UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR TEACHERS

RET POLYMER ACTIVITY # 2

SUMMER 2008

SUBMITTED TO SARAH MORGAN, Ph.D

SUBMITTED BY--AMY RUTLAND AND SHELLEY HUSKEY

June 9, 2008

MAKING MARBLED PAPER

Introduction:

To investigate water, polarity, and hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials, students will
marble paper.

Materials: Substitutions:

Aerosol shaving cream (white)

Paper plate
Spatula Tongue depressor
Toothpicks
Food coloring
3-4 index cards (3 x 5) Non-glossy card stock paper
Dropper
Water
Transparent cups Beakers
Paper towels

Procedure:

1. Read the label on the can of aerosol shaving cream. Record the contents on
your student lab sheet.
2. Place a drop of food coloring on one index card. Observe and record how the
drop spreads on your student lab sheet.
3. Fill the cup half full with room temperature water.
4. Add a drop of food coloring to the water (DO NOT STIR!). Observe and record
how the drop spreads on your student lab sheet.
5. Spray a fist-sized pile of shaving cream onto the paper plate. Use the spatula to
spread the shaving cream until it is slightly larger than the index card and the
surface is flat.
 6. Apply four to six drops of food coloring to the surface of the shaving cream, one
drop at a time. Observe and record how the drops spread on your student lab
sheet.
7. Using a toothpick, create patterns by dragging the food coloring through the
shaving cream.
8. Press the index card onto the shaving cream surface. Record on your student
lab sheet what you observe through the back of the index card.
9. Lift paper off the shaving cream. Scrape off any excess with the spatula and
return the excess to the pile. Observe the front of the paper and record
observations on your student lab sheet.
10. Repeat steps 7-9 with additional index cards.
11. Use spatula to mix left over shaving cream until it is one uniform color. (If most of
the food coloring has been removed by the paper, add an addition 1-5 drops
before mixing.)
12. Using a dropper, add a drop of water to the tinted shaving cream. Observe what
happens and record on your student lab sheet.

Adapted from a classroom activity printed in the Journal of Chemical Education.

 MAKING MARBLED PAPER
STUDENT LAB SHEET

1. Observations of food coloring:

a. Paper:

b. Water:

c. Shaving cream:

2. What did you observe through the back of the index card?

3. What did you observe on the front of the index card?

4. What do you think happened?

5. What occurred when water was placed on the tinted shaving cream?

Extension questions:
1. Compare and contrast the spreading observed when food coloring was dropped
on the index card and shaving cream, and into the water.

2. Based on your observations, what assumptions can be made about the polarity
of food coloring and paper? Explain.
 3. Paper contains cellulose, which is a polymer of glucose. Below is the structure
of cellulose. Using the structure, explain the assumption you made regarding
paper’s polarity.

4. Shaving cream creates a lather similar to a foam. A foam is a colloid of gas

dispersed in a liquid. What other common products are foam or lather colloids?

5. Since artists have created marbled papers for centuries, do you think the artist’s
understanding of materials influenced his/her work? Explain.

Name:_________________________________ Date:______________________