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Kate the Chemist on how to make dry ice bubbles from home

HOUSTON – Kate Biberdorf is taking the science world by storm!

She’s a chemistry professor at UT-Austin, an author and science entertainer better known as Kate the Chemist.

Kate has received tons of positive reactions from her hands-on approach to teaching and showing students of all ages just how fun science can be.

Kate even released two books during the pandemic, back in March:

And her latest book was released less than 2 months ago!

Kate also came prepared with a kid-friendly experiment to help occupy the kids.

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO CATCH A BUBBLE?

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE ‘DRY ICE BUBBLE’ EXPERIMENT

  • 3 liter soda bottle
  • The soda bottle cap
  • A funnel
  • A tube
  • Tape
  • Bowl
  • Bubble bath solution
  • Dry Ice and gloves or a towel
  • Universal indicator

PART 1 DIRECTIONS

Fill soda bottle with water Add in the universal indicator Add dry ice

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Lots of color changes

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT

When you add the dry ice, which is solid carbon dioxide into the bottle, you’re forming carbonic acid which is reacting to the minerals of the water. The acid and water react and the pH level slowly drops causing the color change in the water

PART 2 DIRECTIONS

Screw the funnel tube to the bottle Take the funnel and put it into your bubble bath solution

WHAT’S HAPPENING

A physical change is happening! We’ve got dry ice (a solid) going into a gas, this is called sublimation. When you pull out the funnel from the bubble bath solution you will now see a bubble form

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT

The bubble bath solution is used because it has great surface tension and it’s going to trap that gas inside of the solution.

Check out this clip below for the full step by step instructions:


About the Author
Catherine Sorto headshot

Catherine Sorto is a native Houstonian, a true crime junkie and loves flamin' chips.

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