Friday, August 1, 2014

Bounce!

Tie on your lab apron and pull on those safety goggles. Today we're cooking up bouncy balls. You probably already have this stuff around the house: glue, cornstarch, borax powder, glitter, and some food coloring.

Here's what you need to make a ball:
  • 1 T. white glue or clear glue
  • 1/2 tsp borax powder
  • 1 T  cornstarch
  • 2 T warm water
  • food coloring & glitter
You also need a couple of plastic cups Here's what you do:

1. Combine the borax and water in one of the cups. Add a few drops of food coloring if you want. Label this cup "Borax Solution".
2. Pour the glue into the other cup.
3. Add 1/2 tsp. Borax solution to the glue. Add the 1 T of cornstarch Do Not Stir - instead, allow things to interact on their own for 10 - 15 seconds.
4. Now stir everything to mix well. When it becomes impossible to stir, take the mix out of the cup and knead it in your hands. It will be really sticky at first.
5. When the stickiness is gone, the ball is ready to bounce!

Have fun! Read good books! and play around with science! Remember to turn in your reading tickets for the drawing.