- 1). Fill the bottle with equal parts of water and rubbing alcohol until the bottle is about 1/4 to 1/2 full.
- 2). Add several drops of red food coloring to the liquid to resemble mercury. Mix well.
- 3). Place modeling clay on one end of the straw, and put the other end of the straw in the bottle. Use the clay to seal the top of the bottle, ensuring that the straw does not touch the bottom of the bottle. Trim the straw with scissors if necessary.
- 4). Make changes to the bottle's environment to see how warm temperatures affect the thermometer. Hold your hands around the side of the bottle. Your body heat will cause the mixture (like all liquids) to expand when warmed. The liquid will no longer fit in the bottom of the bottle, and will begin to move up the thermometer (straw). Place the bottle in a very warm area if possible (such as near a radiator or heat vent). As the temperature rises, you will notice that the liquid in your thermometer does the same.
- 5). Make other changes to the bottle's environment to observe what happens when the temperature cools off. Move the bottle away from the heat source, and notice how, over time, the liquid begins to descend back down the thermometer. Place the thermometer in a refrigerator, freezer or other cold place, and mark the changes. You could also place the bottle in a bowl of very cold water or ice.
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