massive elephant toothpaste experiment

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Elephant Toothpaste – Two Ways to Make It

Elephant toothpaste is a chemical reaction that makes a volcano of foam when soapy water traps gases from the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. There are two easy methods for making elephant toothpaste. One makes a giant mountain of foam, while the other produces a smaller effect but is safe enough for kids to touch. The dramatic reaction uses strong peroxide and potassium iodide, while the kid-friendly version uses dilute peroxide and replaces potassium iodide with yeast. Here are instructions for both methods and a look at the chemistry involved.

Why Is It Called Elephant Toothpaste?

First, you may wonder why the reaction has the name “elephant toothpaste.” It’s because the thick column of foam escaping a tube looks like toothpaste big enough for an elephant to use. Also, it’s a lot easier and more descriptive than calling the reaction “rapid decomposition of peroxide”. After all, the point of elephant toothpaste is engaging people in the wonder of science. Even if someone doesn’t understand the chemistry, the project is fun and entertaining.

How to Make Giant Elephant Toothpaste

When you see videos of the world’s largest elephant toothpaste, you’re viewing the classic version of the demonstration.

This version uses concentrated hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodide or sodium iodide, liquid dishwashing detergent, water, and (if desired) food coloring:

• 30% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )
• Potassium iodide (KI) or sodium iodide (NaI)
• Liquid dishwashing detergent
• Food coloring (optional)
• Large graduated cylinder or Erlenmeyer flask
• Tray or tarp to catch the foam

The chemicals are available online, although it’s easier to just pick up the peroxide at a beauty supply store. Choose any tall container for the demonstration, but use glass and not plastic because the reaction generates heat.

Start by putting on proper safety gear, including safety goggles and gloves.

• First, prepare a saturated solution of potassium iodide or sodium iodide in water. In a beaker, dissolve crystals of either chemical in about 120 ml (4 ounces) of water. Continue stirring in the solid until no more dissolves. It takes about a tablespoon of the dry chemical. But, measurements are not critical here. Set aside the solution for now.
• Set the cylinder or flask in a tray or on a tarp. Pour about 60 ml (2 ounces) of 30% hydrogen peroxide into the glass tube. Add a squirt (about 5 ml) of dishwashing liquid to the tube. If you want colored foam, add a few drops of food coloring. Swirl the liquids to mix them. Here again, exact measurements are unnecessary.
• When you’re ready for the reaction, pour about 15 ml (one tablespoon) of the iodide solution and stand back. Foam forms within seconds and rapidly escapes the tube.
• After the reaction ends, wash the contents of the tray and tube down the drain with water.

Kid-Friendly Elephant Toothpaste

The classic chemistry demonstration is for chemistry educators, but the kid-friendly elephant toothpaste is safe enough for parents and children to perform and touch. Also, this version uses easy-to-find ingredients.

• 3% household peroxide
• 1-2 packet of dry yeast
• Food coloring
• Empty plastic soft drink bottle
• Cookie sheet or pan to catch the foam (optional)

It’s not necessary to don safety gear for this reaction and it’s fine to use either a plastic or glass container. Just make sure the bottle has a narrow opening because this channels the foam and improves the effect.

Don’t worry about measuring ingredients precisely.

• Pour about a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide into an empty bottle. If the bottle opening is small, use a funnel.
• Add a couple of squirts of dishwashing liquid and a few drops of food coloring to the bottle. Swish the liquid around to mix it.
• In a separate container, mix together yeast with enough warm water that the liquid is easy to pour. A paper cup is a great container choice because you can pinch its rim and make pouring the yeast mixture easier. Wait a couple of minutes before proceeding so the yeast has a chance to activate.
• When you’re ready, place the bottle on a cookie sheet or pan and pour yeast mixture into the bottle
• Clean-up using warm, soapy water.

Is Elephant Toothpaste Safe to Touch?

You can handle the ingredients and the foam from the kid-friendly elephant toothpaste project. However, don’t touch either the ingredients or the foam from the classic giant elephant toothpaste. This is because the peroxide is concentrated enough to cause a chemical burn, while the giant toothpaste is hot enough to cause a thermal burn.

How Elephant Toothpaste Works

The basis for the elephant toothpaste display is the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Hydrogen peroxide naturally decomposes into water and oxygen gas according to this chemical reaction:

2H 2 O 2 (l) → 2H 2 O(l) + O 2 (g)

In a decomposition reaction , a larger molecule breaks down into two or more smaller molecules. The normally slow progression of the reaction is why a bottle of peroxide has a shelf life . Exposure to light accelerates the decomposition, which is why peroxide comes in opaque containers.

Either potassium iodide or the enzyme catalase (found in yeast) acts as a catalyst for the reaction. In other words, either of these chemicals supercharges the reaction so it proceeds very quickly. Breaking chemical bonds in peroxide releases a lot of energy. Only a fraction of this energy goes back into forming chemical bonds making water and oxygen. What this means is that elephant toothpaste is an exothermic reaction or one that releases heat. How hot the reaction gets depends on how much peroxide you start with and how efficiently the catalyst speeds up the reaction. So, the classic version of the project gets hot enough to steam. The kid-friendly version of elephant toothpaste gets warm, but not hot enough to cause a burn.

Producing gas isn’t enough to make a foamy volcano. Adding liquid soap or dishwashing detergent to the mixture traps the gas bubbles. Normally, the reaction doesn’t have much color. Using food coloring makes the foam more interesting. Depending on your choice of colors, it also makes the foam resemble toothpaste.

