The ol’ Scared Pepper Experiment
Posted By RichC on November 29, 2006
My son came home and demonstrated the “scared pepper” — surface tension of water experiment today. I’m not sure I fully understand the ‘science’ behind the dish washing soap and water, but from an offset printing background we depend on surface tension and even enhance it with isopropyl alcohol or a substitute to dampen aluminum and polymer printing plates. As I recall, the molecular bond on the surface of water is like a very thin skin … visualize it like the bubbles you blow. When the soap hits the “bubble,” it bursts and takes the pepper with it. Whatever happens, it just another one of those interesting school experiments.
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