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Fun Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

This document provides instructions for creating a foamy fountain experiment using common household items. The ingredients needed are hydrogen peroxide, yeast, warm water, dish soap, and food coloring. The yeast is mixed with warm water and then added to the bottle containing the hydrogen peroxide and soap solution to produce a large volume of foamy bubbles through an exothermic reaction. Safety goggles should be worn as hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes. The foam produced is just soap and oxygen bubbles so it can be cleaned up with a sponge.

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crina01
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244 views1 page

Fun Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

This document provides instructions for creating a foamy fountain experiment using common household items. The ingredients needed are hydrogen peroxide, yeast, warm water, dish soap, and food coloring. The yeast is mixed with warm water and then added to the bottle containing the hydrogen peroxide and soap solution to produce a large volume of foamy bubbles through an exothermic reaction. Safety goggles should be worn as hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes. The foam produced is just soap and oxygen bubbles so it can be cleaned up with a sponge.

Uploaded by

crina01
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

FANTASTIC FOAMY FOUNTAIN!

You will need:


• A clean 16 ounce (473 ml) plastic soda bottle or a water bottle.
• 20-Volume hydrogen peroxide liquid (20-volume is a 6% solution which is
stronger than what you find in most pharmacies. It is typically used for lightening
hair and is found at many beauty supply stores. You can use the 3% hydrogen
peroxide found in pharmacies, but the reaction will be quite a bit smaller)
• 1 Tablespoon (15ml –  one packet) of dry yeast
• 3+ Tablespoons (15 ml) of warm water
• Liquid dish washing soap
• Food coloring
• Small cup
• Funnel
• Safety goggles
• Adult help

NOTE: The foam could overflow from the bottle, so be sure to do this experiment on
a washable surface, or place the bottle on a tray.

CAUTION: Hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes. Read the safety
information on the hydrogen peroxide bottle and be sure to wear safety goggles.

What to do
1. Use a funnel to carefully pour 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the hydrogen peroxide liquid
into the bottle
2. Add about 10 drops of your favorite food coloring into the bottle.
3. Add about 1 tablespoon (15ml) of liquid dish soap into the bottle and swish the
bottle around a bit to mix it.
4. In a separate small cup, combine the warm water and the yeast together and
mix for about 30 seconds. It should be about the consistency of melted ice
cream – add a bit more warm water if needed.
5. Now the adventure starts! Use the funnel to pour the yeast-water mixture into
the bottle and watch the foaminess begin!

Can I touch the foam?



The reaction typically breaks down the hydrogen peroxide so you are left with mostly just soapy water and
yeast. There can, however be unreacted peroxide which could irritate skin and eyes. For that reason, it is
recommended you do not touch the foam.

How does it work?


Foam is awesome! The foam you made is extra-special because each tiny foam bubble is filled with oxygen.
The yeast acted as a catalyst; a catalyst is used to speed up a reaction.  It quickly broke apart the oxygen
from the hydrogen peroxide. Because it did this very fast, it created lots and lots of bubbles. Did you notice
the bottle got warm. Your experiment created a reaction called an Exothermic Reaction – that means it not
only created foam, it created heat! The foam produced is just water, soap, and oxygen so you can clean it up
with a sponge and pour any extra liquid left in the bottle down the drain.

This experiment is sometimes called “Elephant’s Toothpaste” because it looks like toothpaste coming out of a
tube, but don’t get the foam in your mouth!

Get science experiments and science fair ideas at www.sciencebob.com

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