Title:Halloweenslime

CaliforniaStandards:Matteranditsinteractions
K2PS14MatterandItsInteractions:
Constructanargumentwithevidencethatsome
changescausedbyheatingorcoolingcanbereversedandsomecannot.Anexampleofa
irreversiblechangeiscookinganegg.Thislabwouldbeevidenceofanirreversiblechange.
5PS12MatterandItsInteractions:
Measureandgraphquantitiestoprovideevidencethat
regardlessofthetypeofchangethatoccurswhenheating,coolingormixingsubstances,the
totalweightofthematterisconserved.
MSPS13MatterandItsInteractions:
Analyzeandinterpretdataonthepropertiesof
substancesbeforeandafterthesubstancesinteracttodetermineifachemicalreactionhas
occurred.Ex:burningsugarorsteelwool.Thislabwouldprovideevidenceanddataforan
observablechemicalreaction,bychangingaliquidgluetoasolidstate.

Purpose:
Todiscoverwhatchemicalreactionsoccurwhilemakingslime.
Tomodelhowachemicalreactionhasreactantsandproducts
Todemonstrateandshowthedifferencesbetweenchemicalandphysicalchanges
Toobserveandrecordchangesinmatteraswetakesolidsandliquidsandcreateasemisolid

Question:
Howdotwoliquidsformasolidorsemisolid?Whatobservationswillindicatethata
chemicalreactionistakingplace?Whatobservationswillindicatethataphysicalreactionis
takingplace?

Introduction:
Howareyougoingtoengagetheaudience.
Ex.
Whatdoyouneedtomakeslime?!Onepartneraskquestionsotherpartnerwriteonposter/
whiteboard.

Hypothesis:
IFwemixglueandsoapTHENwewillmakeslime
BECAUSEsoapcausesthechemicalbondsintheglue(protein)tochangeshapeandforma
semisolidinsteadofaliquid

PreLab:
Whatgoesintomakingsillyputty?(REACTANTS)glue,borax,talc,water(allliquids,or
solidspowder)
Whatcomesoutofmakingsillyputty?(PRODUCTS)sillyputty(asemisolid)
(seelast3pagesforgradeappropriateinstructions)
1. Cornerofgluemarkwithsharpie,thisvolumeshouldbe20mL
2. Addfooddye45drops
3. 20mlBoraxsolution
4. 1.0gTalc(babypowder)
5. doublebagitandcheckseal
6. Squish

7. Patwithpapertowelonaplatewithaluminumfoil
8. Record/Writeobservation
9. Observationstudentsshouldnoticethatthebaggetswarm,thisisanindicationthata
chemicalchangeisoccurring.Thecolorchangeofthefooddyeisaphysicalchange
notchemical

AdvancedBackgroundinformation:
Moleculesare2ormoreelements,likewaterandaminoacids,(thesubunitsthatmakeup
proteinsarecalledmonomers.monomersareunitsofonemoleculetype).Polymersare3or
moremonomerslinkedtogether.Theglueismadeupofmanymonomersthatcreatealong
polymerthatflowslikealiquid.WhenyouaddapHchange(soapisabase,pHofboraxis8)
tothispolymeritchangestheshapeofthechemicalbondsholdingthepolymertogether.The
polymerwillchangeshapeduetothepHchangesthatcauseschemicalbondsinthetheglueto
bebrokenandthenreform.Thisbreakingofchemicalbondsreleaseheat(exothermicreaction
thisistheheatthatyouwillfeelfromyourreactionintheplasticbag)WhatresultsisMORE
chemicalbondsinthepolymer(crosslinking)thatcreateadifferentstateofmatter(semisolid).
Thesecrosslinksareweaksothatthesillyputtycanactanddisplaycharacteristicsofbotha
solidandaliquid.
Morechemicalbondscrosslinkingthepolymer
Glueatstart
GlueGlueGlueGlueGlueGlueGlue=Liquid
GluewithBorax
crosslinkingoccursandheatleavesthechemicalreaction
GlueGlueGlue(changesshapeduetoanincreaseinpHbecauseoftheverystrong
soap)=SemiSolid

Analysis:
Makealistofyourobservations
Makealistofyourinferences
Howdoesyourevidence(data)collectedinlabsupporttheclaimthatIFwemixglueandsoap
THENwewillmakeslimeBECAUSEsoapcausesthechemicalbondsintheglue(protein)to
changeshapeandformasemisolidinsteadofaliquid.Giveoneexampleofevidenceand
explainWHYthisevidenceworkstosupportthisclaim.(K2PS14)
Interpretyourdatabeforeandaftertodetermineifachemicalreactionhasoccurred.
(MSPS12)
Whatisthedifferencebetweenachemicalchangeandaphysicalchange?
Calculatetheindividualweightofyouringredients(reactants)beforeyoumixthemtogether.A
theendyourfinalproductneedstobeweighed.Whatistheweightofyourfinalproduct?
(5PS12)

FortheK2grades

HalloweenSlime(AKASillyPutty)Lab

SafetyandPrecautions:
Fooddyecanstainclothing,Boraxisabase(soapwithapHof8)itisNONEDIBLE,youMUST
WEARGOGGLESwhilehandlingthis,talcisafinepowder&shouldnotbeinhaled.

