Using a pair of scissors (only under adult supervision), cut the bottle in half. Next, cut the top half of an old sock. Take the top portion of the bottle and stretch the cut sock over it, leaving its neck free. Secure it tightly in place using a rubber band. Your snake bubble apparatus is now ready.
Now, in a bowl, make your bubble solution using water and a few drops of dishwashing detergent. Test how effective your bubble solution is by blowing bubbles using the straw. Dip the sock side of your bubble apparatus in the solution and then blow through the neck of the bottle. By blowing continuously, you can make long snake bubbles that reach all the way to the ground. Take care to only exhale and not inhale while blowing the bubbles, as the soapy water will get sucked straight into your mouth.
What shape are the bubbles in your snake bubble? Are they shaped differently from the bubbles you blow using the straw?
Shape shifter
A bubble is nothing but air trapped inside a liquid. In this case, it is soapy water. Interestingly, no matter what shape a bubble has in the beginning, it will eventually take a spherical shape. This is because, it is the shape with the least surface area and thus requires the least energy to produce. You will notice that the bubbles you blow using your straw are perfect spheres. You can try blowing bubbles using bubble moulds that are shaped differently, but they will always come out looking spherical. However, when bubbles pile up, as in the case of your snake bubbles, their walls will join together to minimise their surface area and each individual bubble will no longer be spherical. In fact, you will note that the individual bubbles are hexagonal.
What you need
A plastic bottle
An old sock
Water
Liquid dishwashing detergent
A pair of scissors
A rubber band
A bowl
A straw
Courtesy: The Science Factory, a scientific enrichment programme for kids.
