Soap Science

Type

Chemistry

Grade Level

4 & up

Difficulty Level

Medium

Cost

Minimal

Safety Issues

Adult supervision strongly recommended when using a microwave oven, and when working with potentially harmful chemicals.

Material Availability

All necessary materials are readily available.

Project Time Frame

3-4 weeks.

Objective

This project involves experiments with soap.The goals of this project are:

1. To identify the active ingredients in soap.
2. To experiment with the properties of soap.

1. Computer with internet access
2. Digital camera
3. Typical office/craft/hobby supplies (such as paper, pens & poster-board, wood, glue, etc.)
4. At least 4 bars of soap (different brands)
5. Bowls of water
6. Paper towels
7. Microwave oven

All materials can be found in your home, at local stores, or on ebay.

Introduction

Soap is a cleaning agent that’s been around for many centuries.The earliest form of soap was derived from various types of plants known to have cleansing properties, usually when mixed with water.These types of plants are known collectively as “soap plants.”In this project we examine the properties and uses of soap.

Research Questions

1. What are the active ingredients in soap?
2. What determines the quality of soap?
3. What are some of the best selling brands of soap?
4. How is soap manufactured?

Terms and Concepts to Start Background Research

• Density
• Soap Plants

1. Research related materials (see bibliography below and search terms listed above)
2. Remove each bar of soap from its packaging, and photograph each bar next to its packaging.
3. Weigh each bar of soap, and record all ingredients listed on packaging.
4. Fill 2 bowls with water.
5. Place all the bars of soap in one bowl, and notice which ones float and which ones sink.Try to determine why.
6. To the other bowl, add ½ teaspoon of black pepper from any ordinary pepper shaker.
7. Stick your finger in the pepper-water and see if anything happens to the pepper.
8. Coat another of your fingers with soap, and place the soapy finger in the water.Notice how the pepper reacts.Try to determine why.
9. Break each bar of soap in half, and examine the inside of each bar.Note any differences in appearance and texture.
10. Place each type of soap, one type at a time, on a paper towel, and put the pieces in the microwave on HIGH for about 2 minutes.Observe each soap sample for the whole time, and record all observations.
11. Take a survey to find out which soap brands are most popular and why.
12. If desired, create your own brand of soap, and test it against existing brands (optional).
13. Analyze the data from all of the above procedures.
14. Interpret your results in a detailed report.
15. Illustrate your findings using colorful graphs and charts.
16. Include soap samples in your science fair display.
17. Show interesting photos taken throughout the course of the project

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Does Aspirin Help Plants Grow?

Plants and aspirin are an unlikely combination, but aspirin does make humans feel better....why not plants? In this experiment, we will find out whether adding dissolved aspirin to plants help it grow healthier and faster.

Problem:

Does aspirin help plants grow?

Materials:

• Aspirin tablets
• A drinking glass
• Hot water
• Room temperature water
• Seeds
• Two plant pots
• Soil with fertilizer
• Sunlight
• Ruler
• Pen and paper for notes

Procedure

1. Label one pot “Aspirin Water” and the other “Plain Water.”
2. Put some soil into the pot and plant the seeds inside. Cover them up.
3. Take them to a location that gets plenty of sunlight- perhaps outside if it is warm or by a window?
4. Put two tablets of aspirin in a drinking glass.
5. Add hot water to the tablets; they should melt and dissolve. If not, then add boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved.
6. Allow the water to cool to room-temperature.
7. Once the water has cooled, water the seeds in the pot labeled “Aspirin Water.” Do not over-water the seeds. Just add enough water until the soil is moist. Do not get the soil soaking wet.
8. Water the seeds in the pot labeled “Plain Water” with plain water. Again, just get the soil moist.
9. You should water the seeds everyday or when the soil feels dry with the designated types of water.
10. Observe the growth of the plants daily. How long did the seeds take to germinate in each pot? If you observe measureable growth, take your ruler and measure the height of the plant.

Sofia PC is currently a college student with a deep interest in science who is aspiring to become a writer. She writes about all sorts of things across all subjects including, but not limited to; science, crafts, and fashion. She hopes to become a good writer so she can share her thoughts and experiences with the world and future generations.

