How does a Lava Lamp work?
In: Technology
There’s a hot light bulb at the bottome that melts and expands the wax. When it expands, it becomes less dense than the oil it’s suspended in and rises to the top. Then it cools and contracts until it sinks back to the bottom.
The “lava” heats up and expands slightly decreasing its density. Which it is already close to the rest of the liquids density. When it becomes lower than the other liquid it starts to float which moves it further from the heat source and then becomes more sense and causing it to fall back down.