Who among us (child or adult) can resist blowing bubbles? My favorite homemade bubble wands are those green plastic strawberry baskets that I hate to throw away. For more tips on bubble blowing than you ever imagined, try out these bubble-icous sites! [Editor's Note: An updated version of this topic can be found here: Bubbles]
What is so fascinating about bubbles? The precise spherical shape, the incredibly fragile nature of the soap film, the beautiful colors that swirl and shimmer? Or is it a combination of all these phenomena? Covering all aspects of the physics of bubbles, this site explains all. What do beehives have in common with bubble foam? Go to "Bubble Meets Bubble" to find out. I would expect nothing less than this terrific site from the wonderful San Francisco Exploratorium.
He's traveled the world, entertaining audiences with his bubbles, and now Professor Bubbles shares his secrets. I especially enjoyed his homemade bubble tools and appreciated his simple bubble solution recipe. Be sure to read the Bubble FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Did you know you can tell a bubble is about to pop when it becomes colorless? I was unable to play Bubble Tic Tac Toe and found more than a few typos in the history of bubbles, keeping this site from getting a perfect score.
Amaze your friends! Most bubbles pop instantly when you puncture them, but not super bubbles. With a funnel, string and super bubble solution, you can create a bubble that can be pierced with a pencil. Designed with instructions for classroom use, this site contains a couple of bubble experiments.
Imagine studying soap bubbles for a living! That's what these folks at the University of Pittsburgh are doing. Actually, they are studying fluid dynamics using soap film. What is a soap film? Well, a bubble is a film, but a film is not a bubble. Bubbles usually start as a film, for instance in a bubble wand. For high school science students, and other serious science fans, this site goes far beyond what is covered in the other sites.
From Mr. Lemberg's second period science class (he never tells us where he teaches) comes this illustrated history of soap. Legend has it that the first soap made was an accident. In ancient times people used to sacrifice animals in fear of their Gods. The fat from these sacrificed animals soaked into the ashes of the fire and then flowed into a nearby river. When the women went to wash their clothes in the river they noticed that their clothes were cleaner than usual. Mr. Lemberg also answers the questions "What is soap?" and "How does soap work?"
The following links are either new discoveries or sites that didn't make it into my newspaper column because of space constraints. Enjoy!
120 Cell Soap BubbleAbout Soap Making |
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