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...
- 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...
Full Answer
How do you make dry ice bubble?
To make dry ice start to bubble and smoke, drop pieces of the ice in a large pot that's half full of warm water. Wear gloves when you're handling the dry ice, because it's so cold that it can damage your skin. Add more dry ice chunks every 15-20 minutes to keep the vapor rolling.
How do you make smoking bubbles?
Here are the materials you will need to make smoking bubbles like ours: 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.
How do you make dry ice smoke?
Dry ice smoke is simple to make at home, but just be sure to wear protection when you handle the ice since it is extremely cold! To make dry ice start to bubble and smoke, drop pieces of the ice in a large pot that's half full of warm water. Wear gloves when you're handling the dry ice, because it's so cold that it can damage your skin.
How do you make Outdoor smoke at home?
Put dry ice in a heated pool or hot tub to make outdoor smoke. Drop 50 pounds (23 kg) of dry ice into the water of a heated pool or jacuzzi when your event is about to start. The dry ice and the heat from the water will keep producing smoke for 1-2 hours depending on the temperature and the size of the chunks.
Let's Try It
Fill your graduated cylinder half-full with warm water. If you don’t have a graduated cylinder laying around, you can use something similar, like a flower vase or another tall, narrow container.
How Does It Work
When you add dry ice to warm water, you immediately see the dry ice begin to bubble and create fog within the container. This “smoking” effect is directly caused by the rapid warming of the dry ice.
Take It Further
Try adding some fun effects or adjusting ingredients to your smoking bubbles…
Science Fair Connection
Creating a smoking bubble is pretty cool, but it isn’t a science fair project. You can create a science fair project by identifying a variable, or something that changes, in this experiment. Let’s take a look at some of the vari- able options that might work:
Expert Q&A
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Warnings
Smoking cigarettes is a harmful addiction. No one should pursue this method if they aren’t already addicted to cigarettes.
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Smoking Bubbles Video
With the below video to see the smoking bubbles in action before learning how to do the experiment yourself:
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:
Experiment
The Dry Ice Bubble Generator is available as a kit (called the Boo Bubbles Kit) from Steve Spangler Science. It’s a no-hassle option for the person who wants to get started immediately and includes all the materials you need to create amazing dry ice bubbles.
How Does It Work
When blowing bubbles indoors, you may have noticed the occasional bubble that fell to the carpet but didn’t pop. Regular bubbles burst when they come into contact with just about anything. Why? A bubble’s worst enemies are oil and dirt.
Take It Further
This Boo Bubble variation happened accidentally at Steve Spangler Science. Now it’s a must-do whenever you play with Boo Bubbles! A bath towel was stretched out on the table in an effort to make the soapy cleanup just a little easier.
Science Fair Connection
Love science experiments? Sign up for the Steve Spangler Science Club and we’ll send you a everything you need to perform an awesome experiment in your very own home every month.
Safety Information
NOTE: Whenever you use dry ice, always be aware of the rules for handling it safely:
What It Dry Ice?
Remember that dry ice is not frozen water, it’s frozen carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Unlike most solids, dry ice does not melt into a liquid as its temperature rises. Instead, it changes directly into a gas. This process is called sublimation. The temperature of dry ice is -109.3°F (-78.5°C).
Boo Bubbles and More!
Can’t get enough of dry ice bubble experiments? Don’t miss our other super-fun dry ice activities that are great for learning about chemical reactions and sublimation. We’ve compiled some great dry ice ideas that can be performed at home or in the classroom. These ideas are also great for Halloween party activities and some atmospheric fun.
Dry Ice Bubble Experiment
Mix 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of liquid dish soap with one tablespoon water in a plastic cup.
Dry Ice Boo Bubbles
You can make exciting boo bubbles using a dry ice boo bubble machine. They are ghostly, vapor-filled, bouncing and touchable. However, you can also create them manually. Here is the procedure.
Glowing Dry Ice Bubble
You can also make a glowing dry ice bubble. Put a waterproof flashlight in the bowl containing dry ice and watch its light shine through the dense fog. Follow the process above of creating the bubble before turning off the lights to exude an eerie glow from it.
Safety Notes
Dry ice is dangerous and should only be handled by an adult. If touched, it can cause severe burns. If enclosed in an air-tight container, it can also cause the container to pop open unexpectedly.
Instructions
Cut a hole in the side of the plastic tub that is just slightly smaller than your tubing, about 1/3 of the way down from the top.