Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1993 08:16:16 -1000 From: Colin_Douthwaite@equinox.gen.nz (Colin Douthwaite) Message-Id: Organization: Equinox Networks Subject: Bubble Mixtures Re: BUBBLE MIXTURES For readers who are doing serious experimental work on Bubble Mixtures I am re-posting items from a Science newsgroup on this topic. Anyone been successful in attaching a towline to a bubble yet ? ----------------------- Postings on Bubble Mixtures --------------- Subject: Re: recipe for soap bubbles wanted From: jordan@inland.com Date: 30 Jun 93 07:20:41 CST Organization: Inland Steel Company; East Chicago, IN In article <93181.123922ACIARLO@ESRIN.BITNET>, writes: > Does anybody have a recipe for soap bubbles which does not require > difficult to find components? Thanks in advance. > A. Ciarlo (ACIARLO@ESRIN.BITNET) This is the recipe my wife uses to make soap bubbles for the kids to blow around outside and in the bathtub. When it is fresh, the solution can make some pretty large bubbles. After it has aged a while (usually, the kids forget to close the container) it seems to be slightly less effective. I hope it works for you. 1 cup liquid dishwashing detergent (Joy or Dawn works for us) 2 cups warm water 3 tablespoons glycerin (available at most pharmacies) one half teaspoon sugar mix store in airtight container. Don Jordan JORDAN@INLAND.COM Subject: Re: recipe wanted for soap bubbles From: jmichael@vnet.IBM.COM Date: Wed, 30 Jun 93 10:05:01 EDT 3 parts water to 1 part Ivory dish soap. Makes giant bubbles. Have fun. Subject: Re: recipe wanted for soap bubbles From: sdb@redbeard.physics.fsu.edu (Scott D. Berry) Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 18:05:16 GMT Organization: Florida State University In article <19930630.071116.565@almaden.ibm.com> jmichael@vnet.IBM.COM writes: >3 parts water to 1 part Ivory dish soap. Makes giant bubbles. >Have fun. My giant bubble blowing apparatus book says: 1 cup Dawn/Joy 10 cups water (optional/useful) 3-5 tablespoons glycerine It works great in summer Florida humidity even without the glycerine Scott D. Berry Assistant Professor of Physics Florida State University 315 Keen Bldg, B-159, Tallahassee, FL 32306-3016 (904) 644-1218 INTERNET: berry@redbeard.physics.fsu.edu BITNET: berry@fsu -------------------------------------------------------------------- Colin Douthwaite New Zealand 12/7/93 Email address: colin_douthwaite@equinox.gen.nz = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 18 Jun 1995 13:32:59 -1000 From: Colin_Douthwaite@equinox.gen.nz (Colin Douthwaite) Message-Id: <3s2d3b$ina@southern.co.nz> Organization: Southern InterNet Services Subject: Bubble Mixtures " I'm forever blowing bubbles Pretty bubbles in the air. They fly so high Up into the sky Then like your dreams they fade and die. " ======================= Postings on Bubble Mixtures =================== Subject: Re: recipe for soap bubbles wanted From: jordan@inland.com Date: 30 Jun 93 07:20:41 CST Organization: Inland Steel Company; East Chicago, IN In article <93181.123922ACIARLO@ESRIN.BITNET>, writes: > Does anybody have a recipe for soap bubbles which does not require > difficult to find components? Thanks in advance. > A. Ciarlo (ACIARLO@ESRIN.BITNET) This is the recipe my wife uses to make soap bubbles for the kids to blow around outside and in the bathtub. When it is fresh, the solution can make some pretty large bubbles. After it has aged a while (usually, the kids forget to close the container) it seems to be slightly less effective. I hope it works for you. 1 cup liquid dishwashing detergent (Joy or Dawn works for us) 2 cups warm water 3 tablespoons glycerin (available at most pharmacies) one half teaspoon sugar mix store in airtight container. Don Jordan JORDAN@INLAND.COM -------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: recipe wanted for soap bubbles From: jmichael@vnet.IBM.COM Date: Wed, 30 Jun 93 10:05:01 EDT 3 parts water to 1 part Ivory dish soap. Makes giant bubbles. Have fun. Subject: Re: recipe wanted for soap bubbles From: sdb@redbeard.physics.fsu.edu (Scott D. Berry) Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 18:05:16 GMT Organization: Florida State University In article <19930630.071116.565@almaden.ibm.com> jmichael@vnet.IBM.COM writes: >3 parts water to 1 part Ivory dish soap. Makes giant bubbles. >Have fun. My giant bubble blowing apparatus book says: 1 cup Dawn/Joy 10 cups water (optional/useful) 3-5 tablespoons glycerine It works great in summer Florida humidity even without the glycerine Scott D. Berry Assistant Professor of Physics Florida State University 315 Keen Bldg, B-159, Tallahassee, FL 32306-3016 (904) 644-1218 INTERNET: berry@redbeard.physics.fsu.edu BITNET: berry@fsu -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Edward William Matthews Subject: Re: Soap Bubbles; whats the best recipe ? Date: Fri, 28 Oct 1994 22:00:33 -0700 I don't have the article, but 1/3 glycerin + 1/3 dishwasher soap +1/3 water works very well. You may try less water, which is there only to dilute the others. These last fairly long, but may not be exactly what you're looking for. Ed Matthews ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: xx975@lafn.org (Moderator) Subject: Re: Soap Bubbles; whats the best recipe ? Date: Sun, 30 Oct 1994 08:38:08 GMT In a previous article, hahn@newshost.lds.loral.com (Karl Hahn) says: >In article simonc@bri.hp.com (Simon Chandler) writes: > The Exploratorium in San Francisco recommends using dishwashing > detergent (I think they recommend Dawn and Joy brands), distilled > water, and a bit of glycerol. I don't have the exact recipe with > me, but I'll try to get it for Monday. The recipe for soap bubbles depends upon what you need the soap bubbles for. I use Dawn dishwashing detergent. However, my students have tried several combinations of this detergent with Karo corn syrup or a small amount of glycerin. Try different combinations. By the way, the longer you store your soap bubble mixture, the better its performance. HTH Z.M. Evensen ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ara@zurich.ai.mit.edu (Allan Adler) Subject: Re: Soap Bubbles; whats the best recipe ? Date: 30 Oct 94 19:11:08 Organization: M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Lab. There is a wonderful book by C.V.Boys on soap bubbles, published by Dover. It mentions among other things how to make soap bubbles that last for 20 years. Allan Adler ara@altdorf.ai.mit.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: zowie@banneker.stanford.edu (Craig DeForest) Subject: Re: soap bubbles Date: 13 May 1995 21:20:49 GMT Organization: Stanford University george farrants (m-10537@mailbox.swipnet.se) wrote: : Does anyone have a good recipe for soap bubble solution? : Does anyone know why the solution you can buy in toy shops : works so much better than washing-up liquid solution made : at home? What is the optimal concentration of washing-up : liquid? Glycerine is the magic ingredient. The washing-up liquid lowers the surface tension to the point that bubbles are possible; the glycerine strengthens the structure somehow. I seem to recall a recipe that went something like "1 gal water, 1/2 c. Dawn dishwashing soap (use your favorite brand, though Dawn does seem to work well), 1 tbsp glycerine". In nice SI units, that's "4 l water, 100 ml detergent, 15 ml glycerine". This was to make absolutely huge bubbles using large (~ 30 cm) loops of wire. I guess the best way to go really is empirical: you can make small batches and test each one. Good way to get the kids used to the Scientific Method, too! Cheers! ========================================================================== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =