Bubbles are a classic part of summer. Recently, I discovered the incredible power of a bubble machine to entertain my little cousins. We challenged each other to pop the most bubble or dodge the most bubbles as the wind blew them quickly towards us. Eventually, we ran low on bubble solution and my cousins worried we’d have to stop the fun. Luckily, my years of scientific training prepared me for this moment. We could make our own with supplies at home. Making bubble solution can be transformed into an activity that gets learners to use the scientific method. There are so many variables that can be adjusted even the simplest 2 ingredient recipe. We’ll go through some together, but first a not so simple question.
The Anatomy of a Bubble
What is a bubble? This is a question that can stump some students while others might share that it’s made of gas. Bubbles are actually made of multiple states of matter. You can’t have a bubble without having the gas enclosed by something. In the classic soap and water bubbles we’ll be looking at, there the gas is trapped by layers of liquid water and soap.
Once the water layer evaporates, the bubble pops (unless something or someone pops it first).
Now let's find the best bubble solution!
There are so many independent variables that we can test when it comes to making our own bubble solutions. This is why this lab is perfect for a choose your own adventure lab! You can run through all of the tests in order to find the ULTIMATE BUBBLE RECIPE or you can complete just one of these tests. That’s up to you.
But wait, what characteristics make a bubble solution the best? In our experiments, we decided that the size of the bubble would be a great dependent variable that we could measure. But you might also decide to look at the time it takes for the bubble to pop on its own or how many tries it takes to make a bubble or even a combination of all three. To measure the size of the bubble, we blew our bubbles on a soapy table surface and measured the diameter of the bubble ring once it popped. We then repeated this several times, collecting data, before cleaning off the table and repeating it with the next bubble solution.
Test 1: Dish Soap vs. Hand Soap
We use different kinds of soap for washing different things like dishes, clothes, and our hands. In this first test, we will make bubble solutions that are made of water and dish soap and a second bubble solution made of water and hand soap.
Test 2: Soap Brand
Is one brand of soap better than another? Brands claim to be better than their competitors. They might have the same function, like washing dishes, but the recipes they use can have differences. We will compare different brands to see if it really makes a difference in making bubbles.
Test 3: Recipe Amounts
We've figured out what soap type and brand to use, it's time to test the ratio of water to soap in our bubble solutions. This is where we see if having more soap makes better bubbles.
Test 4: Recipe Additions
Now that we’ve determined the best bubble solution with just water and soap, we can test if adding a third ingredient hurts or helps. The question is does adding a solid to your bubble solution make better bubbles? This could be done with salt, sugar, baking soda, etc.
Here’s a video example of how we could conduct this test by comparing a solution with and without sugar.
Bonus Test: Bubble Wand Engineering
Time to apply the science learned from all your bubble tests! Make a large batch of your BEST bubble solution and engineer a bubble wand with items that you find in your kitchen drawers and craft bins. Design a few wand prototypes, test them out, and make adjustments until you have a bubble maker you are happy with.
FREE RESOURCE!
This activity doesn't have to be contained to just the summer! Utilize this material simple lab to focus on the scientific method in your classroom. Here are two versions of our lab that have students select a independent variable to test as they select a question, make a hypothesis, carry out an investigation, analyze data, and make conclusions on what makes a better bubble.
Still can’t get enough about bubbles?!
Here’s a fun video about the science of bubbles from an expert.
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