How do lava lamps work?

Answer by  calculator (88)

The bulb heats a wax mixture, causing it to become less dense than the water in the lamp and rise. At the top, it cools, causing it to sink.

Answer by  Ben94 (10)

Lava lamps have a heated base and contain water and wax. Heat expands wax faster than water, so the wax becomes less dense and rises. Then it cools and sinks.

Answer by  tface1000 (147)

The "lava" is wax. When the lava warms, it becomes less dense than the liquid so it rises to the top. As it cools, it falls back to the base.

Answer by  withluck (1745)

When you turn on a lava lamp, the wax, the lava in the lava lamp, gets heated up at the bottom. The wax rises to the top of the lamp. Once it reaches the top the wax cools down and sinks to the bottom since the wax is heavier cold.