Dry ice might be one of the coolest substances on earth. Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide frozen to -109.3 °F and it is mostly used as a cooling agent. It is so cold that it cannot be touched by hands or it can cause frostbite. The coolest thing about it is that when it melts, it turns into a gas and evaporates so there is no water left like regular ice. Did you know you can use it to make bubbles that appear to be filled with smoke? It’s true and it’s SUPER SIMPLE to do in this Smoking Bubbles Dry Ice Experiment!
We recently got some dry ice in a shipment of frozen pizzas. I was so excited to find that it had not all evaporated and there were a few pieces left in the box. I immediately closed the container to preserve the ice and got the other materials ready to make smoking bubbles!
Smoking Bubbles Video
With the below video to see the smoking bubbles in action before learning how to do the experiment yourself:
And don’t forget to check out my NEW book – Super Simple Science Experiments for Curious Kids is full of fun, simple, science experiments you can do at home with materials you already have around the house!
MATERIAL NEEDED FOR SMOKING BUBBLES DRY ICE EXPERIMENT:
Here are the materials you will need to make smoking bubbles like ours:
- Vase
- Water
- Dish soap
- Tongs
- Dry ice
HOW TO MAKE SMOKING BUBBLES:
- Start by filling the vase about 2/3 full of warm water.
- Add a squirt of dish soap to the water.
- Using the tongs, have an older child or adult carefully lift a piece of dry ice using only the tongs and drop it into the water and soap mixture. NOTE: Do not touch the dry ice or you can burn yourself!
- Watch as the dry ice bubbles in the water and soap bubbles start to form.
- Reach in and collect some bubbles. Pop them and see what happens. When the bubbles pop, smoke from the dry ice floats out of the bubbles creating a cool and creepy effect!
- When the bubbles stop forming add another piece of dry ice and watch the reaction happen all over again!
WHY IT HAPPENS:
The smoke or fog that forms is caused by the dry ice rapidly warming and is a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and water vapor. Instead of the smoke just floating out of the vase, adding soap causes the smoke to get trapped in the bubbles, creating a cool effect when the bubbles pop!
WHERE CAN I GET DRY ICE:
Dry ice can be purchased as most grocery stores or stores like Walmart and Costco.
MORE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS:
Looking for more fun and simple science experiments for kids? Check out some of our favorites below:
