How to Make Elephant Toothpaste
Look around your home for all the available resources., Schedule enough time for setup, experiment, and cleanup., Contain the splash zone., Find the right amount of hydrogen peroxide., Mix 3 tablespoons of water with yeast and let sit., Add dish...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look around your home for all the available resources.
You don’t need to buy official lab equipment for this fun experiment as most of the supplies can be found at any home.
Create a list of what you have available to you and see what you can improvise if anything is missing.
For example, if you do not have 6% hydrogen peroxide, you can also use 3%. -
Step 2: Schedule enough time for setup
Remember that this can get messy so tell everyone involved that they have to pitch in for cleanup afterwards.
Allow enough time for everyone to participate and enjoy the experiment. , Experimenting with oozing foam can be fun at any age but it’s easy for kids to get carried away.
Whether you plan to conduct the experiment in the bathtub, out in the yard, or use a large baking pan or plastic bin, minimize cleanup by preparing a contained space. , The amount of hydrogen peroxide will determine how much foam you generate.
While you might have some 3% hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, you can also go to a beauty supply store to find 6% as it usually is not readily available at grocery stores or drug stores.
Beauty supply stores will sell 6% hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agent., You can let the kids do this step.
Allow them to measure out the yeast and mix in the correct amount of warm water.
Have your little one stir it to get out all the clumps.Depending on your child’s age, you can have them use a fun spoon and stirring tool.
You can also have the put on goggles and a lab coat.
Kid safety goggles can be found at your local hardware store. , Make sure everyone wears gloves and safety goggles before handling the hydrogen peroxide.
Do not let your kids handle the hydrogen peroxide unless you think they are old enough.If your child is too young, have the little one squeeze the dish soap and food coloring into the bottle.
You can also add glitter to make it more fun.
Make sure the glitter is plastic and not metal-based because peroxide should not be used with metal.Stir the mixture yourself or have your child do it if old enough.
Be sure that the hydrogen peroxide is not spilled. , Quickly stand back and remove the funnel.
You can allow your child to pour the yeast but if she is young, keep within arms distance to ensure the bottle doesn’t spill onto her.
Use a short bottle with a wide base for stability.
Make sure the neck is narrow to increase the effect.The fungi in the yeast immediately cause the hydrogen peroxide to decompose and strip off an extra oxygen molecule.
The yeast acts as a catalyst as it causes the hydrogen peroxide molecule to release an oxygen molecule.
The stripped off oxygen molecule takes the form of a gas and once it hits the soap it creates fluffy foam bubbles, while the rest stays as water.
The gas looks for an escape route and the foam “toothpaste” gushes out of the bottle.Make sure the yeast and hydrogen peroxide are mixed well for optimum effect. , If you choose smaller bottles with narrower escape routes, you will have a more powerful oozing foam.
Play around with the size and shape of your bottle for greater effects.With a regular soda bottle and 3% hydrogen peroxide, you will probably get a cascading effect like a chocolate fountain. , Observe how the foam gives off heat.
The chemical reaction is known as an exothermic reaction so heat is given off.
The heat is not enough to cause any harm so you can definitely feel the foam and play around.
The foam is just water, soap and oxygen so it isn’t toxic. , You can use a sponge to clean up the area and pour any extra liquid down the drain.
If you decided to use sparkles, strain them out of the liquid and throw them out before pouring down the drain., The concentrated hydrogen peroxide used in this experiment will burn the skin and eyes.
It can also bleach fabric, so choose your clothing with that in mind., Be sure to handle with care and make sure the graduated cylinder is set on a stable location. , Create fun patterns and color variations.
To make the final product striped, tilt the graduated cylinder and drip food coloring down the sides. , Add a small layer of liquid dish soap by pouring it into the solution down the side of the cylinder.You can also use powdered dish soap but be sure to mix the solution thoroughly. , Using a spatula, add the potassium iodide to create the chemical reaction.
You can also dissolve the potassium iodide in water in a vial before adding to the solution.
Large colored foam will rise out of the cylinder. , Place a glowing wood splint near the foam and watch it reignite as the oxygen is released from the emerging foam., Flush the remaining solution down the drain using plenty of water.
Make sure all glowing wood splints are out and there are no open flames.
Close and store the hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide. -
Step 3: experiment
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Step 4: and cleanup.
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Step 5: Contain the splash zone.
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Step 6: Find the right amount of hydrogen peroxide.
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Step 7: Mix 3 tablespoons of water with yeast and let sit.
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Step 8: Add dish soap
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Step 9: food coloring
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Step 10: and half a cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bottle.
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Step 11: Pour the yeast mix through a funnel into your bottle.
