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Sudsy Bubble Experiment
Exposing children to chemistry is as easy as opening up your kitchen cabinets. Grab a few ingredients, mix them together, and you’ve got a reaction! Try this fun sudsy bubble experiment to take a common science experiment to a new level.
Have you checked out The Homeschool Scientist’s Chemistry Resource Page?
Bubble Experiment Supplies
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Dish soap
- Water
- Measuring spoons
- Plastic water bottle
- Cups or glasses
- Funnel
- Food coloring
Try these Science Experiment and Supplies Printables to make planning and carrying out your experiments easy!
Bubble Experiment Procedure
Using the measuring spoon, add 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water to one of the cups. Next, pour the vinegar and water solution into the plastic bottle.
Add ¼ teaspoon of dish soap to the vinegar and water solution in the bottle. Next, add 2-3 drops of food coloring. Gently swirl the bottle to mix. DO NOT SHAKE.
Add 3 teaspoons of baking soda to a dry cup. Then, place the funnel into the mouth of the bottle and pour the baking soda into the bottle all at once through the funnel.
Swirl the bottle to mix. Then, observe the reaction.
What is happening?
You may have created a baking soda and vinegar volcano or something similar in the past. When baking soda and vinegar are combined, carbon dioxide gas is formed. The carbon dioxide forms bubbles that look like a fizzing foam.
The same reaction is occurring in this experiment. The only change is the addition of the dish soap. The addition of the detergent didn’t change the chemical reaction, but it did cause the bubbles to be larger and last longer. The soap increased the surface tension of the water and allowed for larger bubbles to form. The food coloring does not affect the reaction either. It just makes it look cool.
Experiment!
Try this experiment again varying the amount of vinegar, baking soda, or detergent. Did the change cause a difference in the reaction?
Do different types of detergent make a difference? Try another brand of dish soap or maybe a liquid hand soap.
I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.