Science Camp: Science of Bubbles

For this program we started with a Steve Spangler video on the Science of Bubbles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAzPfm-0onI&safe=active

Then we created three different bubble wands and tested four different homemade bubble solutions, which I made up ahead of time.  In addition the kids could make Popped Bubble Art.

We added food coloring to a bubble solution.

Here are the solutions we tested.

Solution #1

6 cups water 

½ cup Dawn dish detergent 

½ cup cornstarch

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tbsp glycerine

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, stirring really well.  Then gently stir in the remaining ingredients.  Avoid creating a lot of froth.  Allow your mixture to sit for at least an hour, stirring occasionally if you see the cornstarch settling to the bottom. 

Solution #2

4 cups warm water

½ cup sugar

½ cup dishwashing liquid

Combine the sugar and warm water.  Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.  Add the dishwashing liquid and stir again.

Solution #3

1 cup warm water

2 Tbsp liquid dish soap or laundry detergent

1 Tbsp glycerine

1 tsp sugar

Gently stir all ingredients together.

Solution #4

1 cup dishwashing liquid

15 cups water

This program was MESSY and the floor got very slippery!  Definitely a program that is better suited for outdoors. 

Making bead bubble wands.

More bead bubble wands.

Straw and yarn wands.

This was by far the funnest wand, straws inside the top of a water bottle.  Lots and lots of bubbles!

  

Some even got creative and tried to make 3D wands.

The straw and yarn wands allowed for HUGE bubbles!

Getting creative and using other things for wands.  We also got out clean socks to see if they could hold the bubbles.

 Solution 1 was by far the favorite of both sessions.  I had put together a testing sheet so they could record results (which solution made largest bubbles, most bubbles, longest lasting bubbles, etc.), but the kids never got around to using them.  They were having too much fun playing!

Ideas came a variety of blogs and websites, including:
Bead Bubble Wands: http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/mirror-mirror-puppy-love-bubble-potion.html#.VEKB3iLF_To
Bubble Blower: http://bhoomplay.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/bubbles_blower/
Straw and Yarn Wand: http://myhomespunthreads.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-30-diy-bubbles-wands-and-blowers.html
Popped Bubble Art: http://www.broogly.com/project/popped-bubble-art