Hooked on Science: Ghostly bubbles

Have you ever captured a ghost in a bubble? You can and all you need are a few materials from around the house.

Materials

* Rubbermaid MixerMate clear 2-quart bottle with chili red lid

* 1/2" vinyl tube

* Dishwashing liquid

* Warm water

* Dry ice

* Fuzzy glove

Instructions

STEP 1: Attach the 1/2-inch vinyl tube to the Rubbermaid MixerMate clear 2-quart bottle chili red lid.

STEP 2: Pour warm water into the Rubbermaid bottle, add a few pieces of dry ice and secure the lid onto the bottle.

STEP 3: Place the fuzzy glove on your hand, put the end of the 1/2-inch vinyl tube into the dishwashing liquid, and hold the 1/2-inch tube over your hand allowing the bubble to fall on the fuzzy glove.

STEP 4: Pop the bubble and observe.

Explanation

When dry ice is placed into the warm water a cloud forms. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide gas and is -109.3 degrees. As dry ice breaks down it turns directly into carbon dioxide gas. In science this process is called sublimation. The bubbles are filled with the cloud, which is created by the dry ice sublimating. When you "pop" the bubble the cloud rushes out, which looks like a ghost.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.