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Science Activity: Bubble Glove

Thanks to its partnership with publisher Eye on Education, EducationWorld is pleased to present this fun science activity from Family Science Night: Fun Tips, Activities, and Ideas by Shelley S. Connell. The book provides easy-to-implement, content-rich tips and ideas that will cultivate positive attitudes toward science. The following activity will allow students to experiment with bouncing bubbles on a glove and understand that certain ingredients can make strong bubbles.

Materials

  • Cotton gloves
  • Scissors
  • Plastic cups (to hold pipettes)
  • Permanent markers
  • Distilled water
  • Glycerin
  • Liquid dish detergent or Extreme Bubble Solution
  • 2-ounce plastic containers with lids
  • Plastic, disposable pipettes
  • Disposable gloves (optional)
  • Hand sanitizer


Setup

Bubble Solution

  1. At least 24 hours BEFORE the event, prepare bubble solution (5½ cups distilled water, 2 tablespoons glycerin, 3 tablespoons dish soap) OR prepare Extreme Bubble Solution by package directions.
  2. Pour about ⅛ cup of bubble solution into lidded 2-ounce containers for participants to keep.
  3. Get permanent markers to write their names on their cups of bubble solution.

Cotton Gloves

  1. Have clean cotton gloves free of debris for participants to use.
  2. Set out hand sanitizer to use before and after putting on the gloves.

Bubble Wand

  1. Cut the “fat” ends of the disposable pipettes to use as bubble wands. Use disposable gloves, or wash your hands with soap and water, before handling the pipettes.
  2. If using disposable pipettes, each participant should have his or her own.

Display

Set out the cotton gloves, bubble solution (pre-poured), permanent markers, pipettes standing up in cups with narrow ends pointing down (to protect the ends participants will put in their mouths), and the Family Fun Card (available in Family Science Night: Fun Tips, Activities, and Ideas; contains illustrated instructions for the activity).


Instructions

Explore: How many bubbles can you bounce on your hand?

  1. Cut the fat, rounded end of a disposable pipette to use as a bubble wand, or use a regular bubble wand with a circular end.
  2. Put on a clean, cotton glove.
  3. Dip the cut-off end of the pipette into a cup of bubble solution.
  4. Blow through the small end of the pipette to make a bubble that’s any size you want.
  5. Gently shake or blow the bubble off the pipette onto the glove.
  6. How many times can you bounce the bubble before it pops? Tell a friend next to you.


Expected Result
You should be able to gently shake one or more bubbles off the pipette and bounce them on the cotton glove.
 

Explanation
Soap and glycerin make bubbles very strong, which makes them able to withstand the gentle pressure of bouncing on a glove. The clean, soft texture of the glove keeps it from popping the bubbles right away.
 

Experience More at Home
Experiment with different bubble recipes to discover which makes the best bubbles. Discover other materials bubbles can land on without popping.

 

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