You will need:
- Glass
- Water
- Soap (any brand of ivory
soap works best) - Microwave
- Paper plate or a shallow
plastic dish
Create amazing soap sculptures with your friends by using three simple ingredients and your mom’s permission!
INSTRUCTIONS
- Firstly, get this experiment approved by your parent.
- For this experiment, you have to use soap, which if put in a glass of water, will float, and not sink. So, test your soap out first.
- The soap does not spoil the microwave, but it will leave a lingering soapy smell for a few hours after your experiment is conducted.
- Take an entire soap and cut it in half. Place half of it in a shallow dish or paper plate which is microwave proof, and set it in the microwave.
- Set the microwave time for 1-2 minutes, but keep an eye on the soap.
RESULT
Microwaves like infrared lights have a type of light. They have much longer waves. The microwaves move through the oven and make the molecules bump into one another, creating heat. When the soap is placed in the microwave, the small pockets of air trapped inside the soap start to heat up, creating pressure, which keeps building until the soft outer wall of the soap cannot hold any more. It starts to bubble and expand. Once it has cooled down, it stiffens in the shape it has expanded into.
