Water Rising Experiment

You need:

Candle

Lighter

Clear vase

Water

Food coloring

Plate

Adult supervision

Instruction:

1. Fill up a glass of water. Drop food coloring into the glass.

2. Stir the water.

3. Place the candle at the center of the plate.

4. Pour the water into the plate.

5. Light the candle.

6. Cover the candle with the vase. 

7. Observe what happen.

Results:

Explanation:

The candle flame heats the air in the vase. The hot air will expand. The bubble you see from the water is actually the expended hot air. When the flame goes out, the air in the vase cools down and the cooler air contracts. The cooling air inside of the vase creates a vacuum. The vacuum is created due to the low pressure inside the vase and the high pressure outside of the vase. So, the gases exerting pressure from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. 

Misconception:

A common misconception about this experiment is that the consumption of the oxygen inside of the bottle is also a factor in the water rising. Truth is, there is a possibility that there would be a small rise in the water from the flame burning up oxygen, but it is extremely minor compared to the expansion and contraction of the gases within the bottle. Simply put, the water would rise at a steady rate if the oxygen being consumed were the main contributing factor.

Note: Thanks Sick Science for the explanation. You may retrieve clear video of the experiment here.