Victoria's Bouncy Balls

Project #263 on iSENSEProject.org

OVERVIEW

Please describe your project in detail, so that other users can find it. If applicable, please specify what academic subject(s) the project relates to and which grade level(s) it is appropriate for. (E.g., In this project, students will collect water quality data from the Charles River. This is an earth science and biology project suitable for students in middle school and high school.)

PROCEDURE

1.)Label one cup 'Borax Solution' and the other cup 'Ball Mixture'. 2.)Pour 2 tablespoons warm water and 1/2 teaspoon borax powder into the cup labeled 'Borax Solution'. Stir the mixture to dissolve the borax. Add food coloring, if desired. 3.)Pour 1 tablespoon of glue into the cup labeled 'Ball Mixture'. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the borax solution you just made and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Do not stir. Allow the ingredients to interact on their own for 10-15 seconds and then stir them together to fully mix. Once the mixture becomes impossible to stir, take it out of the cup and start molding the ball with your hands. 4.)The ball will start out sticky and messy, but will solidify as you knead it. 5.)Once the ball is less sticky, go ahead and bounce it! 6.)You can store your plastic ball in a sealed ziploc bag when you are finished playing with it.

SOURCE

If the project contains an existing data set, please specify the source of the data, including a web link or bibliographical reference. (E.g., http://www.crwa.org/water_quality.html)