How to Expand Ivory Soap

Using everyday items to perform household chemistry experiments is a good way to get kids interested in science. For instance, if you have a regular old microwave you can amaze your kids by turning a hard bar of Ivory soap into an expanding puff of what looks like marshmallow fluff.

Things You'll Need

• Bar of Ivory soap
• Microwave
• Microwave-safe dish or paper towel

Instructions

1. Unwrap a new bar of Ivory soap.

2. Place the soap on a microwave-safe dish or a paper towel.

3. Put the soap in the microwave and cook it on "high" for anywhere from 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

4. Watch as the soap puffs up and expands as it cooks.

5. Remove soap from the microwave and allow it to cool for a few minutes before touching it.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure that the bar of soap is dry before you microwave it--a wet bar of soap will not expand as readily.

• Even though the soap has expanded to many times its original size and has changed shape dramatically, it is still safe to use as normal. In fact, children would probably get a kick out of using this wacky-looking soap in the tub.

• Your microwave and kitchen will smell like Ivory soap for a couple of hours after the experiment is finished.

• Adult supervision is required at all times.