demonstrations:dry_ice_bubble_tower

Dry Ice Bubble Tower

Materials: ★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely

Categories: Dry Ice

Alternative titles:

Summary

When dry ice is added to a soapy water solution in a tall cylinder, bubbles filled with fog stack on top of each other, creating a snake-like tower that spills over the sides.

Procedure

  1. Put on cotton or insulated gloves before handling dry ice.
  2. Add a few drops of food coloring to a transparent measuring cylinder.
  3. Fill the cylinder halfway with warm water and add a squirt of dish soap.
  4. Drop a small piece of dry ice into the cylinder.
  5. Watch as bubbles rise and stack into a foamy tower that spills out.

Dry Ice Soap Tower Bubbles - Yucky Science:


📄 Dry Ice Bubble Tower - RonyesTech: https://www.ronyestech.com/2020/05/dry-ice-bubble-tower-dry-ice-experiments.html

Variations

  • Try different amounts of soap to see how it changes the height of the bubble tower.
  • Use different temperatures of water.
  • Use different container shapes (wide, tall, conical flask) and compare results.
  • Add multiple colors of food coloring for a rainbow bubble effect.

Safety Precautions

  • Always use adult supervision with dry ice.
  • Handle dry ice with gloves or tongs to avoid frostbite.
  • Keep dry ice out of the mouth - never ingest it.
  • Work in a ventilated space to prevent buildup of carbon dioxide gas.
  • Dispose of leftover liquid by pouring it safely down the sink once the dry ice is gone.

Questions to Consider

  • Why does the bubble tower form instead of just fog?
  • How does the amount of soap affect the bubbles produced?
  • What role does sublimation play in creating the fog inside the bubbles?
  • Would the experiment work the same with cold water instead of warm water?