Instructions:
Station1:Premarkedplasticbag,take1,fillwithgluetoblacklineincorner.Placethisbag
into
asecondplasticbag
Station2:Add4dropsoffoodcoloring
Station3:1smallscoopof(talc)babypowder
Station4:20mLofBoraxSolution(soapforwashingmachine).YouMUSTWEARGOGGLES
ONEYESatthisstation.SealBOTHbags.
Station5:Squishslimemixturewithhands.Makeobservationsaboutthetexture,thecolorand
isthemixturegettingwarmerorcolder?Writetheseobservationsonthelist.Squishuntil
mixturefeelsfirm,checkwithteacherifunsure.
Station6:Openbothplasticbags,takeoutslime,placeonwaxpaperandpatmixturewith
papertoweltoremoveexcessfluid.Throwoutplasticbagthatslimewasin,keepouterplastic
bagandplaceyoursillyputtyinthecleanouterbag.

AnalysisQuestions:

1.

PlayTime!Observeyoursillyputty!
2.

Glueisitasolid,liquidoragas?TheBoraxsolution,isitasolid,liquidoragas?
3.

Sillyputty,isitasolid,liquidorsemisolid?
4.

Explain2waysthatyoumeasuredingredients(reactants)forthislab
5.

Didyounoticeanychangesthattookplacefromtheingredientsthatyoustartedwith
comparedtotheproductthatyouendedwith?
6.

Makealistofthesechanges.
7.

Didyounoticethemixturegettingwarmer?Thisincreaseinheatwasduetoachemical
reactionoccurringbetweenthegluemoleculesandthesoapmoleculesastheyinteractedtogo
fromtheliquidstatetothesemisolidstate.

Forgrades36,setupof4stationstoaccommodate5or6students

HalloweenSlime(AKASillyPutty)Lab

SafetyandPrecautions:
Fooddyecanstainclothing,Boraxisabase(soapwithapHof8)itisNONEDIBLE,youMUST
WEARGOGGLESwhilehandlingthis,talcisafinepowder&shouldnotbeinhaled.

StudentLabtables:
Atyourstationyouwillfindthefollowingmaterials:
Foodcoloring,gluebottle(1gluebottletobesharedby23students),prelabeledplasticbag,
nonlabeledplasticbag,boraxsolutioninaglassbeaker,1glassgraduatedcylinder,waxpaper
sheet,papertowel.

Teacherlabtable:
Atthefrontoftheroomyouwillfindthestationtomeasureouttalc.Be
suretomeasureingrams(g).Tostart,zerothebalancewithemptypapertowel.ONLYplace
papertowelandtalconscalesoyoudoNOToverexceedtheweightlimitandbreakthe
balance.

Instructions:
Step1:
Premarkedplasticbag,take1,fillwithgluetoblacklineincorner.Placethisbag
into
asecondplasticbag
Step2:
Add4dropsoffoodcoloring,sealbothbags.
Step3:
Add1.0gramsof(talc)babypowdertoyourinnerplasticbagwiththeglue.GOtothe
TEACHERLABSTATIONtogetthis.
Step4:
20mLofBoraxSolution(soapforwashingmachine).YouMUSTWEARGOGGLES
ONEYESatthisstation.SealBOTHbags.
Step5:
Squishslimemixturewithhands.Makeobservationsaboutthetexture,thecolorandis
themixturegettingwarmerorcolder?Writetheseobservationsonthelist.Squishuntilmixture
feelsfirm,checkwithteacherifunsure.
Step6:
Openbothplasticbags,takeoutslime,placeonwaxpaperandpatmixturewithpaper
toweltoremoveexcessfluid.Throwoutplasticbagthatslimewasin,keepouterplasticbag
andplaceyoursillyputtyinthecleanouterbag.
Step7
:Cleanup,leavethestationasyoufounditorinbettercondition.Throwoutwaxpaper,
papertowel,usedplasticbag.Allotheritemsplaceinthemiddleofthelabstation.Raiseyou
handandwaitfortheteachertoexcuseyou.Answeryouranalysisquestionswhileyouare
waiting.

AnalysisQuestions:
Answerusingcompletesentences.

1.

Observeyoursillyputty,makealistof5observationsthatyouhadduringthelabwhile
makingyourslime.

2.

Glueisitasolid,liquidoragas?TheBoraxsolution,isitasolid,liquidoragas?

3.

Sillyputty,isitasolid,liquidorsemisolid?Whatevidencedoyouhaveforthis?

4.

Explain2waysthatyoumeasuredingredients(reactants)forthislab.

5.

Didyounoticeanychangesthattookplacefromthereactantsthatyoustartedwith
comparedtotheproductthatyouendedwith?

6.

Makealistofthesechangesthattookplace.

7.

Didyounoticethemixturegettingwarmer?Thisincreaseinheatwasduetoachemical
reactionoccurringbetweenthegluemoleculesandthesoapmoleculesastheyinteractedtogo
fromtheliquidstatetothesemisolidstate.

8.

Whatisthedifferencebetweenaphysicalandachemicalchanges?Whatphysicaland
chemicalchangesoccurredintheprocessofthislab?