Amazing Square Bubble Experiment

Experiment

  1. Build a cube using the blue struts and white balls. Place the end of the blue struts into the opening of the balls to build a square. Once you have built two squares, use the struts to connect the squares so that you have a complete cube.
  2. Cut off the tip of the pipette to create a bubble blower. Cut off just a little bit so that the pipette is now open at both ends.
  3. Add enough water to a large container to completely submerge the cube. Add some Square Bubble Concentrate to the water until you have created the perfect bubble solution. It make take a few tries to get the mixture just right, so keep adding concentrate if needed. Make sure to mix the solution completely.
  4. Test your bubble solution by using the pipette to blow a bubble. Make sure you are able to blow a large bubble without it popping.
  5. While holding onto the corners of the cube, completely submerge it in the bubble solution. It is very important that the water is high enough to completely submerge the cube, so add water if needed.
  6. Slowly pull the cube out of the water making sure there is a flat square in the center of the cube. You can shake the cube in either direction to change which way the square faces. Before going on to the next step make sure the square is laying flat and you can see the shape when you look down into the cube.
  7. Hold the corner of the cube with one hand, or set the cube on a flat surface. Use the pipette to blow a bubble into the center of the cube and carefully drop it in. This may not work on the first try, but don’t let that get you down. When the bubble hits the center it will change from a circle to a square. You now have what you thought would be impossible, a square bubble.

Materials List

  • Square Bubble Concentrate 
  • Large Container of Water 
  • 12 Struts 
  • 8 Balls 
  • Pipette 
  • Adult supervision

How Does It Work?

Bubbles form because of water’s reduced surface tension in the presence of soap. Hydrogen atoms in a water molecule are attracted to oxygen atoms in other water molecules. They like each and they want to cling together. Soap molecules help them be more “stretchy” by butting in and decreasing the force of attraction. Soap (and glycerin) also reduces evaporation of water molecules so bubbles can last longer. Why are bubbles round? Physicists will tell you that bubbles use a minimum amount of surface area to enclose the volume of air trapped inside. In this activity, however, as you dip the Square Bubble Maker into the solution, the solution is stretched between the struts and the soap films cling to the sides of the structure, causing the bubbles to appear square or cubic. The soap film uses the shortest distance possible while still connecting all sides. Notice, however, that even the bubble you added at the end bulges slightly on its sides. Bubbles love a spherical shape!

Take it Further!

Experiment

  1. Use scissors to cut each of the six pipe cleaners and straws in half. You will end up with 12 pipe cleaners and 12 straws the correct size. The pipe cleaners should be a little longer than the straws.
  2. Take three pipe cleaners and twist them together. The resulting shape should resemble a three-sided pyramid. Repeat until you have four “pyramids.”
  3. Slide one of the nine straws over each pipe cleaner. Make sure the pipe cleaner is sticking out of the end of each straw.
  4. Twist two pipe cleaners, from separate “pyramids,” together. Continue this process until you have created a cube. you may have to square it up a bit by bending and pushing it slightly.
  5. Add enough water to a large container to completely submerge the cube. Add some Square Bubble Concentrate to the water until you have created the perfect bubble solution. It make take a few tries to get the mixture just right, so keep adding concentrate if needed. Make sure to mix the solution completely.
  6. *Perfectly good bubbles can be made without adding glycerin.

  7. Now you are ready to submerge your homemade square bubble maker and repeat the steps in the original experiment to get the perfect square bubble.

Materials List

  • Square Bubble Concentrate 
  • Large Container of Water 
  • Glycerin* (optional) 
  • 6 straws 
  • 6 pipe cleaners 
  • Pipette 
  • Adult supervision

Additional Information

Try making different geometrical shapes with the supplies, can you make a triangle bubble or a rectangular bubble? Experiment with as many variations as you can think of and have fun. Instead of dropping a bubble in to make the square bubble, try submerging the plastic cube then dipping it in half way to achieve the square bubble!

Science Fair Connection

Making a square bubble is pretty cool, but it isn’t a science fair project. You can create a science fair project by identifying a variable, or something that changes, in this experiment. Let’s take a look at some of the variable options that might work:

      • Create different bubble solutions to test the longevity of the square bubble.
      • Try adding glycerine, or different brands of soap, or even try changing the temperature of the bubble solution.

That’s just a couple of ideas, but you aren’t limited to those! Try coming up with different ideas of variables and give them a try. Remember, you can only change one thing at a time. If you are testing different soaps, make sure that the other factors are remaining the same!