The Cellar - 12/1/2005: Colored bubbles

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Undertoad

12-01-2005 09:51 PM

12/1/2005: Colored bubbles

http://cellar.org/2005/coloredbubbles.jpg

BigV suggests this interesting one from Popular Science. Interesting tale accompanies that link - the problem, it turns out is not producing colored bubbles, but producing ones that don't stain or burn or create a health hazard, etc.

If you go, read the printable version (just click "print this article") - and find out how this simple task was a huge chemistry problem, and how solving it opens up a bunch of new innovations.

capnhowdy

12-01-2005 10:31 PM

11 years..... And he never saw the disappearing ink ad in the Marvel comics?
I never saved enough allowance to order it . Always wondered if it worked.
I think the guy on the left has his X-ray glasses on. I do know those don't work.

xoxoxoBruce

12-01-2005 10:36 PM

Quote:

I think the guy on the left has his X-ray glasses on. I do know those don't work.

Wow...thanks, man. You just saved me $2.99.

Cool bubbles. :thumb:

Cyclefrance

12-02-2005 12:57 AM

1 Attachment(s)

How come the guy on the right can't blow a 'single' bubble? - they're all lots of little bubbles joined together - do you reckon he stutters when he blows???

I like those BIG bubble jobbies...

Perry Winkle

12-02-2005 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclefrance

do you reckon he stutters when he blows???

That image is hilarious.

SeanAhern

12-02-2005 06:06 AM

The challenge is more than just making the dye disappear. There's also the problem of dispersion. From the article:

Quote:

t turns out that coloring a bubble is an exceptionally difficult bit of chemistry. A bubble wall is mostly water held in place by two layers of surfactant molecules, spaced just millionths of an inch apart. If you add, say, food coloring to the bubble solution, the heavy dye molecules float freely in the water, bonding to neither the water nor the surfactants, and cascade almost immediately down the sides. You'll have a clear bubble with a dot of color at the bottom. What you need is a dye that attaches to the surfactant molecules and disperses evenly in that water layer.

I wouldn't have any idea how to do that!

Trilby

12-02-2005 06:21 AM

Lawrence Welk would be soooo jealous.

mlandman

12-02-2005 09:54 AM

hmmmmmmm

Seriously

bubbles = cool.

colored bubbles = cooler.

grown man blowing them = kinda odd.

two grown men hanging out together blowing them = way gay.

Cyclefrance

12-02-2005 10:49 AM

Yes, and this man actually devoted ten years of his life to making the perfect colored bubble. He's just working out the production costs now, and, whooops...., ah, well, yes, not quite what he had in mind - looks like they's gonna have to retail around $50 a tube. Hmmm. Don't worry, he says he'll work on it.....

No. actually reading the full story, it looks interesting - if you can move that green slime stuff by the cwt then non-staining colored bubbles have got to be in there with a chance, haven't they (presuming the liquid is as harmless as it will need to be - no cancerous side effects or is fatal if drunk - you know, those little negative developments/revelations that can sneak up behind you just when you think it's all going so well...)?

SteveDallas

12-02-2005 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

. . . but producing ones that don't stain or burn or create a health hazard, etc.

I dunno, sounds like we have potential for weapons uses!

magilla

12-02-2005 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

Mine did :lol:

capnhowdy

12-02-2005 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magilla

Mine did :lol:

tell me... did you see bones or butts?

xoxoxoBruce

12-02-2005 09:57 PM

You mean front or back? ;)

mitheral

12-10-2005 01:16 PM

The amazing science behind everyday things.

SmurfAbuser

12-11-2005 01:06 AM

I still think the regular bubbles are much cooler. But it is a neat idea--who'd a thunk it would take so much work?

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