclei. As the water vapor inside the jar cools down, it begins to form around the hairspray nuclei into many droplets. When you remove the lid, the swirling cloud is released!

This is a great example of phase changes! Check out more states of matter experiments !

Tips For Making Clouds In The Classroom

• The water does not need to be boiling and it’s actually best if it isn’t because it will fog up the jar too quickly.
• You might choose to do this near an area where you can have a dark, bright surface for the kids to better view their clouds.
• This could easily be a fun partner science activity too!
• Why not test what happens when you add cold water to the jar instead of hot water. This will help kids to better understand why both warm air and cool air are needed to form the cloud!

More Fun Weather Science Activities To Try

Check out our list of weather activities for preschoolers, elementary and older . Including…

• Tornado in a Bottle
• Shaving Foam Rain Cloud
• Making Rainbows
• Rain Cloud In A Jar
• Water Cycle In A Bag

Bonus Printable Spring Activities Pack

If you’re looking to grab all of the worksheets and printables in one convenient place plus exclusives with a spring theme, our 300+ page Spring STEM Project Pack is what you need! Weather, geology, plants, life cycles, and more!

Would it still work without the hairspray? We do not use aerosol products in our house. We will experiment and let you know!

It needs something like the hairspray in order to capture the particles and help to form the nucleus, but you might be able to research a substitute!

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Simple and Spectacular Science Experiments in a Jar

Categories Science Experiments

Glass jars are amazingly versatile and most people have several sitting in their kitchen. You don’t need fancy beakers or other expensive science equipment to do these fun STEM activities.

All of these ideas are clever, simple, and fun science experiments in a jar. Kids will love these creative ideas and parents and educators will love the affordable cost!

These jar science projects are so much fun and will keep kids talking about the lesson long after the science jar is cleaned up.

And go here for more mason jar sciene experiments!

Try these fun science jars today!

Why Do Science Experiments in Jars?

You may be wondering?

Why are science experiments in a jar a thing?

Well, mason jars are typically made of glass. This makes them similar to science flasks and beakers- except, that most of you have at least a few mason jars in your house.

So, a jar is the perfect starting science tool for children just getting into science who may not have a full set of “official” science tools.

With mason jar science projects, children can get started with science right away, and they don’t need to get any special tools.

As a parent, it’s nice to have a list of screen-free activities that you can offer up to kids when they declare boredom, as is inevitable during summer and other school breaks.

And as a teacher, mason jars are easy to use in the classroom because they are less expensive than “real” science tools and you can even ask parents to donate mason jars to use in the classroom for science experiments.

What do you need to get started with science experiments in a jar?

You don’t need much to get started with science experiments in a jar! Just a few things, like:

• Thermometer
• Food coloring
• Baking soda
• Magnifying glass

With these simple supplies, plus a few extra from the classroom or home, you’re all set to teach tons of scientific concepts, all inside of a jar.

Click on each project listed below to be taken to instructions and a list of supplies necessary for each project.

Spectacular Science Experiments in a Jar

This post contains affiliate links.

If you have some old jars lying around ( our favorite jars to use are mason jars ) then you’re all ready to try these science experiments you can do in a jar!

It’s so easy to get started with Mason jar science experiments!

Don’t Miss: Even More Science Experiments in Jars

And if you can’t get enough of these science experiments in a jar, check out The Mason Jar Scientist!

Weather Science Experiments in a Jar

Kids will love these weather science experiments. All you need to get started is a jar! Learn about weather patterns, temperature, why weather happens, and more!

Tornado in a Jar

Raining Rainbow in a Jar 

Raining Cloud in a Jar 

Density Science Projects in a Jar

Learn all about density inside of a jar! Learn about density versus mass, how to calculate density, how you can “see” density, and more!

Liquid Density in a Jar 

Diving Fish Experiment

Sugar Density Tower

Rainbow Density Jar

Egg Science Projects in a Jar

Nothing is more fun than learning about eggs! Jars make it even more fun. Learn about osmosis and acids and bases!

Rainbow Naked Eggs

Osmosis Egg Experiment

Chemistry Science Experiments in a Jar

Chemistry has never been as fun as it is inside of a jar! Learn about crystals, chemical reactions, non-Newtonian fluids, and more!

Salt Crystal Science

How to Make Butter in a Jar

Galaxy Oobleck in a Jar

Plant and Earth Science Experiments in a Jar

Earth science experiments? Check. In a jar? Check again! Learn what colors are in leaves, what soil is best for seeds, how plants drink and breathe, and much more!

Seed Growing Experiment

Leaf Chromatography Experiment

Build a Desert Biome in a Jar

Color Changing Flowers 

How Trees Breathe

Light Science Experiments in a Jar

These light science experiments are all done in a jar and are super fun for kids! Bend water and explore color theory in these experiments!

