Squish it. Squash it. Mold it. Bounce it. In this week’s Saturday Science experiment, found on Science Kids, learn how to make Crazy Putty!
Materials
- 2 different size food storage containers.
- Water
- Food coloring
- White glue
- Borax solution (ratio of about 1 Tbsp of borax to a cup of water)
Process:
- Fill the bottom of the larger container with white glue.
- Add a few tablespoons of water and stir.
- Add 2 or 3 drops of your favorite food coloring and stir.
- Add a squirt of the borax solution (possibly a bit more depending on how much white glue you used).
- Stir the mixture up and put it into the smaller container.
- After some time, the mixture should have putty-like consistency.
- This is when you’re putty is ready to get a little crazy! Squish it between your fingers. Mold it into your favorite shape. Bounce it on the ground!
Summary
What made your crazy putty so CRAZY?! Two things: polyvinyl acetate, a polymer found in glue, and sodium borate, a chemical, found in Borax.According to Science Kids, when you combine the polymer and the chemical together in a water solution, their molecules react and join together as one giant molecule. Because this new compound is able to absorb large amounts of water, a crazy, putty-like substance is formed.
Want more Saturday Science? See all of our at-home activities on the blog or on Pinterest.