on 02/19/2021How to Make Slime: A Lesson in Chemistry
Slime has a lot to do with chemistry. The subject of chemistry is about how materials are put together and how they take their forms as solids, liquids, and gases. Chemistry also is about how these materials respond to different conditions.
Slime is a chemical reaction where it absorbs energy. You can see this because slime will get very cold! The soap we’ll use, and the cornstarch will chemically react. The molecules of both substances will get tangled up to give slime its stretchy composition.
Another concept we can talk about is elasticity. Think of what happens when you pull a rubber band. It stretches far before it breaks. Now think of what happens when you try and stretch something like paper. It barely stretches before it rips. Rubber bands have more elasticity than paper. How can we see this in slime?
You will need: 1/2 cup shampoo, ¼ cup cornstarch, and food coloring if you want.
- Add ½ cup shampoo and food coloring to a bowl and stir until it is combined.
- Add ¼ cup cornstarch and mix until that is well combined.
- If your slime is too sticky, mix in more cornstarch. You can stop when your slime feels how you want it to.
- Using your hands, knead the smile until it holds. It will be wet until you knead it enough for it to come together. Describe the elasticity of your slime. Can you pull it apart like a rubber band? Does your slime break like paper?
- Find a container with a lid to store your slime. The container must close all the way around to keep the slime from getting dry!