• Dirren, Glen; Gilbert, George; Juergens, Frederick; Page, Philip; Ramette, Richard; Schreiner, Rodney; Scott, Earle; Testen, May; Williams, Lloyd. (1983).  Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry. Vol. 1.  University of Wisconsin Press. Madison, Wisconsin. doi:10.1021/ed062pA31.2
• “ Elephant’s Toothpaste .”  University of Utah Chemistry Demonstrations . University of Utah.
• Hernando, Franco; Laperuta, Santiago; Kuijl, Jeanine Van; Laurin, Nihuel; Sacks, Federico; Ciolino, Andrés (2017). “Elephant Toothpaste”.  Journal of Chemical Education . 94 (7): 907–910. doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00040
• IUPAC (1997). “Chemical decomposition”. Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the “Gold Book”) (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. doi: 10.1351/goldbook

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Elephant’s toothpaste.

Explore the science of this explosive elephant toothpaste experiment, and try your own version at home.

Experiment with some enormous ‘toothpaste’, fit for an elephant.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposes naturally into water (H2O) and oxygen (O2). By adding a few more ingredients we can make a huge, bubbly reaction to visualise this process. In this experiment we add dish soap, to help create bubbles, and a catalyst — which is a special chemical that allows us to fast forward a reaction.

We’ve used two different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to show how the strength of a chemical can change the size of the reaction, but you can easily try this experiment at home with just a few household ingredients.

IMPORTANT: Please note, if you try this experiment at home you need to use hydrogen peroxide bleach, NOT a chlorine-based bleach.

What you’ll need:

• Empty plastic bottle
• 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid
• 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• Packet of active yeast

Instructions

• Pour the dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide into your bottle.
• Activate the yeast by stirring in a little warm water, waiting at least 10 minutes for the yeast to “wake up”. The yeast mixture is ready when the yeast has dissolved and the liquid starts bubbling. This will be the catalyst for this reaction.
• When you’re ready to start the experiment, add the yeast and watch how quickly the reaction occurs!

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August 1, 2019

Make Elephant Toothpaste

A bubbly science project from Science Buddies

By Science Buddies & Ben Finio

Squeeze some science: Use a little kitchen chemistry to make a fountain of "toothpaste" almost big enough for an elephant's brush!

George Retseck

Key Concepts Chemistry Biology Reaction Catalyst Surface tension

Introduction Create a giant foaming reaction, and use science to wow your friends with this classic activity. With just a few ingredients you can make something that looks like foamy toothpaste being squeezed from a tube—but so big that it looks almost fit for an elephant!

Background You might be familiar with hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic used to clean cuts and scrapes, which it does by killing bacteria. But what is it? It is a liquid made from hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms (its chemical formula is H 2 O 2 ). It is available in different strengths, or concentrations. You usually find it in a 3 percent concentration (although higher concentrations are available, they are more dangerous and must be handled carefully). It also breaks down when exposed to light, which is why it usually comes in dark brown bottles. 

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When hydrogen peroxide breaks down, it turns into oxygen (O 2 ) and water (H 2 O). Normally this breakdown happens very slowly. But you can make that reaction happen faster! How? By adding a catalyst. Yeast is an organism that contains a special chemical called catalase that can act as a catalyst to help break down hydrogen peroxide. Catalase is present in almost all living things that are exposed to oxygen, and it helps them break down naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide. 

This means that if you mix yeast with hydrogen peroxide, the hydrogen peroxide will rapidly break down into water and oxygen gas. The oxygen gas forms bubbles. These bubbles would usually escape from the liquid and pop quickly. But adding a little dish soap provides additional surface tension, allowing the bubbles to get trapped and creating lots of foam. This foam looks like a giant squeeze of toothpaste—almost big enough for an elephant!

Empty plastic bottle

Dry yeast (found in the baking section of the grocery store)

Liquid dish soap

3% hydrogen peroxide

Measuring cups 

Measuring spoons

Safety glasses

Large tub or tray to catch the foam 

Location for the activity that can tolerate spills (of hydrogen peroxide as well as possibly food coloring), such as a kitchen or bathroom—or an outdoor location 

Liquid food coloring (optional)

Different-shaped bottles or glasses (optional) 

Preparation

Put on your safety glasses to do this activity because hydrogen peroxide can irritate your eyes. (Note: although the product of this activity resembles toothpaste, it is not toothpaste, so do not attempt to use it!)

Gather your materials in the location where you plan to do your activity. Place your plastic bottle on the tray or tub so that it is easy to clean up all the foam.

Measure 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and carefully pour it into the bottle.

Add a big squirt of dish soap into the bottle, and swirl gently to mix.

If you want to make your foam a single color, add a few drops of food coloring directly into the hydrogen peroxide, and swirl the bottle gently to mix. If you want to give your foam stripes like some toothpastes, put the drops along the inside rim of the bottle’s mouth. Let them drip down the inside of the bottle, but do not mix. 

In a measuring cup mix together one tablespoon of yeast and three tablespoons of warm water. Stir for about 30 seconds. 

Pour the yeast mixture into the bottle then quickly step back, and watch your reaction go! What happens? How long does the reaction last?

Extra: Try the activity without the dish soap. What happens? How was the result different?

Extra: Try the activity with different-shaped containers. What happens if you use a bottle with a narrower or wider neck—or a cylindrical drinking glass with no neck?

Observations and results You probably saw lots of bubbles and foam in this activity. What makes the foam appear? When the hydrogen peroxide comes into contact with the yeast it starts breaking down into water and oxygen. Oxygen is a gas and therefore wants to escape the liquid. The dish soap that you added to your reaction, however, traps these gas bubbles, forming a foam. The reaction continues as long as there is some hydrogen peroxide and yeast left. Once one of them runs out it stops making new foam. If you tried the activity without dish soap, the reaction probably will still made bubbles—but not foam. 

Cleanup Wash the foam down the sink when you are done with the activity. 

More to Explore Enzymes, Foam and Hydrogen Peroxide , from Science Buddies Exploring Enzymes , from Scientific American The Liver: Helping Enzymes Help You , from Scientific American Erupting Diet Coke with Mentos , from Science Buddies Yeast Alive! Watch Yeast Live and Breathe , from Scientific American STEM Activities for Kids , from Science Buddies 

This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

The world’s largest elephant toothpaste experiment made it to the Guinness World Records

Have you ever seen such a huge beaker.

