Bubble Room

What's Happening

In the bubble room, visitors learn about airflow, surface tension, geometric shapes, and color. Some of the fun, interactive components of the bubble room include bubble tables with wands, geometric bubble shapes, a plumber’s table, a bubble wall, and a bubble hoop in which visitors can surround themselves in a giant bubble!

Discovery Question & Experiments

Try This

Pull on the cord of the bubble hoop and surround yourself in a giant bubble. Blow on the surface of the bubble. How does airflow affect the bubble?

Try This

Surface tension holds a bubble together like rubber holds a balloon together. Poke at some bubbles on the bubble table. What makes the bubbles pop? Do they bend?

Try This

Bubbles are naturally shaped as spheres. Try making bubbles using different shaped wands: stars, squares, triangles, & circles. Does the shape of the wand change the shape of the bubble? Next, find our geometric bubble shape table. Guess which shape each bubble frame will make. Then, pop one bubble wall at a time. How does the shape change?

Try This

Show your friends that you are a "pop predictor"!

1. Blow a bubble and watch the top of the bubble closely. When a black band begins to form on top of the bubble, announce that it is ready to pop!

2. Give another demonstration. Blow several bubbles, and tell your friends which bubble will pop first. Watch their amazement!

Behind the magic: The bubble wall becomes thinner before it pops. Less light is being reflected, so a black band forms on top of the bubble right before it pops.

Create Something

At Home

Make your own bubble wands:

Form different shapes with vinyl-coated wire by twisting and connecting the ends.

Or use:

- Plastic hangers.
- Green plastic fruit baskets (like the ones in which you buy strawberries).
- Your hands by touching your index fingers and thumbs together to form a circle.

A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village Bubble Recipe

- 10 cups water
- 1 cup dishwashing liquid (we use Lemon Joy or Dawn)
- 4T. glycerine (optional, but highly recommended)

Academic Concepts

Mathematics - Geometry - Science - Physical Science