Objective
Create slime to explore the properties of polymers and cross-linking.
Materials
- White school glue (polyvinyl acetate)
- Borax solution (sodium borate)
- Water
- Food coloring (optional)
- Mixing bowls
- Spoons or stirring rods
- Notebook for observations
Instructions
- Measure equal parts of white school glue and water into a mixing bowl.
- Stir the mixture until the glue is fully diluted.
- Add a few drops of food coloring if desired and mix well.
- Slowly add a small amount of borax solution to the glue mixture while stirring continuously.
- Observe the formation of slime as the polymers cross-link.
- Knead the slime with your hands until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Record observations, including texture, elasticity, and viscosity, in the notebook.
- Experiment with different glue-to-water ratios and borax concentrations to see how the properties of the slime change.
- Analyze the results to understand the chemistry behind polymer formation and cross-linking.