Elephant’s toothpaste is a science experiment that results in the creation of a foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide or yeast and warm water as a catalyst. The rapidity of the reaction will depend entirely on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide present.

In the past, we have reported on just such an experiment on a large scale. Now, a team at KiwiCo has made a version so large that it made it to the Guinness World Records. 

To achieve this, the team created a massive beaker that looks kind of like an outdoor over-the-ground pool. But don’t let that fool you. It’s a complete beaker with the measurements marked on it.

Around the massive beaker, they installed 15 buckets containing potassium iodide. Impressively enough, they were able to dump all those buckets at the same time into the beaker, which contained hydrogen peroxide and soap.

What happened next? How did the experiment work out? How large was the resulting foamy substance? How did the YouTubers take measures to ensure their experiment was safe? How did the event make it to the Guinness World Records? This video answers all these questions and more.

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Elephant Toothpaste

Create a giant, foaming reaction that will astound kids with this Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment. This simple science experiment is a another erupting science that thrills kids of all ages. Students will learn about chemical reactions that are exothermic. Go beyond baking soda and vinegar reactions and try Elephant Toothpaste.

How To Make Elephant Toothpaste

What you will discover in this article!

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This classic science experiment has been wowing kids for generations. At the science centre or on TV you have probably seen spectacular elephant toothpaste experiments that shoot up feet into the air. Here we provide you with a simple version of Elephant Toothpaste using items from your home.

Check out our video set to music demonstrating Elephant Toothpaste in action!

Watch this fun experiment in action. If you can’t see the video, please turn off your adblockers as they also block our video feed. You can also find this video on the STEAM Powered Family YouTube Channel .

What is Elephant Toothpaste?

Elephant toothpaste is a safe, fantastic foamy science experiment using Hydrogen Peroxide and Yeast. When done in a beaker or bottle that narrows at the top, it oozes out like a great big tube of toothpaste. Perfectly sized for an elephant!

Depending on where you are in the world, Elephant’s Toothpaste has also been called Devil’s Toothpaste, Demon’s Toothpaste

It packs huge wow factor with the kids. It also provides a sensory experience while teaching kids important scientific principles such as:

Chemistry Catalyst Surface tension Exothermic reaction Temperature Liquid/Gas (states of matter) Mixture

Is Elephant Toothpaste Safe?

Elephant Toothpaste is safe when using 3% hydrogen peroxide! The foam is composed of soap, oxygen and water. It makes a great sensory science experience.

NOTE: Although we call this toothpaste, it is not toothpaste and should not be tasted. Ensure appropriate supervision is provided at all times.

Elephant Toothpaste Ingredients

250mL Glass Erlenmeyer Flask or an empty plastic bottle Dry yeast Warm water Liquid dish soap 3% hydrogen peroxide * Liquid food colouring Measuring cups Measuring spoons Safety goggles or glasses Large tub or tray (something with a lip) Funnel (optional – can help kids with pouring) Infrared non-contact thermometer (optional, helps with measuring the exothermic reaction)

*Higher percentage concentration hydrogen peroxide are dangerous and can cause skin irritation. Ensure you are using 3% with your kids in this experiment.

Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

Pick a place to do this experiment that is easy to clean up. If you do this in a nice big, high lipped tray that should contain most of foam, but in my experience kids love to play and touch the foam, so things can get messy quickly. Have your child put on safety glasses and clothes they don’t mind splashing.

Start by mixing one packet (about 1 tablespoon) of yeast with 1/4 cup warm water in cup to create the first mixture . Let it sit for about 30 seconds while you prep the beaker.

Into the flask add 150 mL of Hydrogen Peroxide, a tablespoon of dish soap (after a few tries we just used a squirt of dish soap, it doesn’t need to be exact), and about 15 drops of food coloring (if desired).

If you are taking temperatures, take a temperature of each of the liquids now.

Now pour the yeast mixture into the hydrogen peroxide solution.

Watch the reaction!

If you are doing temperatures, make sure you take a temperature read during the reaction too!

Elephant Toothpaste Science

The main reactor in this experiment is 3% Hydrogen Peroxide a liquid made from hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms (chemical formula H 2 O 2 ), which is used in first aid as an antiseptic. Normally it comes in a dark bottle because H 2 O 2 or hydrogen peroxide breaks down in light, turning into oxygen (O 2 ) and water (H 2 O). Normally this reaction happens very slowly, but we can speed it up with a little science!

Yeast, which we use to make bread , is an organism that contains a special chemical called catalase that can act as a catalyst to help break down hydrogen peroxide. This means that if you mix yeast with hydrogen peroxide, the hydrogen peroxide will rapidly break down into liquid water and oxygen gas . During this process energy is also released in the form of heat, which is known as an exothermic reaction .

Elephant Toothpaste Chemical Formula

Here is the chemical reaction for Elephant Toothpaste: 2 H 2 O 2 (aq) → 2 H 2 O (l) + O 2 (g)

Those gas bubbles would normally pop and disappear, but by adding a bit of dish soap, we can trap lots of bubbles thanks to an increase in surface tension . We explore this scientific concept in our Magic Milk experiment . This means the foam is simply soap, oxygen and water. Perfectly safe to touch and explore!

The result is a spectacular eruption of foam known as Elephant Toothpaste.

Elephant Toothpaste Extension Activities

There are a few things you can do to dig deeper into this reaction:

• Use an infrared no touch thermometer to measure the exothermic reaction.
• Why stop at a single color? Make multi-colored Elephant’s Toothpaste by dropping different colors of liquid food coloring down the inside of the bottle rather than mixing it into the solution. The result will be colored foam stripes.
• Try different shaped containers to see how the reaction changes. Maybe a plastic soda bottle or a mason jar with a wider neck. How does the experiment results change?
• Alter the ratio of yeast to hydrogen peroxide. What if you increase to one cup of hydrogen peroxide? What effect does it have on the reaction?
• What happens if you remove the dish soap?
• Visit your local science center and ask when they will be doing their next Elephant Toothpaste demonstration. They use a different reaction that produces spectacular results with lots of foam!
• Only do this next extension with responsible middle or high school students, and under direct adult supervision – Visit the hair supply store and get 6% or higher hydrogen peroxide. How does the higher concentration hydrogen peroxide change the results? ( Hint … bigger and messier!)

