There's a fad out there that's been hitting "Tweens" and "Teens" and creating a serious shortage. Kids all over are emptying store shelves of Elmer's Glue™ to make a concoction they have dubbed "Slime." It has the consistency of Silly Putty™ and is just fun to handle and mold.
Here is a recipe from Google that shows how easy it is to make. Color is up to the maker and additives can range from glitter to small amounts of colored sand.. Be sure to protect the work surface because food color and some additives may stain.
Supplies:
Directions:
The science of it, from .homesciencetools.com tells us what happened:
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a liquid polymer and is therefore formed from long chains of connected molecules. The sodium tetraborate forms hydrogen bonds with oxygen present in the PVA chains. Hydrogen bonds occur when the positive charge of the hydrogen atoms attracts the negative charge of the oxygen atoms within the compound. The hydrogen bonds link the individual PVA strands to each other, creating a “blob” of slime. Since hydrogen bonds are weak, they will break and reform as you hold the slime or let it ooze onto a flat surface.
Image: Green slime - clipartpanda.com
Here is a recipe from Google that shows how easy it is to make. Color is up to the maker and additives can range from glitter to small amounts of colored sand.. Be sure to protect the work surface because food color and some additives may stain.
Supplies:
- School glue
- Borax (Sodium tetraborate)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Water
- Two bowls
Directions:
- In one bowl mix 1/2 cup (4 oz) glue and 1/2 cup water.
- Add food coloring if you want colored slime.
- In the other bowl, mix 1 teaspoon borax with 1 cup water until the borax is dissolved.
- Add the glue mixture to the borax solution, stirring slowly. The slime will begin to form immediately.
- Stir as much as you can, then dig in and knead it with your hands until it gets less sticky. (This is a messy experience but is necessary because it allows the two compounds to bond completely. Don't worry about any leftover water in the bowl; just pour it out.)
- Your slime will last longer if you seal it in a plastic bag and keep it in the fridge, otherwise it will dry out or mold.
The science of it, from .homesciencetools.com tells us what happened:
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a liquid polymer and is therefore formed from long chains of connected molecules. The sodium tetraborate forms hydrogen bonds with oxygen present in the PVA chains. Hydrogen bonds occur when the positive charge of the hydrogen atoms attracts the negative charge of the oxygen atoms within the compound. The hydrogen bonds link the individual PVA strands to each other, creating a “blob” of slime. Since hydrogen bonds are weak, they will break and reform as you hold the slime or let it ooze onto a flat surface.
Image: Green slime - clipartpanda.com