“The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night.” –Exodus 13:21
Gather
sharp knife
large, microwave-safe plate
potholders
new bar of Ivory soap (it must be Ivory brand)
paper towels or sponge
Go
1. With a parent’s help, carefully cut a bar of soap into four pieces.
2. Place a piece of soap on the plate. (Only test one piece at a time.)
3. Microwave the soap for 1 minute. It will transform into a puffy cloud!
4. Using potholders, carefully remove your soap cloud. Let the soap cool before touching it.
5. After you finish playing with the soap cloud, don’t forget to clean up. The microwave may smell like soap for a while, but it won’t harm your food.
How It Works
Ivory soap has air bubbles trapped inside. As you heat the soap, gasses in those air bubbles get excited and move around. The more they move, the more space they need, expanding the air bubbles like little balloons. Scientists call this effect Charles’ Law.
Air also contains moisture. As the moisture heats up, it produces steam. The steam tries to escape upward. This is similar to how real clouds form, when water evaporates into the air, carrying dust particles with it. Together, the expanding gasses and the steam push from inside the soap, forming a puffy cloud shape.
Microwave a second piece of soap. This time, watch closely to see when the soap first starts to change. Notice how it starts to bubble and get bigger. You just witnessed Charles’ Law in action.
Follow Faithfully
God may not use a cloud to lead you, but He does give you the Bible, your parents and other godly people to point the way. Let wisdom guide your path as you seek to serve Him.