Don’t forget to try our Valentine’s Day Science Experiment Blooming Roses Elephant Toothpaste !

How To Clean Up Elephant Toothpaste

Once you are done with the experiment and playing with the foam, you can wash everything up in the sink . In fact, it cleans up easily thanks to the soap.

Sensory Experience

While doing this experiment ensure you discuss the sensory inputs provided by this fantastic foaming science.

First they will experience the sense of smell from the yeast. Have the kids discuss this smell and what it reminds them of.

Next we have the sensory experience of touch . This is done in two ways. Have them touch the sides of the beaker before and after the experiment starts. This way they can experience the exothermic reaction (the beaker will feel warm, but as long as you are using 3% hydrogen peroxide, it is not hot). You can reinforce this exploration by using a non-contact thermometer. The second touch experience is with the foam. The foam is perfectly safe to touch. As we explored in the science portion, the foam is just soap, water and oxygen.

Elephant toothpaste is a fantastic sensory science experience.

Elephant Toothpaste Classic Science

Creating Elephant Toothpaste is a quick and easy science experiment that can be easily adjusted to suit the learning needs of upper elementary through middle school. It has great WOW factor, and kids around the world have loved creating these foamy fountains we affectionately call, Elephant Toothpaste.

Enjoy this classic science experiment!

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Elephant Toothpaste Experiment: How-To Plus Free Worksheet

Heat things up with this larger-than-life science lesson.

Who knew toothpaste could be so fun? While no actual toothpaste is produced, this experiment is an exciting and hands-on way to bring several science lessons to life. You’ll want to use some caution when performing it with kids. Some of the chemicals used can be irritating and the substance produced is hot, so you won’t want to actually brush anyone’s teeth with the foam, as tempting as that may be! Read on to see how to do the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, and  fill out the form on this page  to grab your free recording sheet.

How does the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment work?

This experiment works through a chemical reaction that results from a catalyst (potassium iodide, aka yeast) being introduced into a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. The hydrogen peroxide is decomposed into water and oxygen and the catalyst speeds up the reaction, forcing the oxygen into the soap bubbles. The resulting effect is the substance quickly pouring up and out of the container.

What does the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment teach?

This experiment is a crowd-pleaser, but it also serves to teach kids a lot. The concept of a catalyst speeding up a reaction is demonstrated in an obvious and exciting way as the introduction of the yeast forces the foam to explode up and out of the bottle. It also teaches kids about exothermic reactions as the foam coming out of the bottle is hot. Additionally, kids get to see a decomposition reaction as the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide results in the release of oxygen gas.

Is there an Elephant Toothpaste Experiment video?

This video from teacher Hilary Statum will give you the step-by-step instructions for making your own Elephant Toothpaste.

Materials Needed

To do the experiment, you will need:

• 16-oz. empty plastic soda bottle
• Very warm water
• 3% hydrogen peroxide (6% is better, if available)
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Safety glasses
• Safety gloves
• Funnel or measuring cup with a lip
• Food coloring

Our free recording sheet is also helpful— fill out the form on this page to get it!

Elephant Toothpaste Experiment steps:

1. place the bottle on a large tray and put on your safety goggles and gloves., 2. mix 1 tablespoon of yeast into 3 tablespoons of warm water until you achieve a creamy consistency. place in a small cup and set to the side., 3. use a funnel or measuring cup to pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bottle., 4. add a bit of food coloring. for a solid color, add directly into the bottle. for stripes, squirt it with the pipettes so it trickles down the sides of the inside of the bottle., 5. add approximately 1 tablespoon of dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide., 6. use a funnel or measuring cup to add the yeast mixture to the bottle., 7. step back and watch the explosion, grab our free elephant toothpaste experiment worksheet.

Fill out the form on this page to get your worksheets. The first worksheet asks kids to make a prediction about what they think will happen. They can use the provided spaces to draw or write their predictions and observations. The second worksheet lists questions for students to answer about the experiment.

Additional Reflection Questions

• Why do we add the yeast to the water?
• What do you think would happen if we added more dish soap?
• What do you think would happen if we added more yeast to the mixture?
• What is the liquid that is left in the bottle?
• Describe the reaction that occurs. How long does it last?

Can this experiment be done for a science fair?

Yes! If you want to do the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment for a science fair, we recommend switching up some of the variables. For example: Does the type or shape of the container matter? Does the type of dish soap matter? Does adding more yeast change the reaction? Form a hypothesis about how changing the variables will impact the experiment. Good luck!

Looking for more experiment ideas? Check out our  big list of experiment ideas here.

Plus, be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters  for more articles like this., you might also like.

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Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

Do elephants brush their teeth? Well, if they do, they definitely need some toothpaste, right? Elephant toothpaste science experiment is as cool and crazy as it sounds. Make elephant toothpaste with the kids and teach them about catalysts with this experiment that’s 100% messy and 101% fun. STEM concept:  Chemical reactions, catalysts Challenge:  Medium Messiness:  High

Ingredients to make elephant toothpaste science experiment :

• clean 16-oz soda bottle
• 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide
• 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons of water
• dishwashing soap
• food coloring (optional)

Follow these steps to make elephant toothpaste :

Safety reminder: Hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin and eyes. Put on safety goggles to protect the eyes before doing the experiment. It is best to let an adult pour the chemical. Children should be supervised by adults when doing the experiment. This experiment will create a huge mess, so be prepared. It is best to do this experiment outdoors.

