At Wonderama, we love making blue bubbles and a science experiment is our favorite way to do just that!

In our first installment of Cool Science with Rachel, we combined hydrogen peroxide with dish soap and yeast– oh, and a drop or two of food coloring for effect– to create what the scientific community terms “a big mess.”

Wonderama Rules:  Safety first. Wear safety glasses and alway ask permission and be supervised by an adult when conducting an experiment.

  • What you need
  • Saftey Glasses
  • A beaker or clear  16oz soda bottle
  • 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide
  • 1 Tablespoon of dry yeast (one packet)
  • 3 Tablespoons of warm water
  • Liquid dish soap
  • Food coloring
  • Small cup

 

  • How to do it
  • Carefully pour the hydrogen peroxide into the bottle
  • Add 5 – 8 drops of food coloring into the bottle
  • Add the dish soap. The more the messier! Carefully mix
  • In the small cup, combine the warm water and the yeast together and mix for about 30 seconds
  • Pour the yeast mixture into the bootle and STAND BACK!

Basically what happens is an enzyme in the yeast, called catalase, breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water in a rapid chemical reaction. The oxygen gets trapped by the dishwashing detergent, creating many tiny bubbles that can’t wait to escape the beaker. So cool!

 

The fizz reminded David of a slushy (blue-raspberry, perhaps?), but as Rachel said, “I wouldn’t put it in your mouth!”

Learn more about Cool Science With Rachel here! You can ask her a question, suggest an experiment, and maybe even assist her on a future Cool Science segment!

For more Wonderama videos, find us on YouTube!