STEM Activity: Big Bubble Breakthrough

What if science could surround you from head to toe? Step into the world of bubble chemistry with a friend or family member and discover how a simple solution can turn into a spectacular, soapy scene!

Are you ready for a big bubble breakthrough? Experiment with surface tension as you mix, dip and blow bubbles so big, you can stand inside them!

Materials Needed:

• Buckets
• Glycerin
• Liquid dish soap
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Paper
• Pencil or pen
• Straws
• String
• Wading pool
• Warm water

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fill a bucket with about six cups of warm water. Add one cup of dish soap and three tablespoons of glycerin. Stir gently to combine and then let the solution cool to room temperature. If the solution gets sudsy on top, let it sit overnight. If it does not get sudsy, proceed with the next steps.
   
   Helpful Tip: Write down your recipe and take notes as you test and modify your solution! Time allows bubbles to rise to the surface and pop, and the soap and glycerin to spread through the water. Experiment with the ingredient measurements, the temperature of the water and the amount of time.
    
2. Test your solution by dipping your hands in the water and forming a circle with your index finger and thumb. If the solution forms a film between your fingers that “wobbles” without popping, then it’s ready for bubbly experiments! If the film pops quickly, try adding a little more glycerin.
    
3. Continue experimenting to achieve the best mixture by adding a half cup at a time of cooler water, warmer water or even more dish soap until you can blow big bubbles that last!
   
   Helpful Tip: Temperature and air humidity play important roles in creating big bubbles!
    
4. Once you have a recipe that works well, make a few gallons of the solution and pour it into a wading pool. You may need to adjust the ratio of your ingredients.
    
5. Create a giant, DIY bubble wand by threading a string through a few straws. Make the string long enough to fit around you easily before tying the ends together.
    
6. Stand in the middle of the pool and have a partner place your DIY bubble wand over your head, then down into the pool.
    
7. Ask your partner to first dip their hands into the bubble solution. Next, have them lift the bubble wand from the solution and pull it up as high as they can. Can they get the bubble film to stretch over your body? Keep experimenting with your bubble wand technique and solution recipe until you can stand fully immersed inside a bubble!

What Are We Discovering?

Chemistry helps us understand how different materials react and change when we combine them. In your bubble chemistry experiment, you designed a solution where each ingredient has a role. Soap lowers the water’s surface tension, allowing the film to stretch and trap air to make bubbles. Glycerin helps slow evaporation and strengthens the bubble film, making the bubbles last longer. The soap, water and glycerin work together to form a stretchy, flexible film.

What changes have you noticed when materials are combined? National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductee Carolyn Bertozzi invented the field of bioorthogonal chemistry, which allows scientists and researchers to chemically modify molecules inside living systems without harming them. Maybe one day you will invent a new field of science, just like Bertozzi!

Keep the Exploration Going

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