What is Elephant Toothpaste?

This large demonstration uses hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), sodium iodide

(NaI) and soap. First we pour in the hydrogen peroxide, then the soap and
finally the sodium iodide.
The hydrogen peroxide used in the demonstration is 30% hydrogen
peroxide. This is 10 times stronger than the hydrogen peroxide that you
have in your medicine cabinet. That is usually 3% hydrogen peroxide, and
your local salon probably uses 6%. The 30% hydrogen peroxide is not
something you would put on a cut or scrape, but it works perfectly for this
demonstration. The sodium iodide reacts with the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
by removing an oxygen atom. This essentially produces water and oxygen
gas (H2O + O2). The oxygen gas produced gets trapped in the soap which
produces the big ball of foam. The reaction produces oxygen gas, water
and iodine. That is why the foam has a yellow color. If you were to touch
this foam, your hand would be stained yellow just as if you put iodine on
your skin.
Since you can’t get these materials at home we have a Kids Safe version of
this demonstration that you can do at home or in the classroom! Do this at
your next family night, slumber party or birthday party. It is fun, safe and
cool to watch.

Kid-Safe Elephant Toothpaste

What you need:
 12 oz plastic bottle

 hydrogen peroxide (3%)

 dish soap

 dry yeast

 warm water

 baking sheet

What to do:
1. Prepare yeast solution by adding dry yeast to warm water and wait a
few minutes until it becomes frothy.

2. Pour 2 inches of hydrogen peroxide (3%) into the bottle.

3. Place bottle on baking sheet.

 4. Squeeze in a good squirt of dish soap.

5. Pour in yeast solution (3 tablespoons).

The Science:
The yeast contains an enzyme called Catalase that breaks down hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen gas and water. The oxygen gas gets trapped
by the soap, and you get a large foamy solution that squirts out of the top of
the bottle!
The cool thing about this activity is that the enzyme Catalase can also be
found in potatoes, dogs and even us! We have the same enzyme in our
bodies. That is why you see the 3% hydrogen peroxide bubble when you
put it on a cut or scrape. The oxygen released is what kills the germs in the
cut. We have this enzyme because we naturally produce low amounts
hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct of oxidative metabolism (the way that a
cell gains useful energy). Our cells need energy, but low amounts of
hydrogen peroxide are produced and need to be neutralized through
enzymes like Catalase.
BORAX CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKE MATERIALS

 string
 wide mouth jar (pint)
 white pipe cleaners
 borax (see tips)
 pencil
 boiling water
 blue food coloring (opt.)
 scissors

LET'S MAKE BORAX CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKES!

1. The first step of making borax crystal snowflakes is to make the

snowflake shape. Cut a pipe cleaner into three equal sections.

1. Twist the sections together at their centers to form a six-sided snowflake

shape. Don't worry if an end isn't even, just trim to get the desired
shape. The snowflake should fit inside the jar.
2. Tie the string to the end of one of the snowflake arms. Tie the other end
of the string to the pencil. You want the length to be such that the pencil
hangs the snowflake into the jar.
3. Fill the wide mouth pint jar with boiling water.
4. Add borax one tablespoon at a time to the boiling water, stirring to
dissolve after each addition. The amount used is 3 tablespoons borax
per cup of water. It is okay if some undissolved borax settles to the
bottom of the jar.
 5. If desired, you may tint the mixture with food color.
6. Hang the pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil rests on
top of the jar and the snowflake is completely covered with liquid and
hangs freely (not touching the bottom of the jar).
7. Allow the jar to sit in an undisturbed location overnight.

1. Look at the pretty crystals! You can hang your snowflake as a decoration
or in a window to catch the sunlight.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1. Borax is available at grocery stores in the laundry soap section, such as

20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster. Do not use Boraxo soap.
2. Because boiling water is used and because borax isn't intended for
eating, adult supervision is recommended for this project.

1. If you can't find borax, you can use sugar or salt (may take longer to
grow the crystals, so be patient). Add sugar or salt to the boiling
water until it stops dissolving. Ideally, you want no crystals at the
bottom of the jar.

KEEPING A BORAX CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKE

Crystal snowflakes make nice decorations or Christmas tree ornaments. It's

possible to save the snowflakes to use from one year to the next, providing
they are stored properly. Borax will react with water in air to form a white
layer. If this is undesirable, the best way to prevent it to store the snowflakes
in a sealed container with a desiccant.

1. Gently wrap each snowflake in tissue paper or a paper towel.

2. Place the wrapped snowflake in a zipper-top plastic bag.
3. Add a small packet of silica gel. These are included in many products,
like shoes and electronics, so most people have them. Otherwise, silica
gel beads may be purchased at craft stores.
4. Seal the bag.

Objective:
The objective of this experiment is to determine whether all proteins denature at the
same temperature.

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Grade

Middle School,High School

 Subject

Science

o Physical Science
o Life Science
o Chemistry

Research Question:
 What happens when a protein denatures?
 Do all proteins denature at the same temperature?
 What temperature does albumen denature at?
 What temperature does keratin denature at?
 What temperature does casein denature at?
 Why might proteins denature at different temperatures?

Denaturation is a process in which proteins lose their structure when attacked by

forces like a strong acid, heat, or a solvent like alcohol. If a protein is denatured, it
can die. In this experiment, you will determine the temperature that will denature
proteins like albumen, casein, and keratin. Eggs are mostly albumen, milk is largely
casein, and hair is mostly keratin.

Materials:
 Small saucepan
 6 eggs (any size)
 2 mixing bowl
 Candy thermometer
 Powered Milk
 Cookie Sheet
 Aluminium foil
 Hair from a hairbrush
 Comb
 Toaster oven (or conventional oven)

Experimental Procedure
1. Crack an egg over the first bowl and separate the yolk and white. Use two bowls, keeping all
the whites in one of the bowls. Make sure that your yolks do not contaminate the whites.
2. Transfer the whites into a small saucepan. Place the candy thermometer into the saucepan.
3. Gently heat the whites. Record the temperature when their texture changes.
4. Clean the saucepan, thermometer, and bowls.
5. Make two cups of reconstituted powdered milk according to the package directions and add
to the saucepan. Place the candy thermometer in the saucepan.
6. Gently heat the milk. Record what temperature the texture of the milk changes or a skim
forms over the top.
7. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
8. Preheat the oven for ten minutes to 200 degrees.
9. Using a comb, pull all the hair out of a hairbrush and put on the cookie sheet.
10. Put the cookie sheet and hair into the oven. Let it heat up for 15 minutes. Inspect the hair for
any changes.
11. Increase the temperature by 25 degrees. After 15 minutes, inspect the hair again.
12. Keep increasing the temperature in 25-degree increments. Note when the hair texture
changes.