• Pour the hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and dishwashing soap into the soda bottle. You may also add a few drops of food coloring to this mixture.
• Shake the bottle to make sure that the contents are thoroughly mixed.
• In the small cup, combine the yeast with some warm water and stir for about 30 seconds.
• Add the yeast mixture to the bottle.
• Observe the chemical reaction that happens.

The science behind the experiment:

This experiment is called “elephant toothpaste” because of the big foamy reaction produced by the chemical reaction of the materials put together. Hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen and water when it breaks down. The yeast acts as a catalyst to make this breaking-down process faster.

The toothpaste is basically foam that is formed when the yeast causes oxygen bubbles to form from the hydrogen peroxide. The dishwashing soap allows the creation of more and bigger foam.

The creation of the foam is also an exothermic reaction, so it produces heat. Kids can touch the foam and bottle carefully to feel that they’re warm.

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• You can use 3% hydrogen peroxide for the experiment, though it may not produce as much foam as a 6% concentration.

Conducting the Home Version Experiment

• 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.
• Check the yeast packaging to see how hot the water needs to be.

• If your child is too young, have them 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] X Research source
• Stir the mixture yourself or have your child do it if old enough. Be sure that the hydrogen peroxide is not spilled.

• 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] X Research source
• Make sure the yeast and hydrogen peroxide are mixed well for optimum effect.

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

Adjusting the Experiment for a Lab Version

Expert Q&A

• You might notice that the reaction produces heat. That's because the chemical process is exothermic, meaning that it releases energy. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 0
• Keep your gloves on when disposing of the elephant toothpaste. You can dump both the foam and the liquid down the drain. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 5
• Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) naturally breaks down into water (H 2 ) and oxygen over time. But you can speed up the process by adding a catalyst. And as the hydrogen peroxide releases a lot of oxygen at once in the presence of detergent, millions of little bubbles form quickly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• You can use any type of liquid soap, but don’t use antibacterial soap if you use yeast because the soap will kill the yeast.

• Elephant toothpaste can stain! Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 5
• The foam will overflow suddenly and quickly, especially in the chemistry lab version. Ensure this experiment is conducted on a washable, stain-resistant surface, and do not stand anywhere near the bottle or cylinder when it foams. Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 3
• The resulting substance is called elephant toothpaste only because of its appearance. Don't put it in your mouth or swallow it. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 4
• This experiment cannot be done safely without goggles and gloves. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 10

Things You'll Need

• Safety goggles
• Disposable gloves
• Plastic soda bottle
• Tall graduated cylinder
• Liquid or powdered detergent
• Saturated solution of potassium iodide
• food coloring (optional)

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• ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-hydrogen-peroxide-good-for/
• ↑ http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/08/fun-science-experiment-for-kids.html
• ↑ https://sciencebob.com/fantastic-foamy-fountain/
• ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/make-elephant-toothpaste/

About This Article

To make elephant toothpaste, mix 3 tablespoons of warm water with 1 tablespoon of yeast in a bowl. Next, add dish soap, food coloring, and 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bottle and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Then, pour the yeast mixture through a funnel into your bottle. Quickly stand back, remove the funnel, and watch your mixture erupt into a fluffy foam! For tips on adjustments you can make to get other effects, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Foam Explosion (In Super Slow Motion): Elephant Toothpaste

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You might have seen this wacky experiment in a chemistry class or on late-night TV. Dropping a mixture into some hydrogen peroxide produces a huge foamy flume. But what’s actually causing that big mess? Turns out it’s a great illustration of a key concept in chemistry: catalysts. In this week’s video,  Reactions  teams up with chemistry professor Matt Hartings, Ph.D., to explain the Elephant Toothpaste experiment (with the help of our awesome new high-speed camera).

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Amazing Science: How to Make Elephant Toothpaste

October 3, 2018 by Ana Dziengel Leave a Comment

Of all the classic science experiments out there, learning how to make elephant toothpaste has been one of the most amazing I have ever tried. EVER.  It definitely has a big wow factor that impresses both kids and adults and leaves everyone talking excitedly about how cool science is!

Today I will be sharing the following with you:

• How to make classic elephant toothpaste
• How to make striped elephant toothpaste
• The difference in the reaction depending on the strength of hydrogen peroxide used 
• How to set this up as a classroom experiment

So consider this your definitive resource for how to make elephant toothpaste with readily available materials There is one version we have not yet tried that uses special chemicals and should only be done by adults. You can read about that here.

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How to Make Elephant Toothpaste

The instructions below will work for 10, 20, and 40 volume peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide typically bought at the drug store is 10 volume. It will work but much less dramatically. See below for a comparison image.

• ½ cup (4 oz) Hydrogen Peroxide-  Use 20 volume for classroom experiment and 40 volume for adult demo . Be sure to use clear developer NOT cream.
• Food Coloring
• Very Warm Water
• Yeast Use 1 packet per experiment or ½ Tbsp if measuring from a  jar
• Recycled Plastic Water Bottle (see experiments below for suggested sizes)
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Safety Goggles
• Plastic Gloves

SAFETY NOTES

Let’s talk safety first!

• I recommend the 40 volume experiment to be conducted by adults only as a demonstration for kids.
• 20 and 40 volume Hydrogen Peroxide are high concentrations of peroxide and can irritate/burn the skin.  Adults only should pour the peroxide into the bottles.
• Adults and children should wear safety goggles and plastic gloves at all times during this experiment
• The bottles can easily tip! Once the hydrogen peroxide has been poured into the bottles please have kids hold the bottle steady so it does not fall over and spill.
• The foam is HOT! Do not touch the foam until it has cooled. And keep your gloves on!

Instructions

Wear gloves for the entire process when using 20 or 40 Volume Hydrogen Peroxide! If it gets on your skin it will sting. Wash it off immediately with soap and water.