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Milk Experiment

Objective

In this milk experiment, we will find out whether whole milk spoils at the same rate as two percent and skim milk.

Introduction

When something is spoiled, it is definitely expired; but if something is expired, it doesn't have to be spoiled. Why is that? That's because the expiration date printed on the foods we eat are not always 100 percent set in stone. You should still rely on your senses and good judgment to determine whether something is safe to eat or not.
But when something is spoiled, you can most likely see or at least smell it before finding out the hard way (a.k.a. eating/drinking it and then hugging the toilet for the next few hours). Once something is consumed it is much harder to relieve than a brief nasty scent or an unpleasant sight. Never eat or drink spoiled foods; look and smell it before taking the leap and eating it!

Research Questions

• What happens when food is spoiled?

 

Materials

• Whole vitamin D milk (the milk should have identical expiration dates)
• 2% milk
• Skim milk
• 3 drinking glasses
• Magnifying glass

Terms to Know

• Bacteria
• Germs
• Food spoilage
• Milk content

Experimental Procedure

1. Pour the whole milk, 2% milk, and skim milk in 3 separate glasses. Label each one so you will know what kind of milk in in each.
2. Set these glasses in the open air at room temperature.
3. Observe what happens daily.
4. In about three days, you should notice an unpleasant smell. Observe which glass the smell is coming from.
5. Pour out the milk.

Suggested Chart

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Whole Milk
2% Milk
Skim Milk

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria
• http://home.pacific.net.hk/~ppleung/Chem/spoilage.htm

Sofia PC is currently a college student with a deep interest in science who is aspiring to become a writer. She writes about all sorts of things across all subjects including, but not limited to; science, crafts, and fashion. She hopes to become a good writer so she can share her thoughts and experiences with the world and future generations.

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Dry Ice Effects

Objective:

In this experiment you will become familiar with the properties of dry ice while creating interesting effects.

Research Questions:

• What temperature is dry ice?
• What is dry ice composed of?
• How do you make dry ice?

Most people know dry ice is used for fog at parties or in movie scenes. In this experiment you will become familiar with the properties of dry ice and create interesting effects.

Materials:

• Dry ice
• Water
• Large bowl
• Bubble solution
• Dishwashing liquid
• Plastic water bottle
• Dishrag

Experimental Procedure

• Tiny Bubbles

1. Fill the large bowl with warm water.
2. Pour in some bubble solution.
3. Drop the dry ice into it
4. Watch as it quickly begins to make a countless amount of bubbles.

• Balloon Pop

1. Put a medium sized chunk of dry ice into the plastic bottle.
2. Pour water into the bottle.
3. Quickly put the balloon over the bottle head.
4. Watch as the gas from the dry ice fills the balloon and causes it to pop.

• Big Bubble

1. Fill the large bowl with warm water.
2. Pour in some bubble solution.
3. Drop some dry ice into the bowl.
4. Pour some dishwashing liquid onto the dishrag.
5. Run it under some warm water.
6. Slide the dish rag along the rim of the bowl, covering it with a film of dishwashing liquid.
7. Watch as the gas fills the film and forms one giant bubble.

Terms/Concepts: dry ice, carbon dioxide. elements in all three forms of matter (solid, liquid, gas)

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Salt Water Energy

Objective:

This science project will explore the components of a battery, specifically how the conductivity of the solution in the battery affects how much electricity it generates.

Research Question:

• How can you make electricity from simple objects around the house?
• How does the amount of salt in a solution affect the solution’s ability to conduct energy?

We use batteries in everything – from IPods to cars. But how does a battery work? In this science project, you will build a battery and see how one of its components contributes to its ability to generate electricity.

Materials:

• Water
• Small glass jar
• Salt
• Measuring spoons
• Zinc-coated nail
• Tape
• Copper-coated wire
• 2 insulated wires with alligator clips on both ends.
• Voltmeter (borrowed)
• Graph paper, optional


Experimental Procedure:

1. Make a saltwater solution by mixing a small jar of water with a teaspoon of salt.
2. Place a zinc-coated nail into the solution, and tape it to one side of the cup securely. This will be the negative electrode.
3. Place a copper-coated wire into the solution, and tape it to the other side of the cup securely. This will be the positive electrode.
4. Open the alligator clip on one wire by squeezing it, and attach it to the end of the zinc-coated wire sticking out of the solution.
5. Open the alligator clip on the other end of the wire, and attach it to the negative pole of the voltmeter.
6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to connect the copper-coated nail to the positive pole of the voltmeter.
7. Look at the dial on the voltmeter. How much current does it show flowing between the two electrodes?
8. Add another teaspoon of salt to the water. How much current does the voltmeter show now? Continue adding teaspoons of salt and recording the reading on the voltmeter in a chart, such as the one below.