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Step 12: Change the size and shape of the bottle.
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Step 13: Feel the heat.
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Step 14: Clean up.
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Step 15: Put on gloves and goggles.
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Step 16: Pour 50 ml of 30%hydrogen peroxide into a 1L graduated cylinder.This hydrogen peroxide is stronger than any household peroxide.
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Step 17: Add 3 drops of food coloring.Play with the food dye for fun effects.
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Step 18: Add about 40 ml of dish soap and swirl to mix.
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Step 19: Add the potassium iodide to the solution and quickly stand back!
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Step 20: Test for the presence of oxygen.
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Step 21: Clean up.
Detailed Guide
You don’t need to buy official lab equipment for this fun experiment as most of the supplies can be found at any home.
Create a list of what you have available to you and see what you can improvise if anything is missing.
For example, if you do not have 6% hydrogen peroxide, you can also use 3%.
Remember that this can get messy so tell everyone involved that they have to pitch in for cleanup afterwards.
Allow enough time for everyone to participate and enjoy the experiment. , Experimenting with oozing foam can be fun at any age but it’s easy for kids to get carried away.
Whether you plan to conduct the experiment in the bathtub, out in the yard, or use a large baking pan or plastic bin, minimize cleanup by preparing a contained space. , The amount of hydrogen peroxide will determine how much foam you generate.
While you might have some 3% hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, you can also go to a beauty supply store to find 6% as it usually is not readily available at grocery stores or drug stores.
Beauty supply stores will sell 6% hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agent., You can let the kids do this step.
Allow them to measure out the yeast and mix in the correct amount of warm water.
Have your little one stir it to get out all the clumps.Depending on your child’s age, you can have them use a fun spoon and stirring tool.
You can also have the put on goggles and a lab coat.
Kid safety goggles can be found at your local hardware store. , Make sure everyone wears gloves and safety goggles before handling the hydrogen peroxide.
Do not let your kids handle the hydrogen peroxide unless you think they are old enough.If your child is too young, have the little one squeeze the dish soap and food coloring into the bottle.
You can also add glitter to make it more fun.
Make sure the glitter is plastic and not metal-based because peroxide should not be used with metal.Stir the mixture yourself or have your child do it if old enough.
Be sure that the hydrogen peroxide is not spilled. , Quickly stand back and remove the funnel.
You can allow your child to pour the yeast but if she is young, keep within arms distance to ensure the bottle doesn’t spill onto her.
Use a short bottle with a wide base for stability.
Make sure the neck is narrow to increase the effect.The fungi in the yeast immediately cause the hydrogen peroxide to decompose and strip off an extra oxygen molecule.
The yeast acts as a catalyst as it causes the hydrogen peroxide molecule to release an oxygen molecule.
The stripped off oxygen molecule takes the form of a gas and once it hits the soap it creates fluffy foam bubbles, while the rest stays as water.
The gas looks for an escape route and the foam “toothpaste” gushes out of the bottle.Make sure the yeast and hydrogen peroxide are mixed well for optimum effect. , If you choose smaller bottles with narrower escape routes, you will have a more powerful oozing foam.
Play around with the size and shape of your bottle for greater effects.With a regular soda bottle and 3% hydrogen peroxide, you will probably get a cascading effect like a chocolate fountain. , Observe how the foam gives off heat.
The chemical reaction is known as an exothermic reaction so heat is given off.
The heat is not enough to cause any harm so you can definitely feel the foam and play around.
The foam is just water, soap and oxygen so it isn’t toxic. , You can use a sponge to clean up the area and pour any extra liquid down the drain.
If you decided to use sparkles, strain them out of the liquid and throw them out before pouring down the drain., The concentrated hydrogen peroxide used in this experiment will burn the skin and eyes.
It can also bleach fabric, so choose your clothing with that in mind., Be sure to handle with care and make sure the graduated cylinder is set on a stable location. , Create fun patterns and color variations.
To make the final product striped, tilt the graduated cylinder and drip food coloring down the sides. , Add a small layer of liquid dish soap by pouring it into the solution down the side of the cylinder.You can also use powdered dish soap but be sure to mix the solution thoroughly. , Using a spatula, add the potassium iodide to create the chemical reaction.
You can also dissolve the potassium iodide in water in a vial before adding to the solution.
Large colored foam will rise out of the cylinder. , Place a glowing wood splint near the foam and watch it reignite as the oxygen is released from the emerging foam., Flush the remaining solution down the drain using plenty of water.
Make sure all glowing wood splints are out and there are no open flames.
Close and store the hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide.
About the Author
Isabella Turner
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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