Experiment of the Week: Leprechaun Snot
Leprechaun Snot
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ Cup of Clear Glue
- ¼ Cup of Borax
- Warm Water
- Green Food Coloring
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Dissolve ¼ cup of borax into one quart of warm water. Is the solution a solid or a liquid and why? Describe the solution by using its observable properties.
STEP 2: Add a few drops of green food coloring to the ¼ cup of clear glue and mix.
STEP 3: Mix the glue and borax solution together until it looks like leprechaun snot. Is the leprechaun snot a solid or a liquid and why? Describe the leprechaun snot by using its observable properties. Does mixing the ingredients together result in a new substance? Explain why or why not.
EXPLANATION
The borax links the glue’s molecules together creating leprechaun snot. Leprechaun snot is a slime, which is a non-Newtonian fluid. A non-Newtonian fluid exhibits properties of both a liquid and a solid, depending on how much force is applied. Go to www.hookedonscience.org for more experiments that might get you and your family “Hooked on Science.”
