In this experiment, we received a so-called elephant toothpaste. This soap has very neutral pH, just slightly basic (I'm talking 7.2-7.4). It may not be what your dentist tells you, but whats clean for your teeth isnt always what is clean for the environment. The hands-on experiment has clear directions and great followup pages and interactive notebook flap. Your dentist may also play a role in which toothpaste you choose; maybe your dentist has recommended a specific paste. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. No, you can use 3% or 6% H2O2 instead. ScienceBob put some cheap, easy-to-follow instructions on his website, and the experiment is kid-friendly as long as you follow some basic safety precautions. The bottles have a small mouth, so the toothpaste looks like toothpaste. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposes into water and oxygen gas, which is in the form of foam, but normally the reaction is too slow to be easily perceived or measured: 2H2O2 > H2O + O2.Too speed up the reaction the catalyst is used. In fact, other brands are actively doing it. Hydrogen peroxide is an irritant and is corrosive (both eyes and skin) - remember to wear safety goggles. With a little bit of knowledge and caution, you can avoid any accidents or injuries. Pour your hydrogen peroxide into the water bottle. If you use the 3% solution found in pharmacies, you can touch the foam afterward. Put on gloves and safety glasses. Research from the University of Gothenburg in 2014 examined the ingredients in multiple kinds of toothpaste and explained their properties. Elephant Toothpaste. This printable is part of HP's School of Fun Series. A small amount of this toothpaste may not hurt, but when many people use it (which they do), it can have devastating effects on marine life. Safety goggles (safety first, of course!) These spare oxygen molecules then bond, forming O2 (gas) molecules, the rapidly forming bubbles of oxygen that rise to the surface of the solution. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). All rights reserved. You can turn this into a science project of . Overall, Coolpaste is designed to make the product's shelf life longer and consistent, along with eliminating the negative environmental impact of toothpaste. Step 2. Elephant toothpaste is a foamy substance that is produced when a small amount of hydrogen peroxide is mixed with other ingredients such as soap. Do not attempt without proper safety precautions and the presence of an adult. ScienceBob suggests 10 drops of food coloring and about 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap to make the foam colorful. WARNING:This experiment uses chemicals that can irritate skin and damage clothes, so make sure to use safety goggles, lab apron, and nitrile gloves. $4.35. Please be aware the concentrated hydrogen peroxide (greater than the household 3%) is a strong oxidizer. Elephants toothpasteis a foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium permangamate or potassium iodide as a catalysts. To create the elephants toothpaste reaction a second chemical is added (know as a catalyst) which basically tears-apart the hydrogen peroxide into water while releasing Oxygen gas inside the bubbles. Here's how you do elephant's toothpaste at home. All Rights Reserved. . With a little practice, you should be able to create a big, foamy elephant toothpaste reaction that is safe and fun! Procedure. Probably you made it, therefore you can try to do it differently with different color food dyes. Be sure to check out the ingredients on the packaging before you buy to ensure you are getting all-natural ingredients and not more unpronounceable chemicals. Then, pour the yeast mixture through a funnel into your bottle. Elephant's Toothpaste This classic chemistry demonstration is a huge hit with kids of all ages. It's bad enough that we are wasting our food by tossing it into landfills, but we are also wasting other things that have larger consequences on our environment. We are adding 10 grams of potassium permanganate and stir it. And you might've guessed it, one of those new alternatives is toothpaste tablets. The foam is made as the dishwashing detergent traps tiny oxygen bubbles inside the bottle. Pour cup of peroxide into your 'toothpaste' container. 30% hydrogen peroxide is added to a glass cylinder containing a concentrated aqueous mixture of potassium iodide and dishwashing soap. How to seperate water into oxygen and hydrogen? The reaction is really quick. Above all, to make the elephant toothpaste grow, we have to do one more thing add hydrogen peroxide in one shot. We prefer the tall one as it makes less mess and limits potential losses . One thing about this substance is that it's harmful to marine life. Safety Information: (MSDS, 2014) Be careful with hydrogen peroxide. For now, TerraCycle runs a recycling program for Colgate toothpaste tubes, boxes, toothbrushes, and floss packaging. Directions. It is quick but does require a prior preparation, as some of the materials required for the experiment might not be already available in your pantry. If you're like most people, you might squeeze the last bit of toothpaste out of your tube and throw it in the trash. Optionally, you can also put a plastic tarp down to catch all the foam. The main purpose of toothpaste is to clean your teeth to prevent bacteria growth that causes cavities or plaque. Can I substitute the Sodium Iodine or Potassium Iodine in Elephant Toothpaste with a household chemical? After all, please leave your comments below. You can let the kids do this step. As icons of the continent elephants are tourism magnets, attracting funding that helps protect wilderness areas. In severe cases, it can even lead to death. And don't get too close, as heat and steam can be dangerous. About 50 ml of concentrated (>12%)[5] hydrogen peroxide is first mixed with liquid soap or dishwashing detergent. With a regular soda bottle and 3% hydrogen peroxide, you will probably get a cascading effect like a chocolate fountain. Check