Educational Innovations, Inc.

No-Pop Bubbles
Item #BUB-700/720

Blow No-Pop Bubbles up into the air. Observe the colors (interference patterns) in the bubbles as they float. In approximately 10 seconds (depending on the relative humidity), the colors will begin to disappear. When the bubbles are colorless, they may be caught on your finger without popping! Blow No-Pop Bubbles outside and watch how they glimmer on the grass of your school field. In a dry environment, No-Pop Bubbles will last for weeks!

It's all in the solution.

At first glance, No-Pop Bubbles may seem like any other bubbles. While the bubble solution is a bit more viscous, one blows No-Pop Bubbles like any other bubble. The small bubble wand suspends a bubble film which, when air is blown through it, releases small bubbles into the air. These bubbles, however, are no ordinary bubbles.

What are No-Pop Bubbles?

No-Pop Bubble solution begins as a regular soap and water bubble solution. To this is added a small amount of a non-toxic water soluble polymer. When No-Pop Bubbles are first blown, the bubbles behave like ordinary bubbles. As water evaporates from the bubble's surface, however, an extremely thin plastic 'bubble skeleton' remains. It is this plastic bubble skeleton which has the properties for which No-Pop Bubbles are named.

Activity #1: Bubbles and Static Charge

  1. Inflate an ordinary rubber balloon.
  2. Blow a bunch of No-Pop Bubbles into the air.
  3. While the bubbles are 'drying', rub the balloon vigorously on your hair in order to develop a static charge.
  4. Use the charged balloon to attract the No-Pop Bubbles.
  5. Observe how the bubbles behave before and after they are in contact with the charged balloon.
  6. Experiment with other static sources, rods, or Van de Graaf generators, etc.

Activity #2: Observing Air Currents

  1. Blow lots of No-Pop Bubbles outside, next to your school building on a windy day.
  2. Observe how the bubbles float and fly in the air currents as the wind blows around the building.
  3. See if you can find mini-tornados of air!

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© 2009 Educational Innovations, Inc.