Bubble Lab
Problem Statement: What problem or question will be testing? Write your purpose statement.
Background: See lab report guidelines for help
Materials: 15% soap solution, glycerin, cups, straws, stirrer, eyedropper, timer and ruler
Part 1: Size
Hypothesis 1: Read procedure 1 - Which solution will make larger bubbles and why?
Procedure 1:
1. Each lab team needs 3 cups. Label these #1, #2, and #3.
2. Fill each of your cups with 20-30 ml of 15% soap solution.
3. Add glycerin to the cups as follows:
Cup Number
#1
#2
#3
Drops of Glycerin
0 drops
5 drops
10 drops
4. Gently stir the soap solution as you add the glycerin. The glycerin is denser then the soap solution and tends to
stick to the bottom of the cup.
5. To prepare the bubble making surface pour some solution #1 on your lab table. With your hand spread the
solution out so that it covers an area approximately 30 cm X 30 cm.
6. To measure the maximum diameter your bubbles may attain, pour a second small amount of solution #1 in the
center of the wet area and dip the straw into the solution, and blow a bubble.
7. Continue to blow the bubble until the bubble pops. The popped bubble will leave a circular “footprint” on the
table. Measure the diameter of the “footprint” in millimeters and record the measurement in your data table.
8. Repeat this process 4 additional times, using solution #1.
9. Now repeat the above procedure with solution #2 and solution #3. Make sure that the tables are carefully
washed between tests of the various solutions. Record results in data table 1.
10. Carefully clean and dry your lab table and dispose of your materials.
Data Table 1: Create table to record lab data on paper, the final data table will be created with excel
Data Table Title
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Solution 1
Solution 2
Solution 3
Graph 1: Create with excel
Part 2: Life span
Hypothesis 2: Read procedure 2 and use the information from part 1 - Which solution will make larger bubbles and
why?
Procedure 2:
1. Repeat steps 1-5 in part 1.
2. Pour a second small amount of solution #1 in the center of the wet area and dip the straw into the solution blow
a bubble that is approximately 6 to 7 cm in diameter.
3. As soon as your bubble reaches the desired size, take out the straw and start timing the life of your bubble in
seconds. Stop timing with the bubble pops and record the bubbles life span to the nearest second.
4. Repeat this process 4 additional times. Try carefully to make your bubbles the same size.
5. Now repeat the above procedure with solution #2 and solution #3. Make sure that the tables are carefully
washed between tests of the various solutions. Record your results in the appropriate columns of your data
table 2.
Data Table 2: Create table to record lab data on paper, the final data table will be created with excel
Graph 2: Create with excel
Bubble Lab Write-up Grading
Purpose (1 pts)
Background (5 pts)
Hypothesis 1 (1 pts)
Data Table 1 (4 pts) – imported from excel
Graph 1 (5 pts) - imported from excel
Hypothesis 2 (1 pts)
Data Table 2 (4 pts) – imported from excel
Graph 2 (5 pts) – imported from excel
Conclusion (10 pts)
Total points – 36
Must be typed