• Step One Place your bottle in the center of a tray with sides. There will be a lot of foam and this will contain the mess. Place a funnel in the bottle neck.
• Step Two Add a few squirts of dishsoap to the bottle
• Step Three Add ½ cup (4 oz.) of hydrogen peroxide to bottle. Gently swirl to mix.
• Step Four Add in a squeeze of food coloring. Gently swirl to mix. See below for striped version instructions.
• Step Five Mix 1 packet or 1 Tbsp of yeast  with 1/2 cup (4oz.) of very warm water. Stir to dissolve. It may be pasty. 
• Step Six Pour the yeast mixture through the funnel into the bottle. Give it a quick swirl then step back. BAM!

How to Make Striped Elephant Toothpaste

The striped version works best as an adult led demonstration. You must use a a smooth sided bottle! When you get to step 4 in the instructions above do the following:

Gently tilt the bottle and squeeze the food coloring onto the side of the bottle neck. Let it drip down the side of the bottle. Rotate the bottle and add more “stripes.” DO NOT swirl the food coloring with the peroxide! Add the east as directed above being careful not to switch the bottle around  too much.

• Yeast    If possible use freshly opened yeast! Yeast that has been opened previously does not work as well.
• Foam Safety  The foam is HOT!  Once cooled it is safe to touch however I do recommend keeping your gloves on. Any hydrogen peroxide that may not have reacted with the yeast or might have leaked on the tray or bottle can sting and/or burn the skin.
• Clean-up Safety   Be sure to keep your gloves on during clean-up so as not to accidentally touch any hydrogen peroxide that may not have reacted with the yeast. I speak from experience when I say that it will temporarily sting/burn your skin and leave a white bleached spot. If you do get the 20 or 40 volume hydrogen peroxide on your skin wash it immediately with soap and water.
• Clean this up immediately. Over the course of couple days the yeast will STINK!  I learned this the hard way when I waited a few days to thoroughly clean all our supplies.

How to Run a Classroom Experiment

If doing this with a group of students I recommend the following set-up :

First I like to demonstrate the project in front of the kids using the 40 volume version of the experiment. It’s a wonderful way to get the kids revved up and excited. Set-up a table in front of them where they watch at a safe distance. Talk about the safety procedures while doing the experiment. Add in a countdown for extra anticipation!

After doing the adult led- demonstration we let the kids try the experiment with the 20 volume peroxide.

IMPORTANT: All kids must wear safety googles and gloves at all time while doing the experiment!

Set up individual stations  in advance. For each student place the following items on a tray:

• Yeast 1 packet per experiment or ½ Tbsp if measuring from a  jar
• Recycled Plastic Water Bottle Use a 2-liter bottle for the adult run demo and smaller water bottles for the student version.
• Small bowl and spoon

Place dish soap and food coloring at the table for the kids can share.  

• Step One Have students put on their goggles and gloves. No exceptions!
• Step Two Ask each student to add a squeeze of dish soap and food coloring to their bottle 
• Step Three Adults should go around to each student and pour 4oz of hydrogen peroxide into the bottle. Have the kids hold the bottle and funnel steady while the peroxide is being added.  
• Step Four Student should remove the funnel and place on the tray.The funnel makes the bottle unsteady and easy to knock over.
• Step Five Students should empty their yeast packet into a small bowl. Adults can go around to each student and pour 4oz of very warm water into each bowl. Students should stir to dissolve the yeast completely in the water.
• Step Six Have students place the funnel back on their bottle being careful to hold the bottle steady with one hand.
• Step Seven Have students add in the yeast mixture. Remind them to remove the funnel, give the bottle a gentle swirl if they can and then step back.

Students will want to touch the foam! I have them wait until it has cooled and leave their gloves on while touching the foam.

Let’s Talk Science

Term to know:

• Catalyst Something that speeds up a reaction.
• Exothermic Releasing heat

Hydrogen Peroxide is a solution that is chemically very similar to water but with with one additional oxygen atom. When yeast is added to the hydrogen peroxide it acts as a catalyst that causes oxygen to be rapidly released. What’s left behind is water and oxygen. The dish soap traps the released oxygen in the form of bubbly foam. The reaction is exothermic which is why the foam and bottle are hot after the experiment is conducted.

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Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

• Written by Children's Museum Team
• Posted on Friday May 1, 2020

Where Do Elephants Pack Their Toothpaste? In Their Trunk!

This demonstration’s called Elephant’s Toothpaste because the chemical reaction produces a large foamy mess that looks like toothpaste squirting out of a tube. It is so big that only an elephant could use toothpaste this large. It is, of course, not toothpaste so please do not try to brush your teeth with it ! The kids-safe version below is harmless but certainly wouldn’t taste very good.

Vocabulary:

• Baking soda
• Endothermic

Elephant Toothpaste Materials:

 Hydrogen peroxide – 6% if possible. 3% (what is sold in drug stores) will give off a smaller reaction  Yeast  Dish Soap  Liquid watercolor or food coloring (optional)  Medium-sized soda-pop bottle (empty)  Funnel  Tiny scoops & spoons (about ¼-ish teaspoon) + a Tablespoon measure  Pipettes  Tub of water/sink close-by  Safety gloves  Safety glasses

Elephant Toothpaste Directions

• Before you do anything, put the soda-pop bottle on a baking tray or large bowl.
• Mix 1 Tbsp yeast into 3 Tbsp of warm water in a small paper cup. Consistency should be that of melted ice cream. Set aside to get all bubbly and happy (as yeast and warm water always do)
• Using the funnel, carefully pour about ½ cup of the Hydrogen Peroxide into the soda bottle
• Add some liquid watercolor (optional)
• Add about 1 Tbsp of dish soap to the Hydrogen Peroxide
• Use the funnel to pour the yeast mixture into the soda-pop bottle, then step back.

What’s Happening?

