Playing with dry ice is fun and also a great way to explore the states of matter!
CAUTION: Do not touch dry ice with your bare hands; always wear protective gloves when handling.
You will need:
dry ice
small bowl or cup with a smooth rim
water
dish soap
paper towel or small rag
To make a giant smoke filled dome, place a small piece of dry ice and some water in a small bowl or cup. Make sure the bowl or cup, has a smooth rim.
Dip a rag or paper towel in a soapy mixture, then slowly and evenly slide the rag across the top of the rim, creating a film. The film will rise into a bubble dome over the smoke.
This takes some practice – keep trying! If the bubble pops too soon, slow down the vapor production by using less dry ice or cooler water.
Here’s a challenge: Can you make a dry ice bubble using your hand instead of the rag?
What’s Happening?
Dry ice is not the same as “ice”. Ice is solid, frozen water (H2O). Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO2). When it warms, carbon dioxide sublimates – it goes directly from a solid to a gas without becoming liquid first.