Walking Water Rainbow

Bending Pencil Experiment

More Fun Science Experiments to Try

Classic Science Experiments

Candy Science Experiments

Active Science Fair Projects

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• For Teachers

• Everyday Activities
• Experiments

Mason Jar Whipped Cream

Whip liquid cream into a solid with this easy and delicious kitchen science activity!

You Will Need

1 cup cold heavy cream or whipping cream

1 pint mason jar

1-2 tsp powdered sugar, or maple syrup - to your taste

½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Stopwatch (optional)

• Ask your kiddo to make a few observations about the ingredients. What do they notice?
• Add all of the ingredients to the mason jar. Tightly screw on the lid. Ask your young scientist how long they think it will take to transform the liquid into fluffy whipped cream, and set a stopwatch to find out.
• Shake vigorously for 1-3 minutes. (The time it takes to whip will depend on how vigorously you shake!) Take turns shaking the jar with your young scientist. Open the jar about once a minute to observe what’s going on in there. Continue to shake until you stop hearing the “sloshing” sound.
• Open the jar and spoon out the yummy whipped cream! (Go ahead, share a scoop together in the name of science!)
• Take a minute to observe the finished whipped cream. How has it changed since it was shaken? How did that happen?

Experiment Extensions

• What happens if you try adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder… think you can make chocolate whipped cream? Try it!
• What happens if you leave out the sugar and vanilla and just keep shaking - you’ll eventually make butter. Try it!

How it works

Cream is a "colloid." A colloid is a mixture of one substance spread out evenly inside another substance, and each substance can be in different states of matter (solid, liquid, or gas.)

In this case, little solid droplets of fat are suspended throughout the liquid milk. When you first start shaking the jar, millions of little air bubbles are shaken into the liquid cream. If you stop shaking after about 45 seconds, the bubbles will pop and it will go back to just being a liquid, so keep shaking!

Over time, all that shaking causes the outer membranes of the fat droplets to get stripped away, allowing them to stick together around the air bubbles. Eventually, with enough shaking, all of the liquid cream gets whipped into a delicious solid. Enjoy!

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The Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based Projects Paperback – November 6, 2018

• Why the sky is blue
• The greenhouse effect
• Light refraction
• Sound vibrations
• The solar system
• And much more!
• Reading age 7 - 11 years
• Print length 128 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 2 - 6
• Dimensions 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Publisher Racehorse for Young Readers
• Publication date November 6, 2018
• ISBN-10 1631583115
• ISBN-13 978-1631583117
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Racehorse for Young Readers (November 6, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631583115
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631583117
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 11 years
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 6
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• #78 in Children's Chemistry Books (Books)
• #168 in Children's Physics Books (Books)
• #181 in Children's Science Experiment Books

About the author

Brenda d. macarthur.

Brenda D. MacArthur grew up thinking she hated science.

But when her 4-year- old daughter started picking science books to read instead of fairy tales, Brenda realized she had to find a way to help her daughter explore STEM in an age-appropriate way- and fast!

Over the next few years, Brenda discovered she also had a passion for STEM and science and she founded the STEM activities site STEAMsational.com based on the STEM activities she created for her daughter.

STEAMsational grew to become a top STEM resource for teachers and provides hands-on STEM curriculum for thousands of teachers, parents, and school districts across the globe.

Brenda now works as a STEM advocate, author, and STEM curriculum writer to help parents and teachers foster a love of STEM in kids.

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Testing Soil Texture – The Mason Jar Test

Knowing the amounts of clay, silt, and sand that make up your garden soil can help you understand how to maximize your garden production [1] . The proportions of sand, clay, and silt have a direct effect on nutrient retention and microbial populations [2] . I’m about to show you a simple test that you can perform, step by step with pictures, so you can determine exactly what kind of soil you have.

To test soil texture using a mason jar, start by filling the jar 1/3 of the way full of well-sifted soil. Add water to almost the top of the jar and some dish soap. Then shake the mixture up. As the soil/water mixture settles over 48-72 hours the sand, silt, and clay will separate forming horizons. Then their proportions can then be determined.

*Note – if you are just getting started as to where to make a garden, there is a quicker, but less precise method to test your soil texture . The soil ribbon test is a quick and dirty (haha!) test to let you know roughly where the soil texture falls on the USDA Soil Pyramid. And knowing what soil you have is critical to determine if the location is suitable for building a vegetable garden .

Steps to conduct the ‘jar test’ for soil texture

1 – gather materials.

Obtain the following materials before starting. You will need a glass jar with straight sides, a ruler, black marker, and granular dish washer detergent . And, dig your soil .

For digging your soil, ensure you take a cross section of at least six inches depth (15 cm). Don’t just scrape the surface, as you want to get a complete picture of your soil.

*Special NOTE – This is a great time to perform a SOIL DRAINAGE test ! You can have both tests happen concurrently, thereby learning even more about your garden soil! See our step by step guide to test your soil drainage here!

2 – Sift the soil

Place a kitchen strainer or sieve over a bucket and push the soil through. This will help break up the particles and remove any larger rocks or roots and other organic matter.

I have to tell you that this is a crucial step to obtain a good mixture! The first time I ever performed this step I did not sift the soil. Even after several minutes of shaking the jar I still had solid balls of clay/silt. So, to get accurate results take the time to sift the soil!

3 – Add soil, water, and detergent to jar

Fill the glass jar to approximately 1/3 full with the finely sifted soil. Add 1 tablespoon of granular dishwashing detergent. Then fill the jar with water to almost the top, leaving a gap.

4 – Shake the jar

Secure the lid to the jar tightly. Then shake up the mixture until the mixture becomes uniform and slimey.

Then set the jar on a flat surface to rest

5 – Mark the Sand Layer

After the mixture has set for one minute, mark the side of the jar with a black marker. This represents the sand component.

6 – Mark the silt layer

After the mixture has set for two hours, mark the side of the jar. This represents the silt layer.

7 – Mark the clay layer

After the mixture has set for 2-3 days and the water is clear, mark the final layer. This is the clay layer.

8 – Determine the amounts of sand, silt, and clay.

Use your ruler to determine the total height of soil. But also record the individual heights of each layer.

Then, to calculate the proportions (percentages) of sand, silt, and clay use the formulas below. Additionally, I would like to point out that the ‘total’ height of mixture is the same as the clay layer.

% Sand = (height of sand) / (total height of mixture)

% Silt = [ (height of silt) – (height of sand) ] / (total height of mixture)

% Clay = 1 – %Sand – %Silt

So, in my example from my garden, I had a the following values

Example Soil Texture Calculation

Applying these formulas would yield the following results

%Sand = 43 mm / 68 mm = 63%

%Silt = (63 – 43) / 68 mm = 20 / 68 = 29%

% Clay = 100% – 63% – 29% = 8%

9 – Determine the soil type using the pyramid from the USDA (Link below).

You can use the USDA soil texture calculator [3] to determine your exact soil classification.

Video Demonstration of the Mason Jar Soil Test

What does Soil Texture mean?

Your soil is made up of 3 inorganic components, sand, silt, and clay. Knowing the proportions of each component can greatly aid you in optimizing your soil for vegetable production or adding amendments.

Any combination of these three elements that falls into the ‘loam’ category is considered a good base for a successful garden. But, now I will speak on the individual components and how they behave individually.

Sand is the largest particle size for soil components (0.10 to 2.0 mm). Pure sand will drain water and not hold nutrients. Just think of how little plant life you find on a beach! Sandy soil will be prone to drought and hold little in the way of nutrients.

The next smallest soil particles are considered silt, and are between 0.002-0.05 mm diameter. Silt is generally silica, rock or some other small inorganic particle. Silt will hold nutrients and water quite well, but still drain.

Clay is the smallest of soil particle sizes, coming in at anything less than 0.002 mm. Clay will compact quite easily and prevent water drainage. On the flip side though, it holds water and nutrients quite well.

Now that you have determined your soil texture, you can address any drainage problems that you may have.

If your soil falls within the “loam” classification you probably do not need to take any action, as long as your soil drains well. And loam generally allows for good root penetration deep into the soil.

But if you have ‘sandy’ soil, you can add organic matter such as compost or hummus so that it retains water better. In fact, you can simply topdress your garden or lawn to greatly improve the soil.

If you have clay soil, you can also add organic matter like compost as it will break up clay particles and reduce compaction. This will greatly improve the ease in digging your soil as well as drainage.

*Want to see the best guide for making a compost pile? Click on the link below and have a look at the video embedded. It shows the complete breakdown of a pile in the simplest manner possible.

One of my favorite ways to add organic matter is to apply a heavy mulch of leaves or straw in the fall. Did you know that leaves contain all essential the nutrients your garden needs!

By doing this worms will eat the leaves, and as they travel down into your soil eject worm castings. So, they will aerate your soil and fertilize it at the same time! They get food, and you are now able to grow more food – that is what you call a Win/ Win!

