Bubble snake
5-9 y.o.
Easy
5-10 min
For the experiment, you will need:
- Plastic bottle
- Napkins or pieces of cloth
- Food coloring
- Rubber band
- Bowl filled with water
- Dishwashing liquid
- Scissors
1. Prepare
Prepare all the needed tools for the experiment.
2. Cut
Cut the bottle in half.
3. Fix the cloth
To the upper side of the bottle, put a disposable napkin or a piece of cloth on the cut place. Fix it by placing a rubber band.
4. Paint
On a disposable napkin or piece of cloth, drip food coloring, create the desired pattern.
5. Dishwashing liquid
Pour dishwashing detergent on the fabric.
6. Wet it
Pour a small amount of water into the bowl. Dip a disposable napkin or piece of cloth in water.
7. Bubble snake
Slowly lifting the bottle up, blow through its neck. Try to form as high a bubble snake as possible.
How does it work?
Why is a mixture of water and soap or other detergent used to blow bubbles?
Detergent molecules have two different properties: they are hydrophilic, which means they attract water, and hydrophobic – they are afraid of water. When blowing air into a mixture of detergent and water, the air is closed in a liquid bubble. This bubble consists of a layer of water surrounded by detergent molecules. The hydrophobic properties of the detergent retain the shape of the bubble, preventing the water layer from disintegrating. Since the air flow is constant, and the holes in the fabric are filled with a mixture of water and soap, bubbles are constantly forming and accumulating on top of each other. This creates a long chain of bubbles that resemble a snake.
