Discover the hidden colors inside your markers! You will learn how water carries different pigments across paper to separate a single color into all the colors that make it up.

Tools

• scissors
• ruler
• washable markers in various colors (5 different colors)
• pencil (1 piece)

Materials

• white coffee filters (4 circular filters)
• glass or plastic cups (4 cups)
• water (1 cup per glass)

Safety

• Adult supervision recommended when handling glass cups.
• Be careful not to spill water on electronic devices or furniture.
• Adult supervision required for sharp objects.
• Adult supervision required for children under 8.

Steps

1. Use the scissors to cut the circular coffee filters into rectangles or strips about 3 inches wide and 6 inches long.
2. Using a ruler, measure 1 inch from the bottom of each paper strip and draw a horizontal line with a pencil.
3. Pick a washable marker and draw a thick, bold line or a dot directly on the pencil line you drew. Leave a small gap at the very bottom of the paper.
4. Fill each cup with about 1 inch of water.
5. Carefully dip the bottom edge of the paper strip into the water. The water should touch the bottom of the paper, but it must NOT touch the marker line directly.
6. Wait and watch as the water travels up the paper, pulling the marker ink with it.
7. Observe how the ink separates into different colors as the water moves toward the top of the strip.
8. Once the water reaches the top, remove the strip and let it air dry to see your colorful chromatography result.