the yeast packaging to see how hot the water needs to be. Please leave your comments below. [6] About 5-10 drops of food coloring could also be added before the catalyst to dramatize the effect. A 16-ounce plastic soda or water bottle OR a bucket that size. Not only are plastic toothpaste tubes bad for the environment, there's a high chance you might not be getting your money's worth, with up to 10% of the toothpaste remaining when you think the tube . Uhas told Insider that he tried the experiment inside Dobrik's house, and the stained ceiling now rejects new coats of paint because the iodide seeps through. November 26, 2020, How to Recycle Your Bamboo Toothbrush Elephant toothpaste Ingredients: 1. ScienceBob recommends using a tablespoon of dry yeast, or one packet. The manufacturing of toothpaste is, therefore, very unfriendly for the environment. Do I need 30% hydrogen peroxide for the lab version? If Colgate is going to make plastic tubes, sure, they should be recyclable; but the truth is, there are better, more sustainable, lower-waste options for packaging: metal toothpaste tubes, glass powder jars, and compostable/biodegradable packaging. Brands that make toothpaste tablets and tooth powders dont need to rely on recyclable packaging because their packaging is entirely zero-waste. It is a slight twist on the classic Elephants toothpaste experiment. One alternative is toothpaste tablets. Learn about chemical reactions by watching this heat-producing mixture bubble and overflow for up to half an hour. The rate of foam formation measured in volume per time unit has a positive correlation with the peroxide concentration (v/V%), which means that the more reactants (peroxide concentration) the faster the rate of foam formation. This will need to be set aside for a few minutes until it . It is best to pour it down the drain with warm soapy water to neutralize the solution. Heres everything you need to know about choosing the best toothpaste for the environment. Steps for making elephant toothpaste: Place the water bottle in a tray to catch the overflow once the experiment is done. In the video, he experiments with different container shapes and sizes to determine which will result in the most spectacular reaction. Dec 20 2019 3:43 PM. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,015,055 times. As the old adage goes: "Waste not, want not!" and here are eight useful ways to make the most of all that poop: 1. Add a few squirts of dish soap to the bottom of the bottle. Learn how your comment data is processed. First, pour 3/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide into your bottle, and then squeeze in roughly 10 drops of food coloring. Swirl together. Pour 30 mL H 2 O 2 into the graduated cylinder. A 3% solution is best. (optional) Run a few drops of food coloring down the sides of the cylinder for a striping effect. ", the best recipe, and this is the first site that popped up. Mix the hydrogen peroxide and a few squirts of dish soap in the plastic water bottle. Dave. No, elephant toothpaste is not hazardous. The only drawback is that the reaction will be slower and more catalyst may need to be used. You can also do the demonstration without dish soap, and the reaction will still take place, but it won't create the bubbly foam. And don't get too close, as heat and steam can be dangerous. If you dont add the ingredients in the right order, or if you use too much yeast, the reaction can get out of hand and create a huge mess. Earlier this year, Nick Uhas, David Dobrik and some other members of the latter's Vlog Squad, attempted to pull off the world's largest "elephant's toothpaste . -Start with a small amount of yeast and add more if needed. Then squirt a small amount (about 1 Tbsp) of dish soap into the bottle. Have fun with it, but be safe! The reaction starts almost immediately, so step back or point the container away from yourself to avoid getting splashed with foam. Lastly, there is another option that not many people think of: making your own toothpaste. "It also helps . 1/4 cup warm water. Tap here to see more. If you want to add color, now is the time. It's also eco-friendly, which means all of the foam that spilled out into the surrounding vegetation probably didn't harm it. Before you do anything, put the soda bottle on a baking tray or large bowl. Must wear goggles and gloves for the hydrogen peroxide can irritate eyes and skin. Last Updated: August 29, 2022 Bad Habit (15) Badger (117) BaeBlu (112) Bahama Bo's (1) Bain De Terre (1) Baja Baby (10) Balance (1) -If the reaction starts to get out of control, quickly remove the lid from the container to allow the gases to escape. Pour a few drops of dish soap into the cylinder and agitate slightly to mix. Length. By following these guidelines, you can safely enjoy this fun and exciting science demonstration! Triclosan is one of the worst offenders, though it has mostly been phased out of popular toothpaste products; it converts to a dioxin in the sunlight. Grab a few easy ingredients and watch it grow. If you're using the yeast, it shouldn't stain as badly, but you should still exhibit caution. They . Elephant Toothpaste is a fun and an extremely easy science experiment to do at home. You should swish the ingredients around in the container to create a mixture. Enjoy watching your elephant toothpaste foam out of the top of the bottle. Elephant Toothpaste Materials. Don't put it in your mouth or swallow it. Elephant Toothpaste is a fun science experiment to see the physical foamy effect of a chemical reaction. Check it out again! It's a harmful substance that remains in water even after passing through sewage systems. We can align on these common standards for tubes and still compete with what's inside them.. Foamy substance created by rapidly decomposing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), "The Great Elephant Toothpaste Experiment! It grow make toothpaste tablets and tooth powders dont need to be set aside for striping. 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