Science Experiment Project with Bubbles and Soap

Did you know that you can power a paper boat, move toothpicks at will, by putting bubbles to work with just some soap. In these science experiments you can use homemade soap or dish washing detergent Kids love experimenting and there science projects is all around us to help them learn

But before we get into these fun and informative bubble experiments lets learn a little bit about the origins of soap.

History of Soap

Did you know that in ancient times, people used water and wood ashes to wash up and then soothed their clean but possibly irritated bodies with some sort of grease or oil from animals or plants.

"The famous Roman historian, Pliny, mentions soap as being a combination of goat's tallow and wood ashes. The Greek physician Galen(130-200AD) makes mention of using soap for medicinal reasons. Another physician form 385AD discussed the advantages of using soap as a shampoo."

Soap Today

Commercial Soap makers combine grease or fat with lye (an alkali made from wood and ash) and salt. Perfumes, coloring preservatives, and water softeners are added before they shape or flake the soap. It is amazing what kids can learn with some hands on learning time using soap as the main part of the experiment.

The word detergent means anything that will clean things. Today that word is used to mean a cleaner manufactured from man made substance usually coming from petroleum. First commercial use of the this dates back to the 1950's.

An Easy Science Experiment

Bubbles are globs of air or gas inside a hollow liquid ball. Soap bubbles are globs of air enclosed in a film of soapy water. You can make bubbles by blowing through a pipe or a ring dipped in soapsuds. And yes you can do this with just your hand.

What You Need to Make a Hand Bubble

• 2 Tablespoons dishwashing liquid detergent

• 1 Cup warm water

Gently stir the dishwashing liquid into the warm water.

Curl your fingers and dip your hands in the soapy mixture.

Now blow into your curled hand.

What Happens:

You will be forming bubble.

Why Do Bubbles Form:

When you blow into the mixture of water and detergent on your wet hand., you add the air that forms the center of the bubble.

Save clean jars of different sizes to hold your various bubble mixtures.

Stir gently so as not to whip up soap suds. Soapsuds are actually tiny bubbles.

Let your bubble mixture stand for a day or two.

Put the bubble mix in the refrigerator fr a few minutes before using it. Your bubbles will last longer.

For the best results, blow your bubbles  on a rainy day, because there is more moisture in the air and they will last longer.

Bubble Mix Recipes

Recipes for bubble mix differ, partly because soap powders and detergents vary in strength. Experiment and figure out which one works best for you. Here are a few different ideas for making bubbles.

DIshwashing detergent works well

Use at least 1 part soap to 8 to 10 parts of warm water for normal mix. For example, use 1 tablespoon soap for every 1/2 cup water.

A large proportion of soap to water makes larger bubbles.

More detergent than water creates giant bubbles.

Add sugar to get longer lasting bubbles. Bubble will burst when they dry out. Sugar is a substance that will slow it down, therefore they will evaporate causing them to dry out. Try one part sugar to 1 part soap and 6 parts water.