Antonio Zamora

Science fair question

 

what percentage of hydrogen peroxide will make the elephant toothpaste go the highest?

 

Hypothesis: 30% of hydrogen peroxide will make it go the highest out of 20%, 30%, 40%

 

Preparing for the experiment

                 

Step 1: Look around your home for all the available resources. You don’t need to buy official lab equipment for this fun experiment as most of the supplies can be found at any home. Create a list of what you have available to you and see what you can improvise if anything is missing. For example, if you do not have 6% hydrogen peroxide, you can also use 3%.

 

Step 2: Schedule enough time for setup, experiment, and cleanup. Remember that this can get messy so tell everyone involved that they have to pitch in for cleanup afterwards. Allow enough time for everyone to participate and enjoy the experiment.

 

Step 3: Contain the splash zone. Experimenting with oozing foam can be fun at any age but it’s easy for kids to get carried away. Whether you plan to conduct the experiment in the bathtub, out in the yard, or use a large baking pan or plastic bin, minimize cleanup by preparing a contained space.

 

Step 4: Find the right amount of hydrogen peroxide. The amount of hydrogen peroxide will determine how much foam you generate. While you might have some 3% hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, you can also go to a beauty supply store to find 6% as it usually is not readily available at grocery stores or drug stores. Beauty supply stores will sell 6% hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agent.[1]

 

Conducting the experiment

 

Step 1:  Mix 3 tablespoons of water with yeast and let sit. You can let the kids do this step. Allow them to measure out the yeast and mix in the correct amount of warm water. Have your little one stir it to get out all the clumps.[2]

• Depending on your child’s age, you can have them use a fun spoon and stirring tool. You can also have the put on goggles and a lab coat. Kid safety goggles can be found at your local hardware store.

 

Step 2: Add dish soap, food coloring, and half a cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bottle.Make sure everyone wears gloves and safety goggles before handling the hydrogen peroxide. Do not let your kids handle the hydrogen peroxide unless you think they are old enough.[3]

• If your child is too young, have the little one squeeze the dish soap and food coloring into the bottle. You can also add glitter to make it more fun. Make sure the glitter is plastic and not metal-based because peroxide should not be used with metal.[4]

• Stir the mixture yourself or have your child do it if old enough. Be sure that the hydrogen peroxide is not spilled.

 

Step 3:

Pour the yeast mix through a funnel into your bottle. Quickly stand back and remove the funnel. You can allow your child to pour the yeast but if she is young, keep within arms distance to ensure the bottle doesn’t spill onto her. Use a short bottle with a wide base for stability. Make sure the neck is narrow to increase the effect.[5]

• The fungi in the yeast immediately cause the hydrogen peroxide to decompose and strip off an extra oxygen molecule. The yeast acts as a catalyst as it causes the hydrogen peroxide molecule to release an oxygen molecule. The stripped off oxygen molecule takes the form of a gas and once it hits the soap it creates fluffy foam bubbles, while the rest stays as water. The gas looks for an escape route and the foam “toothpaste” gushes out of the bottle.[6]

• Make sure the yeast and hydrogen peroxide are mixed well for optimum effect.

 

Step 4: Change the size and shape of the bottle. If you choose smaller bottles with narrower escape routes, you will have a more powerful oozing foam. Play around with the size and shape of your bottle for greater effects.[7]

• With a regular soda bottle and 3% hydrogen peroxide, you will probably get a cascading effect like a chocolate fountain.

 

Step 5: Feel the heat. Observe how the foam gives off heat. The chemical reaction is known as an exothermic reaction so heat is given off. The heat is not enough to cause any harm so you can definitely feel the foam and play around. The foam is just water, soap and oxygen so it isn’t toxic.

 

Step 6: Clean up. You can use a sponge to clean up the area and pour any extra liquid down the drain. If you decided to use sparkles, strain them out of the liquid and throw them out before pouring down the drain.[8]

 

Background Research: Endothermic Reaction,  a chemical reaction with the absorption of heat. Chemical reaction, a process in which one or more substances are changed into others. The yeast acted as a catalyst (a helper) to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide.

 

How it works:

Foam is awesome! The foam that is produced is special because each tiny foam bubble is filled with oxygen. In the process the yeast acts as a catalyst or a helper to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. Since it did this very fast, it created lots and lots of bubbles. Then you should notice the bottle getting warm. The experiment created a reaction called an Exothermic Reaction - that means it not only created foam,but it created heat! The foam produced is just water, soap, and oxygen so I just had to 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 giant to fit an elephant´s size.

• Must wear goggles and gloves for the hydrogen peroxide can irritate eyes and skin.

• Can use food coloring to give color.

• Each tiny little foam bubble we crate is filled with oxygen.

• Called an “Exothermic Reaction” when it gets warm.

• Does the amount of yeast change the amount of foam produced?

• Does the experiment work as well if you add the dry yeast without mixing it with water?

• Does the size of the bottle affect the amount of foam produced?

• Can dispose of down sink, it is safe.

• Composed of soap, water, and oxygen.

• Make sure to get none in your mouth

 

• You must wear goggles and gloves  in this experiment because the hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin and the eyes

• If you want color you can use food coloring.

• Each tiny little foam you crate  is filled with oxygen

• When it gets warm it is called ¨Exothermic Reaction”