Internet Version [Naruhodo no Mori] Vol. 2

by Yumiko Mori

Vol. 2 December 15th, 1994

Bubbles

Home science experiments for mothers of elementary school children

Today, Toshi and Tae decide to play maiking bubbles.
Toshi: "I'm going to make a new record."
Tae:"Which record are you talking about?"
Toshi:"I'm going to make the biggest bubble I've ever made."
Toshi is a 5th grade boy and Tae is a 3rd grade girl.
Bubble making was a favorite play when they were very young.
But as they are older now, they want to make a little crafty effort on the bubble making.
Toshi makes solution by mixing dish detergent and starch which he used to make slime the last time.

Since they can not do bubble making inside the house, they go outside, taking all the tools. Their friends also join in.

Toshi: "Tae, lift very gently, or bubbles break.
Tae: "OK,but my hands get covered with soap."

Gentle wind is good for making big bubbles.

Toshi: "Oh! Great!"
Tae: "I can make a lot of bubbles."
Toshi: "That bubble is so big that you can almost put your head into it."
Tae:"Next, I'm going to do with this hunger frame."
Toshi:"Oh! Great!"
The soap on the hunger frame produces huge bubbles one after another.

"I try to stick my arm inside this bubble."
Although it is quite difficult, you can stick your arm into a bubble.

It is so striking to see large bubbles rupture suddenly.

How to make bubbles

Materials:

Liquid dish detergent 1 cup
Laundry starch 1 cup
(Poly-vinyl-alcohl, the same stuff used in making slimes (see Vol.1))
(Glycerine can be used as an alternative.)
Water 2 cups
A tray
(It should be larger enough so that the hanger can be dipped in.)
Hangers
Braids
Wool thread.

Tools for making bubbles:

(You may want to prepare for adults too, since adults as well as children can enjoy this bubble making.)

Braid:
You make a ring from several pieces.
Hanger:
Reshape a metal hanger into a square shape and roll wool thread around the frame. (see the picture)

Methods:

Required time: You may need three hours for the entire experiment (from preparation to clean-up).
Children may want to continue until all the liquid is gone. If you don't have enough time, make less amount of liquid.

You simply mix the three kinds of liquid (water, detergent, and starch). Then it's ready to use!

CAUTION

NEVER EXPOSE YOUR MOUTH TO THIS BUBBLE SOLUTION!!
IT'S TOXIC!!

This particular bubble solution is toxic. Please do not make bubbles by blowing using straws or other blowing implements.

Dropping bubbles make the ground surface dirty.
You may want to play with bubbles on dirt.
It's more fun to do this with friends.
It may not work at first. But you sould be able to learn knack soon.
Hands get covered with soap. You may want prepare water to wash hands.

Note

I am neither a scientist nor a school teacher. I am just a mother of three children. I feel very happy when I and my children are together working on science experiments. We are only doing quite simple experiments, but those give us such enjoyment. We often like to do these experiments repeatedly. When you read a science experiment book, you may already feel that you master the subject simply by reading it. But you can understand much more if you actually try experiments by yourselves. When my children and I work together on experiments, conversation starts between us. We learn together and have fun together. I think these moments are so precious.

Author	Yumiko Mori (Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan)
Illustration	Mitsue Ogata
Translator	Akira Ishihara
HTML format	Muneo Kume