Frozen bubbles

Learning to make frozen bubbles

Winter 2017-18...has started off as a cold one in the Northeastern U.S.! In Syracuse we have had a lot of lake-effect snow. Although many people don't realize it, the warming climate is likely to increase the frequency of this phenomenon.

So, what to do when it's this cold and snowy? The obvious answer: have fun!

We learned how to make frozen bubbles. Basically, you add a thickener and sugar to the usual dish soap mix. This makes the bubbles a little tougher, and the sugar helps the crystals form. I've pasted in the recipe below, with a few modifications from the source.

You can see the small crystals starting to form in the bubble above

Blowing frozen bubbles 2 good.mp4.mp4

Here is a recipe for frozen bubbles, from Popular Science (modified slightly):

Tools + Materials:

· Bowl and spoon

· 200 milliliters warm water (to dissolve the ingredients)

· 35 ml (about 2.5 tablespoons) corn syrup (for thickness)

· 35 ml dish soap (for bubble formation)

· 2 tablespoons sugar (for crystallization)

· Plastic straws or a loop to make the bubbles

What to do:

· Mix the ingredients, then chill them down either by leaving outside if it’s cold enough, or put in the freezer for half an hour. Don’t let it get too cold and slushy. If that happens, bring it inside to warm up a bit.

· Take your straw or other bubbler device, dip into mixture, and start blowing bubbles. If the mixture is cold enough, the bubbles will start to form crystals. And if you are lucky, they will last a while! Most of them will burst quickly, so be patient!

Blowing frozen bubbles 1.mp4.mp4