If you’d like, you can make a line graph showing the relationship between the amount of salt in the water and the current that flows between the two electrodes. Is there a point at which the current stops increasing?
Terms/Concepts:Voltage; How does a voltmeter work?; What are the parts of a battery (e.g., electrodes)?

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Growing Crystals

The goal of this experiment is to learn about how crystals form.

• What is a crystal? What is the difference between a crystal and glass? Do the molecules in glass form a distinct pattern? What about the molecules in a crystal?
• What conditions are necessary for a molecule to form? Is there anything you can change to make crystals form faster?Does temperature affect how rapidly crystals form?
• Once a crystal has formed, what makes the crystal continue to grow? Do crystals grow from the inside out or from the outside in?

Man has long been fascinated by crystals.Recognizing their beauty, we may wear them as ornaments and purchase crystal-growing kits for our children. Some people even believe that certain types of crystals are associated with particular states of mind.However, some of the best crystals are grown without using store-bought kits.

The molecules in crystals are different from the molecules in other substances because they are aligned in a recognizable, repetitive pattern.This is very different from glass because the molecules in solid glass have the same random pattern that they did when the glass was in a liquid state. This regular alignment occurs when crystals emerge from a supersaturated solution. A super-saturated solution is one that contains more molecules of a dissolved crystalline solid that than the liquid can hold. Since you can dissolve more of a substance in hot water than you can in cold water, a supersaturated state is achieved by dissolving a substance in hot water.As the solution cools, it will hold less of the dissolved substance.As it cools, crystals form.They will continue to grow for as long as there liquid is present.The characteristic shape of a particular type of crystal is called its habit.

• Lab book and pencil (all experiments)
• Water (all experiments)
• Tablespoon (all experiments)
• Small glass bowl (all experiments)
• Thermometer (all experiments)
• Measuring cup (all experiments)
• Charcoal briquettes (experiment #1)
• Salt (experiment #1)
• Ammonia (experiment #1)
• Water (experiment #1)
• Bluing (experiment #1)- Mrs. Stewart’s is best
• Food coloring or colored ink (experiment #1)
• Any of the following: alum, borax, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chromate, potassium dichromate, ferrous sulfate, ammonium chloride (experiment #2, optional)
• Clean jars with screw-on lids (pint-size)
• Small saucers or custard dishes (all experiments)
• Nylon filament fishing line. (experiment #2)

EXPERIMENT #1

1. Place two or three charcoal briquettes in the bottom of the bowl.
2. Mix the following substances together and stir well: ¼ cup water ¼ cup bluing ¼ cup table salt 1 tablespoon ammonia
3. If you wish to make colored crystals place several drops of food coloring or colored ink at various locations on the briquettes.
4. Carefully pour the solution you made in step #2 over the briquettes.
5. Set the dish aside where it will not be disturbed. Examine the dish twice daily. Record the temperature of the air where the dish is located and what you see when you inspect the dish. Continue making observations twice daily until the liquid has evaporated (usually less than one week).

EXPERIMENT #2

1. Boil a gallon of water.
2. Being careful not to burn yourself, measure 1 cup of the water and put it in a pint-size jar.
3. Add level tablespoonfuls of any one of the following chemicals: alum, borax, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chromate, potassium dichromate, ferrous sulfate or ammonium chloride.After each addition, stir until the chemical is dissolved.Keep adding the chemical until no more will dissolve.
4. Pour roughly ¼ cup of the super-saturated solution that you made in step 3 into a small saucer or custard dish and set aside.Cover the jar containing the solution.You will use this solution again in step 6.
5. Inspect the saucer or custard dish twice a day for crystals.When you see a perfectly regular shape of a single crystal, remove the crystal with tweezers or a toothpick.Very carefully, tie one end of a nylon fishing line around the crystal.It helps if you make a loose slip knot that you can loop over the crystal and gently tighten it.
6. Tie the loose end of the fishing line around the middle of a pencil and suspend the crystal into the stock solution that you prepared in step 2.By bathing the individual crystal, it can grow freely. Leave the lid off, but leave the dish in a place where dust will not fall into the jar.
7. Continue inspecting your crystals in the saucer and in the super saturated solution.Document your observations, including the temperature of the air.