When hydrogen peroxide breaks down, it turns into oxygen (O 2 ) and water (H 2 O). Normally this breakdown happens very slowly. But the reaction could be done faster by adding a catalyst. Yeast is an organism that contains a special chemical called catalase that can act as a catalyst to help break down hydrogen peroxide. Catalase is present in almost all living things that are exposed to oxygen, and it helps them break down naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide.  This means that if you mix yeast with hydrogen peroxide, the hydrogen peroxide will rapidly break down into water and oxygen gas. The oxygen gas forms bubbles. These bubbles would usually escape from the liquid and pop quickly. But, adding a little dish soap provides additional surface tension, allowing the bubbles to get trapped and creating lots of foam. This foam looks like a giant squeeze of toothpaste—almost big enough for an elephant! Because this reaction is exothermic, the bottle and the foam will be warm.

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YouTubers are battling for the world record of foam with the elephant toothpaste experiment. Here's how to make a smaller, kid-safe version at home.

• Nick Uhas and David Dobrik stunned the internet with their successful attempt at breaking the world record for largest amount of foam produced via the elephant toothpaste experiment.
• Before their attempt, science YouTubers Mark Rober and ScienceBob did their own record-breaking stunt in Rober's backyard pool, using a different catalyst.
• If you want to replicate their attempt on a smaller scale at home, ScienceBob put together instructions on his website that are cheap and easy to follow.
• Uhas told Insider that the experiment is safe and environmentally friendly, as long as you use the right materials and follow some basic safety precautions.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Science YouTubers are engaging in a bit of a " foam arms race " this week with gargantuan versions of the elephant toothpaste experiment.

Nick Uhas and David Dobrik claimed the world record for the most foam produced via the demonstration, which combines hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, food coloring, and potassium iodide to result in a massive volcano of foam.

Before the pair pulled off their successful attempt, YouTubers Mark Rober and ScienceBob did a version with yeast in Rober's backyard swimming pool that overflowed .

If you're inspired and want to make a significantly smaller version of elephant toothpaste at home, you can. ScienceBob put some cheap, easy-to-follow instructions on his website , and the experiment is kid-friendly as long as you follow some basic safety precautions. With the right clean-up, it's environmentally sound, too.

You only need a few materials to make a foam volcano.

To start, you just need to gather a few materials.

To make ScienceBob's at-home version, you'll need: 

• 1/2 cup of liquid hydrogen peroxide
• 10 drops of liquid food coloring
• 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap
• 1 packet of dry yeast
• A 16-ounce plastic soda or water bottle OR a bucket that size
• A small cup to hold your yeast and at least 3 tablespoons of warm water
• Plastic gloves and safety googles

Optionally, you can also put a plastic tarp down to catch all the foam.

The reaction starts with liquid hydrogen peroxide, and you can use different strengths for more or less foam.

The YouTubers use 20-Volume hydrogen peroxide, which is a 6% solution that's stronger than the kind found in pharmacies or drug stores. It creates more foam than the standard 3% solution, and can be used to lighten hair, so many beauty supply stores carry it.

However, the 6% solution can irritate skin and eyes, so if you're using it, you should wear gloves and safety goggles. You also wouldn't want to touch the foam afterward, because there may be un-reacted peroxide in it. If you use the 3% solution found in pharmacies, you can touch the foam afterward.

ScienceBob's instructions call for 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and he recommends using a 16-ounce plastic soda bottle or water bottle to mix the solution at home. A container with a funneled top makes the foam shoot out in a steady stream, whereas a container like a bucket causes it to spill over the sides.

If using a funneled top, you should definitely do the experiment outside, because the stream can reach several feet in the air.

Either way, it's a good idea to do the experiment outside, since it involves so much spillover. But if you want to do it inside, be sure to line the area with plastic.

Add food coloring and dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide mixture to create colored foam.

ScienceBob suggests 10 drops of food coloring and about 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap to make the foam colorful. You can also do the demonstration without dish soap, and the reaction will still take place, but it won't create the bubbly foam.

You should swish the ingredients around in the container to create a mixture.

If you use dye, it can stain ceilings to the point where it's almost impossible to clean. Uhas told Insider that he tried the experiment inside Dobrik's house, and the stained ceiling now rejects new coats of paint because the iodide seeps through.

In a separate cup, combine dry yeast and warm water for the at-home catalyst, instead of the potassium iodide that Uhas used.

The potassium iodide in Uhas and Dobrik's experiment is a more powerful catalyst that produces an explosion effect, as opposed to the rising foam that filled Rober's pool. Uhas told Insider that the iodide isn't toxic, and is actually edible, but it's used for medical purposes and is more expensive than yeast.

ScienceBob recommends using a tablespoon of dry yeast, or one packet. He combines it with three or more tablespoons of warm water in a separate small container, and mixes it for about 30 seconds, until the mixture has the consistency of "melted ice cream." You can add more water to reach that consistency.

Uhas and Rober used huge contraptions that required multiple people to pour the catalyst into the peroxide, but you can just use a funnel at home.

As both videos exhibited, all you need to do to jump-start the chemical reaction is combine the catalyst with the peroxide mixture. That means you can just use a funnel or pour the dissolved yeast into the hydrogen peroxide.

The reaction starts almost immediately, so step back or point the container away from yourself to avoid getting splashed with foam. Another important thing to note is that the reaction is exothermic, meaning that the foam will be hot.

You should be mindful not to hold on to the container where the reaction is taking place unless you're wearing gloves or another covering that will shield you from heat. You also shouldn't touch the foam right away, but you can touch it if you used a 3% solution after it's cooled down.

Uhas told Insider that the foam is "self-cleaning."

After the reaction concludes, you're left with a lot of soapy foam. If you use potassium iodide as the catalyst, Uhas told Insider that it becomes iodine, which leaves a powerful stain – another reason to do the elephant toothpaste experiment outside and away from your house or any sort of concrete or plaster.

If you're using the yeast, it shouldn't stain as badly, but you should still exhibit caution. Fortunately, the foam is just water, soap, and oxygen, and will release oxygen on its own until you're left with soapy, colored water.

