Tuesday, October 27, 2020
As part of Spooktacular Science 2020, Penn State Altoona presents Elephant Toothpaste!
Instructions
Expect to see lots of bubbles and foam! These are created from the quick breakdown of hydrogen peroxide as it turns into oxygen and water. Why did this happen so quickly? Adding yeast was the catalyst that speeds up the reaction and breaks down the hydrogen peroxide. Pretty exciting right? The dish soap traps the oxygen gas and creates all the fun foam!
Materials
- A clean plastic soda bottle or a water bottle
- 3% hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tbsp of dry yeast combined with 3 tbsp of warm water in a cup
- Food coloring
- 1/2 cup measuring cup, 1 tbsp measuring spoon, a funnel, and a tray
- Safety goggles and adult help
- We recommend this experiment be done OUTSIDE or on a wipeable surface on a tray.
Procedure
- Using the funnel pour 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bottle, plus a few drops of food coloring (the color is optional).
- Add about 1 tbsp of liquid dish soap to the bottle and swirl.
- In a separate small cup, combine the warm water and the yeast together, and mix for about 30 seconds.
- Using the rinsed funnel, pour the yeast solution into the bottle. Watch all the foam!