High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025

Captivating Chemistry: Luminous Lava Lamps

Captivating Chemistry: Luminous Lava Lamps

Streaming Media

Course Code

SPC

Course Number

1603H

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Adam Parrish

Faculty/Instructor Email

Adam.parrish@ucf.edu

About the Author

We call ourselves the Magic Molten Master, and we are all students who attend the University of Central Florida. We also want to thank UCF’s STEM Day for giving us the time and resources to present our project! Specifically Dr. Parrish for guiding us through the process of preparing for STEM Day, and Renee Johnston for coordinating the event and supplies to be a successful group.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

Our group participated in STEM Day, an engaging biannual event that brings together K–12 students to explore the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on experiences. When planning our presentation, we aimed to create an activity that was both visually exciting and easy for students of all ages to understand. We chose to demonstrate the concepts of polarity and density through a fun and interactive experiment in which students created their own lava lamps. This activity allowed the students to observe scientific principles in action while encouraging curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM learning.

Additional Resources

Ahmad, Z., Ammar, M., Sellami, A., & Al-Thani, N. J. (2023). Effective pedagogical approaches used in high school chemistry education: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(5), 1796–1810.

Florida Department of Education. (n.d.). Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. https://www.fldoe.org

Gage, N. A., & MacSuga-Gage, A. S. (2024). Evidence-based classroom management practices for school-age students. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6345407/

Weaver, G. C. (1998). Strategies in K–12 science instruction to promote conceptual change. Science Education, 82(4), 455–472.

National Science Teaching Association. (n.d.). Best practices in science education. Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org

Keywords

Lava lamps, polarity, density, chemistry

Captivating Chemistry: Luminous Lava Lamps


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