Bouncing Balls (Creative Chemistry Experiments)

You will need:

1. Borax powder
2. Cornstarch
3. Normal school glue
4. Warm water
5. Food colour
6. 2 plastic glasses
7. Spoon

Who doesn’t love toys? And one of the most fundamental toys of all times is the ball. What if you could create your very own crazy ball at home?

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In one plastic glass, make a borax solution by dissolving ½ teaspoonful of borax powder into 2 tablespoonfuls of warm water.
2. Add a few drops of any food colour of your choice.
3. In the second glass, create the ball mixture, by pouring 1 tablespoonful of glue, ½ teaspoonful of the borax solution (which is in the other cup), and 1 tablespoonful of cornstarch into the glass. Do not mix the solution.
4. Let it stay together in the cup for 10-15 seconds, and then stir the mixture with a spoon.
5. Once the mixture becomes so thick that you can’t stir it any more, remove it from the glass and start kneading it with your hands.
6. Initially, it will be sticky. Slowly, it will become solid.

RESULT

Once it becomes less sticky, shape the mixture into balls and bounce them! Even though they are temporary, you have created your very own bouncing balls. This happens because of the chemical reaction between Borax and the molecules in the glue, forming chains which are then held together by the cornstarch.