2A10.40 - Surface Tension - Lycopodium Powder

Code Number:
2A10.40
Demo Title:
Surface Tension - Lycopodium Powder
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
Surface Tension
Area of Study:
Heat & Fluids

Disclaimer

Equipment:
Evaporating Dish, Lycopodium Powder, Toothpick, and Liquid Soap.
Procedure:

Spread a light film of Lycopodium powder over the surface of the water.  Place a drop of liquid soap on a toothpick and touch to the center.  The Lycopodium powder will seem to draw away from the toothpick to the edges of the dish.

References:
  • Renate J. Ondris-Crawford and Lisa R. Hilliard, "It's All on the Surface", TPT, Vol. 35, #1, Feb. 1997, p. 100.
  • Tingjun Ma, "Demonstrating Surface Tension of a Liquid", TPT, Vol. 32, #7, Oct. 1994, p. 410.
  • Martin Gardner, "The Gorilla Effect", TPT, Vol. 31, #3, Mar. 1993, p. 167.
  • James P. Louviere, "Pseudo-Decision Making by Styrofoam Crumbs", TPT, Vol. 23, #6, Sept. 1985, p. 362.
  • "F-330. Sieve Bucket - Float Needle", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
  • Jearl Walker, "2.153, Olive-Oil Fingers on Talc-Covered Water", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 146.
  • Charles Vivian, "Sugar Attracts Water, Soap Repels Water", Science Experiments & Amusements For Children, p. 58.
  • Martin Gardner, "The Gorilla Effect", Science Tricks, p. 8.
  • Vicki Cobb and Kathy Darling, "Dry Cleaning", Bet You Can!, p. 69.
  • Borislaw Bilash II and David Maiullo, "Walking on Water", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 182.
  • Robert J. Brown, "Wetter Water", 333 Science Tricks & Experiments, p. 71.
  • Robert Ehrlich, "H.18. Pepper on a Water Surface", Turning the World Inside Out and 174 Other Simple Physics Demonstrations, p. 111 - 112.
  • Bobby Mercer, "Scared Pepper", Junk Drawer Chemistry, 2016, p. 34 - 35.
  • W. Bolton, "8. Detergents", Book 1 - Properties of Materials, Physics Experiments and Projects, 1968, p. 67 - 68.
  • W. Bolton, "22. Wetting Agents", Book 1 - Properties of Materials, Physics Experiments and Projects, 1968, p. 22.
  • Tik L. Liem, "The Funny Toothpicks", Invitations to Science Inquiry - Supplement to 1st and 2nd Ed. p. 43.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, “Comparing Surface Tension“, A Demo A Day – A Year of Physical Science Demonstrations, p. 103.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.