Saturday, March 27, 2021
How big can bubbles get? In 2007, a man named Sam Heath (“Sam the Bubble Man”) was able to fit nineteen people inside a single bubble — a world record! In this session, we’re going to make lots of bubbles –big and small — and look at them with a scientist’s perspective. You’ll become bubble experts and learn about ‘thin films’, an important concept in chemistry.
Preparation: You’ll need homemade bubble solution, best prepared at least one day in advance. It contains 1 cup of water (240 mL), 2 tablespoons of dish soap (30 mL) and 1 tablespoon of sugar (15 mL). If you would like to experiment with two different bubble solutions, you can try making a second batch using the same recipe, but with an additional 1 tablespoon of glycerin. Other materials: pair of gloves (optional), small bubble wand, pipette, or straw, black paper, container for bubble solution (a clean, flat foam lunch or deli tray is great!), straws, string, scissors.
Experts: Karla, Mehrin, Brittney and Melissa from the Knowles Group, University of Rochester.
