Ocean Currents in a Baking Dish

Discover how temperature moves the ocean!

Arthur says: “Currents don’t just go with the flow—they’re driven by invisible forces like temperature and salinity. Let’s bring a miniature ocean to life with just warm and cold water, right in your kitchen!”

🔧 What You'll Need:

• Clear glass or plastic baking dish (rectangular preferred)
• Cold water (chilled in fridge or with ice)
• Hot water (not boiling)
• Food coloring: red for warm, blue for cold
• Spoons or droppers
• Optional: thermometer

🧪 Steps:

1. Fill the baking dish halfway with cold water. Add a drop of blue food coloring and stir gently.
2. In a separate cup, mix warm water with red food coloring.
3. Gently pour the warm red water into one end of the dish or use a spoon to lower it in carefully.
4. Watch as the red and blue waters move and swirl without mixing evenly—those are your ocean currents!

📘 What You’ll Learn:

Warm water rises, cold water sinks. This temperature difference creates movement—just like real ocean currents that shape Earth’s climate, weather, and ecosystems.

Pocket Fact: The Gulf Stream moves over 4 billion gallons of water per second—like a giant underwater river!