Terms/Concepts:Crystals; Super-saturation; Polycrystalline mass; Molecular patterns; Crystal habit; Seed crystal; Crystal growth

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How to Hollow Out an Egg

The best way to hollow out an egg depends on how you're going to use it. If it's important that the holes be small, you can pierce the egg with a paperclip or push pin and blow out the interior. If the holes can be larger, your task is much easier.

 

Things You'll Need

• Raw eggs
• Pushpin
• Paperclip
• Manicure scissors
• Dish

Small Hole Method

Step 1: Wash the Eggs

Wash the eggs with warm water and mild dish soap. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

 

Step 2: Make Small Holes at Each End of the Egg

Hold the egg over the dish. Pierce the larger end of the egg first with the push pin. You may have to twist the push pin to pierce the shell.
Flip the egg around and make a slightly bigger hole in the opposite smaller end. Continue holding the egg over the dish, as the yolk may leak from the hole.

 

Step 3: Enlarge the Holes

Straighten out a paper clip. Insert the wire into the end of the egg with the larger hole. Move the wire gently around inside the egg to break up the yolk. The goal it to scramble the yolk and white to make it easier to blow them out.

Step 4: Blow Out the Egg

Holding the egg over a bowl, place your mouth over the hole at the small end of the egg and blow until the contents of the egg drain out. Rinse the egg thoroughly until the water runs clear.

Blow into the hole at the small end of the egg.

Step 5: Decorate

Use glitter and Mod Podge to decorate as desired.

Large Hole Method

Step 1: Pierce the Egg with the Scissors

Using the points of sharp manicure scissors, pierce the small end of the egg. Insert the scissors into the hole and snip a hole in the desired size and shape. Shake the contents into a bowl.

Step 2: Wash the Inside of the Shell

Wash out the inside of the egg with warm soapy water. Dry thoroughly. Decorate as desired.

 

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Does Tea Stain your Teeth?

Objective:

Discover how long it takes to stain egg shells with coffee, tea, and cola.

Research Questions:

Teeth are structures in the mouth that are individually squares or cubical-shaped with grooves intended for use in breaking down food for consumption. Teeth are naturally white or off-white in color, but build-up from foods and drinks such as coffee and tea over time can stain the white color and turn teeth yellowish and discolored. In this experiment, we'll use egg shells in order to explore how teeth are stained by drinking coffee, tea, and cola.

Materials:

• Eggs, hollowed out following these instructions.
• Coffee
• Tea
• Cola
• Three large plastic containers

Experimental Procedure

1. Fill three separate large containers with coffee, tea, and cola.
2. Put at least one hollowed-out eggshell into each container.
3. Every day, fish them out and observe the progress of discoloration.
4. Take some photos of gradual changes. On the day when you really start to notice discoloration, note that day.
5. Record your results and compare the effects of the three liquids.

Suggested Chart

	Day #1	Day #2	Day #3
Coffee
Tea
Coke

Terms/Concepts: Teeth; Enamel; Teeth Staining

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Do All Liquids Evaporate At The Same Rate?

Evaporation occurs when a liquid turns into vapor (a gas). It happens on a large scale in bodies of water all over the world. But it also happens in your house. But do all liquids take the same amount of time to evaporate?

 

Problem:

Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate?

Materials:

• Water
• Orange juice
• Alcohol
• Nail polish remover
• Four beakers with measures
• Pen and paper for notes

Procedure

1. Pour the same amount of liquid into each beaker. Note the amounts.
2. Set the beakers in a dry location at room temperature.
3. Monitor the levels of the liquids for 1 week and note any differences.

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The Science Buddies Blog gives students, teachers, and parents an inside look at student science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects, activities, real-world connections.

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