Hooked on Science: Freezing soap bubbles

What happens when you blow bubbles in a temperature that is close to zero degrees Fahrenheit outside?

Materials

* Bubble solution

* Microwave

Instructions

STEP 1: Use the microwave to warm the bubble solution.

STEP 2: Take your warm bubble solution outside when the temperature is close to zero degrees Fahrenheit.

STEP 3: Dip the bubble wand into the bubble solution, pull out the bubble wand, and then blow bubbles.

Explanation

If the temperature is cold enough, your bubbles will freeze and shatter. When the bubbles are blown into the freezing air they freeze into an almost perfect sphere. As the warm air cools, the volume is reduced and the frozen bubbles will collapse.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hooked onscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.