Soap solution
I
Wooden stick
Vinyl cloth
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Holding up a point of the wash-tub, slowly move sideways. Figure 3. Producing the soap film on the tub.
Figure 5 . Dropping soap solution from an inverted dropper bonle todetermine the surface tension.
becomes big enough, the student waiting inside the box can stand up and look through the hubhle from the inside out (see Fig. 3). When the blowers are turned off, the bubble will retain its shape for several minutes. The student can look outside or talk with people outside (see Fig. 4). Golng Further
Other activities can be done in combination with this activity. The effectiveness of different brands of soap can be tested. The surface tension of various solutions can he determined based on the volume of 10 drops of solution that has dripped from an inverted dropper bottle (see Fig. 5).
Figure 4. Views from inside the bubble
Edltor's Nole: While it is not usually our policy to print short stories. we are including this anicie as an example of a creative way to introduce chemistry to young children. We encourage our readers who are interested in pursuingsuch work to contact the amhor of this paper orthe editor of this feature, who can provide ideasfor other outletsfor such materiais.
Apply the Soap Solution
Cut four pieces of wood about 5 cm in depth and 5-10 cm in height to a length of about 70 cm. Arrange them in a square on the floor or on a desk, and drape a thin vinyl cloth over them to form a huge tray. Pour the soap solution into this tray. Remove the bottomless washtub from the box, and .dip the top into the soap. Lift one end of the tub as shown in Figure 3. I t may take a little practice to produce the desired thin soap film on the tubs.
Chemical Tales for Children Bdla Majoros Technical University of Budapest Budapest, GeliCrt t& 4. H - I l l I . Hungary
One does not have to be at an advanced stage of intellectual de\,elopment in order to appreciate the chemistry relevant toe\.er\.dav life. One wa\.of introducina children (aces ~. 7-11) to chemistry in a nontechnical way is through stories combining chemistry concepts with story lines and language with which the children are familiar. This approach will, it is hoped, give students a positive feeling about chemistry so that they will not experience chemophohia when they study chemistry later in their careers. ~
Entering the Soap Bubble
Have a student enter the box and bend down away from the hole. Be sure the door is closed. After applying the solution, place the tuhon the cardboard box, and turn on the blowers. The wind hlows up from the bottom of the box so the soap bubble will expand upward. Once the soap bubble
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Volume 65
Number 7
July 1986
617
The Stories
Datergent Dan the Washmg Master rlow oetergent c eanr away grease (2) Kypo Hany Oxidant HOW an oxidative detergent washes out colored stains (3) The Flammable Match Pop Operene The chemical processes that occur when striking a match (4) Shinepolish the Capper Beauty Parlor Clsanino the surfaceof oxidized melals (5) Kinky Tw rler the Perm The chemlstv behim saning your hait (6) Elsctro L m e 5 Conj~lng Tr ck me process of electrolysis (7) Hercule Redbeet, the Infallible Inspector Acid-base indicators (8) Tincture Daisy Dyes the Cloth me dyeing process of cellulaselike and prmeinlike fibers (9) Dauber Timothy Paints a Wall What a paint is and how it covers a wall (10) Alltroner the Amactive Glue The process of sticking (11) Polymer Isaac-A Ten O'Clock Snack Sack me process of plymerization (12) Whose Dough Is Nicer7 The chemistry of yeast andbaking powder (1)
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T- h e 12 - - storv titles and one-line descriotions of the chemistry discussed are listed in t h e table. Our experience has been t h a t adults a s well a s children eniov m.e a r s " - the stories. This a . t o he a n excellent way t o encourage parents t o share science learning with their children. T h e story "Detergent Dan t h e Washing Master" follows as a n example of the level a t which these stories are written. T h e concept we wanted t o get across was t h a t grease will repel water unless soap is present. We also wanted t o convey the idea t h a t soap works because it has a long, tentaclelike end to hold the grease and a "sticky" end to attach t o water.
618
Journal of Chemical Education
Mr. Grease Smudge wanted a new home. After searching and searching for just the right place, he decided to move to Thomas's best Sunday shirt. Larry Linen liked being Thomas's special shirt and was very angry that his beautiful fibers were made ugly by Mr. Grease Smudge. He yelled at Mr. Grease Smudge to leave and shook himself to try to make the invader slide off, but nothing worked. Finally, Larry Linen knew he must take a bath in the washing machine. The Water Lads were very sympathetic to Larry Linen's problem and tried to help. However, Mr. Grease Smudge was so slippery they could not grab hold to pull him off. One by one all the Water Lads slithered and slid off Mr. Grease Smudge. "Ha!" laughed Mr. Grease Smudge, "You'll never move me. My special water-repellent surface will keep you from bothering me." The Water Lads bad to admit they were helpless against Mr. Grease Smudge and were about to give up when Dan and his detergent friends happened by. "Why all the long faces?" he asked the Water Lads. "We're trying to remove Mr. Grease Smudge from Larry Linen's pretty fibers, but we can't findany place tograb hold," they allcried at once. "I bet we could help," said Detergent Dan. "AU my detergent friends and I will grab Mr. Grease Smudge with our tails, and you boys can then pull on us. You'll find us much easier to hold onto than Mr. Grease Smudge." "Hey, what's going on here?'' cried Mr. Grease Smudge as the detergent gang surrounded him with their tails. Once Mr. Grease Smudge was completely entangled, the Water Lads held onto the sticky heads of the detergent gang and pulled withall their might. Mr. Grease Smudge held ontoLarry Linen with all his might, but slowly the combined strength of all the Water Lads tugging on Dan and his detergent friends pulled him loose and sent poor Mr. Grease Smudge down the drain. Judging from the calls and letters asking for more stories, this tvoe of oresentation is enioved hv the children. Thev also habe no trouble recalling details o f t h e story. This lighthearted aooroach t o chemical orincivles will, it is h o ~ e d , pique theieader's curiosity so t h a t i n t h e futnie helshe-will not fear and avoid courses t h a t give h i m h e r t h e scientific details t o "flesh out" the story.
