Alexandra+E14

= DETERMINING HOW AIR TEMPERATURE THAT SOAP BUBBLES ARE BLOWN WITH AFFECTS HOW LONG THE BUBBLES LAST = Alexandra E 2013-2014

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this experiment was to determine how the air temperature that soap bubbles are blown with affects how long the bubbles last. It was hypothesized that the bubbles blown with cold air would last longest because the air molecules move slower and bounce lighter against the bubbles’ soap film; causing them to pop later than if they were blown with hot air. To begin the experiment, a bubble wand was dipped into the bubble mix and held one decimeter away from the vent of the hair dryer. The hair dryer was turned on to the air temperature being tested and bubbles were blown. The time from when the first bubble was blown to when the final bubble popped was recorded in seconds using a stopwatch. Three trials were performed for each air temperature and the average times taken for each set of bubbles was calculated. In the end, the hypothesis was confirmed. The bubbles blown with cold air lasted the maximum amount of time, lasting an average of 19.15 seconds before popping. The bubbles blown with hot air lasted the minimum amount of time, lasting an average of 9.86 seconds before popping. In the middle were the bubbles blown with warm air, with the bubbles lasting an average of 15.35 seconds before popping. For the second experiment performed, the purpose was to determine whether the air force level that soap bubbles are blown with affects how long they last. The bubbles blown with low air force lasted an average of 15.98 seconds before popping and the bubbles blown with low air force lasted an average of 12.85 seconds before popping, thus showing that soap bubbles blown with low air force last longer before popping than if blown with high air force. The purpose of the third experiment performed was to determine whether heating up the bubble mixture that soap bubbles are blown with affects how long the bubbles last. The bubbles blown at room temperature, 21.4o C, lasted an average of 12.56 seconds. The bubbles blown with bubble mixture heated to a temperature of 67.5o C lasted an average of 11.62 seconds, and the bubbles blown with bubble mixture heated to a temperature of 88.5o C lasted an average of 9.42 seconds before popping. The results showed that bubbles blown with unheated bubble mixture last longer before popping than bubbles blown with bubbles mixture that has been heated.

EXPERIMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND FUTURE EXPERIMENTS
The experiments could be improved by using a protractor to measure the angle at which the bubbles were blown into the air. A future experiment that could be performed could be to test how the placement of the hair dryer in relationship to the bubble wand affects how long the bubbles blown last. The hair dryer could be held 10 centimeters, 15 centimeters, and 20 centimeters away from the bubble wand and the time taken for the bubbles blown to pop could be recorded in seconds and averaged. In addition, an experiment could be performed in which the bubble mixture’s temperature could be lowered. The bubble mix could be poured into three different beakers and placed in a refrigerator overnight and in a freezer for different amounts of time. The temperature of the bubble mixture would be measured and bubbles would be blown using the hair dryer, with the wand at the same distance away from the vent. The time taken for the bubbles to pop would be recorded and averaged, and the relationship between the bubble mixture temperature and the time the bubbles lasted would be discovered. A future experiment that could be performed could be to test how the placement of the hair dryer in relationship to the bubble wand affects how long the bubbles blown last. The hair dryer could be held 10 centimeters, 15 centimeters, and 20 centimeters away from the bubble wand and the time taken for the bubbles blown to pop could be recorded in seconds and averaged. In addition, an experiment could be performed in which the bubble mixture’s temperature could be lowered. The bubble mix could be poured into three different beakers and placed in a refrigerator overnight and in a freezer for different amounts of time. The temperature of the bubble mixture would be measured and bubbles would be blown using the hair dryer, with the wand at the same distance away from the vent. The time taken for the bubbles to pop would be recorded and averaged, and the relationship between the bubble mixture temperature and the time the bubbles lasted would be discovered.

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