We had so much fun this morning doing a science experiment. I love when doing things as a group works out so well. My middle ones looked at me like I was crazy when I was putting the soap into the microwave. LOL ~~~Microwave for 3 mins only~~~
A foam is any material that traps a gas inside a cell-like structure. Examples of foams include shaving cream, whipped cream, Styrofoam, and even bone. Foams can be fluid or solid, squishy or rigid. Many foams are polymers, but the type of molecule isn't what defines whether or not something is a foam.
Two processes occur when you microwave the soap. First, you are heating the soap, which softens it. Second, you are heating the air and water trapped inside the soap, causing the water to vaporize and the air to expand. The expanding gases push on the softened soap, causing it to expand and become a foam. Popping popcorn works in much the same way. When you microwave Ivory™, the appearance of the soap is changed, but no chemical reaction occurs. This is an example of a physical change. It also demonstrates Charles' Law, which states the volume of a gas increases with its temperature. The microwaves impart energy into the soap, water, and air molecules, causing them to move faster and further away from each other. The result is that the soap puffs up. Other brands of soap don't contain as much whipped air and simply melt in the microwave.
Tonight after dinner the littles ones get to enjoy our experiment at bathtime, when you crumble the foam in between your fingers it falls like snow. I explained to Rachael, Jude, and Hannah that tonight they get to have a "snowy bath".
