365 Days of Python: Day #71 — Lava Lamps

Lava lamps were invented in 1963 by Edward Craven-Walker. And much like the Rubik’s Cube, they have been perpetually popular since their advent.

How do lava lamps even work?

In short, lava lamps use two fluids with similar densities that are also insoluble in each other. One of the fluids is made of mostly water, and the other is made of paraffin wax.

The fluid that is made of paraffin wax reacts to heat. Because of this, its density will change based on its temperature. Therefore, if you heat up this fluid, it will become less dense and float. Alternatively, if you cool this fluid, it will become more dense and sink.

And this property is what makes lava lamps possible. The light at the bottom of the lava lamp generates heat and causes the fluid that is made of paraffin wax to warm up and float to the top. When this fluid reaches the top of the lava lamp, it cools and begins to sink back down.

As you might have guessed, this cycle will infinitely repeat until the lava lamp is unplugged or the light burns out.

Day #71 (1/24/2023)

“The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all comprehensible.”

— Albert Einstein