Slime

Concept: Polymers
Polymers are molecules made up of repeating chemical units that are strung together to form long chains. When cross-links are formed in a polymer, its chains of molecules are connected in several places, producing a stronger and more elastic polymer. Polymers are stretchable, pliable, and flexible.

Read Aloud: Crazy Concoctions by Jordan D. Brown

Ingredients:

      ·         ¼ cup Elmer's Glue

      ·         ¼ cup Water

      ·         ¼ cup Liquid Starch

      ·         Food Coloring

      ·         Ziploc Baggies

Demonstration:

      ·         Pour ¼ cup of Elmer's glue into the Ziploc baggie.

      ·         Pour ¼ cup of water into the Ziploc baggie.

      ·         Squish the Ziploc baggie to mix the glue and water together.

      ·         Add about 6 drops of food coloring.

      ·         Pour ¼ cup of liquid starch into the baggie.

      ·         Continue to squish and mix the slime until it is thick and stretchy.

Experiment:

·         How does varying the amount of each ingredient change the texture of the slime?

·         What happens to the slime if it is not stored in a Ziploc baggie?

Observations:

The glue is a liquid polymer. This means that the tiny molecules in the glue are in strands like a chain. When the liquid starch is added, the starch acts as a cross-linker that connects all the polymer strands together more tightly.