Hey there! Today, Squeaks and I had a blast blowing bubbles. It’s one of our favorite activities because it’s so simple and fun! All you need to make a soap bubble is water, soap, and air. When you blow air into soapy water, the water and soap wrap around the air like a blanket, forming a round shape that floats in the air. But eventually, every bubble pops!
Squeaks asked a great question: why do bubbles pop? Well, water is a bit sneaky. Once it’s in a bubble, it tries to escape. When the water leaves, the air inside the bubble escapes too, causing the bubble to pop! The soap tries to hold the water inside for as long as it can, but eventually, every bubble bursts.
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could make bubbles last longer? We decided to try an experiment to see if we could make a bubble that doesn’t pop so quickly. We thought that making the soap thicker might help. So, we made a new bubble solution with 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, and a special ingredient: 2 tablespoons of sugar. The sugar helps make the soap layers thicker.
We compared our new bubbles to the old ones. The old bubble lasted 30 seconds before popping. But the new, thicker bubble lasted 90 seconds! That’s 60 seconds longer!
We had so much fun with this experiment that we want to try more! There are lots of different bubble recipes we can test. We could try using corn syrup or glycerin instead of sugar. And if we get our hands wet, we might even be able to hold the bubbles!
How long do you think you could make a bubble last? Can you think of any special ingredients that might help bubbles not to pop? Ask a grown-up to help you with your own bubble experiments. If you want to keep experimenting and learning with us, be sure to join us next time at the Fort!
Bubble Recipe Experiment: Try making your own bubble solution at home! Use the recipe from the article: 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Then, try making another batch using a different ingredient like corn syrup or glycerin instead of sugar. Blow bubbles with each solution and time how long they last before popping. Which ingredient makes the bubbles last the longest? Share your results with a friend or family member!
Bubble Observation Walk: Go outside with a grown-up and blow bubbles. Watch how they float and move in the air. Do they go higher when it’s windy or when it’s calm? Try blowing bubbles in different weather conditions and observe what happens. Write down or draw what you see. How do the bubbles behave differently in the sun compared to the shade?
Bubble Holding Challenge: Wet your hands with some of the bubble solution and see if you can catch and hold a bubble without it popping. How long can you hold it? Try using different techniques, like cupping your hands or using a spoon. What works best? Discuss with a friend or family member why you think some methods work better than others.
