This article was co-authored by Jessie Antonellis-John and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Jessie Antonellis-John is a Math and Science Instructor who teaches at Southwestern Oregon Community College. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in curriculum development. Jessie earned her PhD in Teaching & Teacher Education from the University of Arizona, her Master of Education from Western Governors University, and her BS in Astrophysics from Mount Holyoke College. She’s also co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles in professional publications.
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Looking for a cool science experiment you can do at home? Look no further! Ferrofluid, or ferripaste, is an easy, fun-to-make magnetic oil that only needs 2 ingredients: motor oil and iron oxide powder. When you mix these 2 things together, it creates a special “fluid” that almost behaves like a solid, especially in the presence of a magnet. So what are you waiting for? To make your very own ferrofluid to play around with, read this article!
Things You Should Know
- Mix 10 grams (0.3 oz) of motor oil with 10 grams (0.3 oz) of iron oxide powder in a petri dish.
- Use a magnet to manipulate the ferrofluid to make peaks and valleys.
- Because the iron oxide is magnetic and suspended in the oil, a magnet can manipulate it.
- Store ferrofluid in an airtight container. When you’re done, dispose of the ferrofluid in the trash.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
Warnings
- Iron oxide will stain clothes and surfaces. Be careful not to get it on your clothing or countertops during your experiment.[8]Thanks
- Ferrofluid is highly flammable, and while it’s not toxic, it can cause skin irritation. If ferrofluid gets on your skin, rinse well with warm water for 15 minutes.[9]Thanks
Things You’ll Need
- Petri dish
- Motor oil
- Iron oxide
- Stirring stick
- Magnet
- Airtight container
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWH9C__jn2w&t=287s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWH9C__jn2w&t=271s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZoW7ayI9MY&t=173s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZoW7ayI9MY&t=216s
- ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-ferrofluid-the-liquid-of-the-future-2012-1
- ↑ https://www.supermagnete.de/eng/faq/Questions-and-answers-about-ferrofluid
- ↑ https://www.supermagnete.de/eng/faq/Questions-and-answers-about-ferrofluid
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZoW7ayI9MY&t=134s
- ↑ https://www.supermagnete.de/eng/faq/Questions-and-answers-about-ferrofluid