Hooked on Science: Squeaky clean

Watch what happens when Ivory soap is cooked in a microwave.

Materials

* Ivory soap

* Microwave

* Paper towel

Instructions

STEP 1: Place the bar of Ivory soap on a paper towel and then into the microwave.

STEP 2: Heat the soap for one minute.

STEP 3: After one minute, remove the soap from the microwave, and observe.

*** Explanation

The water and air trapped inside the bar of soap are heated by the microwave. This causes the water to vaporize and the air to expand. The expanding air forces the Ivory soap to puff up.

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