Experiment 3: Bouncing Bubbles!
Why do bubbles pop easily?
Why can't I catch bubbles? Why does it pop as soon as it touches my hands?
How in the world is it possible to bounce bubbles?
To answer your questions, let's learn a bit about bubbles. To make bubbles, we need bubble solution. That's just a mixture of soap and water. Now, if you want better bubbles, you need soapier soaps such as dishwashing soap rather than handwash. Just look at the amount of bubble suds you get from using dishwashing soap versus handwash! You can also buy bubble solution from Toys R Us, but those are expensive and don't make strong bubbles.
Bubbles pop when you touch them because our hands are dirty and oily. Bubbles like clean surfaces!
So -- how do we make super bouncing bubbles? Easy! We need to make a special bubble solution for strong bubbles and make sure that our hands are not dirty and oily.
Ready for your bubble adventure?
Why can't I catch bubbles? Why does it pop as soon as it touches my hands?
How in the world is it possible to bounce bubbles?
To answer your questions, let's learn a bit about bubbles. To make bubbles, we need bubble solution. That's just a mixture of soap and water. Now, if you want better bubbles, you need soapier soaps such as dishwashing soap rather than handwash. Just look at the amount of bubble suds you get from using dishwashing soap versus handwash! You can also buy bubble solution from Toys R Us, but those are expensive and don't make strong bubbles.
Bubbles pop when you touch them because our hands are dirty and oily. Bubbles like clean surfaces!
So -- how do we make super bouncing bubbles? Easy! We need to make a special bubble solution for strong bubbles and make sure that our hands are not dirty and oily.
Ready for your bubble adventure?
The EXPERIMENT: Making Super Bouncing Bubbles
Our Objective: To make super bouncing bubbles
Our Materials:
Our Materials:
- distilled water
- dishwashing soap (I tried several brands, but Gain or Joy works best.)
- glycerin (this is what makes the bubbles strong! You can buy this at drugstores (it is used as a skin softener) OR at the baking section (it is also used to make icing!).
- big straws (the ones used for bubble tea) to serve as bubble makers
- gloves (this is the secret to clean and non-oily hands! just use the cheap ones -- I got mine at the Festival Walk Skating rink for HK$6 a pair!)
Distilled Water
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Dishwashing Soap
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Glycerin
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Cheap Gloves!
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Big straws
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Procedure:
- Mix all three ingredients using a 1:1:1 ratio. For example, in a 1 liter bottle, mix 1 cup distilled water + 1 cup dishwashing soap + 1 cup glycerin.
- Cap the bottle tightly and gently move the bottle left and right. Do not shake the bottle vigorously! You don't want foam to form!
- You can use this straight away, but if you let it sit for one day, you will have better bubbles!
- Wear your gloves!
- Dip one end of the straw into the bubble solution. Slowly blow into the other end!
- Release the bubble and start bouncing bubbles!
- NOTE: It takes a bit of practice to blow and release the bubbles. Also, wait for the bubble to land on your hand. Once it does, you can gently bounce our bubble!
- HAVE FUN!
For Parents...
Science is a great way to develop your children's critical thinking and logical reasoning skills! So, ask them to share what they did during science club. They should have brought home the products of the experiments or even some materials to do the experiment at home with you! Have a discussion about the experimental process and do extension activities! I promise that you will have as much fun as your children had and they will have a blast being your TEACHER!
Discussion Questions:
Extension Activities:
Discussion Questions:
- How can you blow bigger bubbles?
- What will happen if you change the ratio of water, dishwashing soap, and glycerin?
Extension Activities:
- What other things can you use as a bubble maker? Be creative! Show me what you have made and send me awesome photos. My email address is: [email protected].