References:

[1] – Colorado State University Cooperative Extension , CMG Fact Sheet S14. Retrieved 23SEP2020

[2] – Hamarashid, Othman, Hussain 2010, Effects of Soil Texture on Chemical Compositions, Microbial Populations and Carbon Mineralization in Soil . Egypt. J. Exp. Biol. (Bot.), 6(1): 59 – 64 (2010). Retrieved 09-23-2020

[3] – USDA soil texture analysis calculator. Retrieved 23SEP2020

Hi - I grew up outdoors in nature - hiking, fishing, hunting. In high school I got my first job at a garden center where I learned to garden and landscape. I've been growing plants from seed and designing native plant gardens for over 10 years. I hope to share some of my knowledge with you! You may have seen some of my videos I create on our YouTube channel, GrowitBuildit (more than 10 million views!). You can find my channel here: https://youtube.com/@growitbuildit Additionally I am a wood worker / DIY enthusiast. I enjoy designing/building projects (with hand tools when I can!). I hope to give you some tips and useful information!

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Mason Jar Science Experiments

Published: October 11, 2019

Contributor: Annette Breedlove

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Quite a few years ago my oldest had a love-hate relationship with fireworks. The loud booms bothered him, yet he loved the bright colors and magnificent displays of light in the sky. We used ear plugs and headphones to help him when he was younger, but I wanted to show him a fun way to do fireworks.

That’s when I saw a post about Fireworks in a Jar. It was perfect! So I set it up and we went out to the back porch. We talked about the ingredients and I asked him what he thought would happen when we poured the in the colors. He was completely fascinated and blown away at the result. In fact, he played with it until the water turned black from adding too many colors.

I loved every minute of that science experiment. For one, it was contained in a jar, which is huge for a busy mom of six, like me. It literally made cleanup a snap! Second, it was simple and easy enough for him to do on his own (with supervision). And third, it occupied him for more than half an hour. I call that a WIN-WIN-WIN in my homeschool book.

After that, I was on a mission to find more sciecne experiments in a jar. You would be amazed at the number of experiments you can adapt and do in a contained space. Some of them, like the tornado and lava lamps, can even be done multiple times.

Grab some jars and check out these fun, in-home science experiments you can do today!

Fireworks in a Jar | I Can Teach My Child

How Trees Breathe Science Experiment | STEAMsational

Winter Snow Storm in a Jar | Little Bins for Little Hands

Upside Down Glass of Water Science Experiment | Cool Science Experiments

Heart Pumping Human Body Science Experiment | Forgetful Momma

Make a Hurricane in a Jar | One Time Through

Rainbow in a Jar Experiment | Primary Playground

Balloon Air Pressure Experiment in a Jar | Darcy and Brian

Color Changing Flowers | STEAMsational

Musical Jars Science Experiment | Cool Science Experiments

Cloud in a Jar Weather Activity for Kids | Little Bins for Little Hands

Ocean Zones in a Jar | I Can Teach My Child

Dinosaur Salt Crystal Science Experiment | STEAMsational

Homemade Butter Science Experiment | 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Ocean in a Bottle | Happy Hooligans

Make a Sediment Jar | Raising Lifelong Learners

Viscosity of a Liquid | Cool Science Experiments

Seed Sprouting Science Experiment | STEAMsational

Popcorn and Salt Science Experiment | Awe Filled Homemaker

Water Temperature Science Experiments | Cool Science Experiments

Rainbow Walking Water Experiment | Messy Little Monsters

Valentine’s Day Lava Lamp | STEAMsational

Disappearing Egg Activity for Kids | Premeditated Leftovers

Ocean Life Science for Kids | Natural Beach Living

What Causes a Thuderstorm | Life with Moore Babies

  Oil Bubbles in Water | Cool Science Experiments

Leaf Chromatography Science Experiment | STEAMsational

Fizzy Balloons | I Can Teach My Child

Science Experiment: Why Do Leaves Change Color | How We Learn

Pick up a Ball with a Jar | Cool Science Experiments

The Best Candy Cane Science Experiment | STEAMsational

Glow in the Dark Storm in a Jar | Growing a Jeweled Rose

Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment | Cool Science Experiments

Hot and Cold Water Density Experiment | STEAMsational

Find more homeschool resources on my Pinterest boards !

• science experiments

Annette Breedlove

Annette has been married to her husband and best friend since 2003. Together they are raising their six children to follow the Lord’s will, no matter what. Annette longs for the day when she will meet her angel babies who have entered heaven before her. She enjoys creating UNIT STUDIES and FREE PRINTABLES for homeschool families. You can follow her crazy life at In All You Do where she blogs about homeschooling, homemaking and marriage while trying to maintain her sanity. She is also the owner of Thrifty Homeschoolers where she shares her tips on homeschooling without breaking the bank.

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