You can sop that up and recycle the plastic you put down, like Uhas and Dobrik did. The remaining liquid is also drain-safe. If you have enough materials on hand, you can try different variations of the experiment like Rober did in his video — or see how much foam you can produce by increasing the quantity of materials.

See the full instructions from ScienceBob here »

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Giant devil’s toothpaste experiment.

Perhaps the only thing better than the classic elephant’s toothpaste experiment, is the elephant’s toothpaste experiment at an absolutely colossal scale! After a record breaking science experiment last year with YouTuber, and NASA engineer Mark Rober, we teamed-up once again along with engineers and fabricators to try for another World Record attempt while highlighting a very special young cancer survivor. Watch the full video here:

WATCH THE VIDEO! HOW WE PULLED IT OFF:

So much testing…. We knew we wanted the flow from the flask to be laminar, meaning it stays in a column of foam and does not break up into “confetti” when it leaves the flask – this was one of the biggest challenges from a chemistry stand point. (Breaking the world record by going confetti would have been much easier, but it does not look like the classic experiment.)

We conducted well over three dozen small scale tests to find the best chemical ratios, food coloring brands, chemical temperatures, flask designs, as well as testing whether tubes in the neck create a better stream or not, whether objects on the flask affect the flow, and other factors. After each test, Mark and the team would get on a call, review footage, and figure where to go next. Each attempt was tracked for every variable we could test and cataloged on an ever growing database.

The Elephant’s Toothpaste Reaction requires 3 things:

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• A catalyst (often potassium Iodide or yeast)

THE CHEMISTRY Hydrogen peroxide is basically water ( H 2 O ) with and extra oxygen (making it H 2 O 2 ) But don’t be fooled into thinking it is close to water. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide can result in a strong chemical burn if it gets on your skin. To create the elephants toothpaste reaction a second chemical is added (know as a catalyst) which basically tears-apart the hydrogen peroxide into water while releasing Oxygen gas inside the bubbles.

SMALL SCALE

Above is what we considered to be an ideal small scale version of the experiment – we got height, good color, and it stayed laminar. The question was whether we could crank up the scale and keep everything looking good. Next up was the 5 foot version.

MEDIUM SCALE We ran the medium scale, 5 foot flask five times and quickly discovered our biggest enemy was, in fact, pressure…lots of pressure. It was all about pressure and flow to keep it laminar and keep the flask intact.

LARGE SCALE We figured that we had enough information from our five footer to go ahead and ramp it up to the 10 foot version, heavily secured with Flex Tape, screws and straps. We were confident is was indestructible, and it turns out we underestimated chemistry.

This lead to many Skype calls about the size of the neck, in particular, the WIDTH of the neck. We opted to go with a 4 foot neck on the giant flask which we hoped would ultimately allow enough foam to come out laminar while reducing enough pressure to avoind turning the flask into a bomb.

GIGANTIC VERSION! After months of designing and testing, and hours of Skype calls, it was time to build the gigantic flask over 3 days on a walnut farm in Gridley California.

The Devil’s Toothpaste demonstration was basically the elephant’s toothpaste demo on steroids. We discovered some unexpected chemistry that really bumped up the output and energy even more than the David Dobrick version of the experiment. The added reaction also came with added danger and we were constantly reminded just how much we need to respect the power of chemistry which is why we’re not sharing it publicly just yet. Oh sure, foam looks all fun and harmless…that’s what it wants you to think, but we saw another way-more powerful, (and beautiful) side of the soapy fluffiness.

In the end, of course, this video was much more than a large scale science experiment, it was a chance to celebrate a strong and brave young man, as well as embrace the good and joy that comes when people collaborate and work hard to create something special for others.

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A Magical Homeschool

A hands-on, joy-led home education

The Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

Here’s a fun science experiment to do with the kids that’s quick, educational and involves things you probably already have at home.  Best of all, it’s really fun!

I found the directions here but this experiment can be found all over the internet.

This is a messy experiment that would be well suited for outside, but it’s also a great inside experiment to cure cabin fever.

Here’s what you need:

• An empty 20 or 24 ounce plastic bottle (another container of about the same size will work too, but the narrow opening helps make the toothpaste-like shape)
• 3% hydrogen peroxide (this is the standard stuff available at most stores)
• Liquid dishwashing detergent
• Food coloring (optional, but highly recommended)
• One packet or 2 1/2 teaspoons of active yeast (the type used for bread making)
• A big pot, bucket or other container to contain the mess (or do this in the sink or outside)

Here’s what you do:

• Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water and stir well.  Use just enough water to make a pourable liquid.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the experiment.
• Pour 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of dish soap and a little bit of food coloring in the bottle.  Swirl to mix and put the bottle in the middle of your large pot, container or sink.
• Pour the yeast solution into the bottle.  A funnel can help, but be prepared to pour fairly quickly and remove it again because the reaction will start as soon as you start pouring.
• Stand back and watch the fun!

If kids want to touch the solution, it’s messy but safe.  They’ll notice that it feels warm and you can tell them that it’s an exothermic reaction , meaning a reaction that produces heat.  Do keep in mind that the food coloring will probably stain, so protect surfaces and clothes.

Here’s what’s happening:

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a reactive molecule that readily decomposes into water (H2O) and oxygen (O2):

2H2O2 –> 2H2O + O2

This happens all the time with hydrogen peroxide, but usually it happens so slowly it’s hard to see.  When we put hydrogen peroxide on a cut, an enzyme in our blood is the catalyst that causes the hydrogen peroxide to break down (the bubbles are oxygen being released).  In this demonstration, yeast is the catalyst.  It causes the decomposition to speed up much more rapidly than normal. The dishwashing detergent captures the oxygen that is released, making foam. Food coloring can color the film of the bubbles so that you get colored foam.

This experiment demonstrates three kinds of reactions in one:  an exothermic reaction (giving off heat), a catalyzed reaction (caused by the addition of something that speeds up a reaction without being destroyed itself) and a decomposition reaction (where something breaks down).

Post Author: A Magical Homeschool

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