Surface Tension: Floating Duck
Description: Cotton batting is wrapped around a ring stand clamp and held on with a rubber band. The cotton “duck” floats on water but sinks when detergent is added to lessen the surface tension. Pictures of actual soaped ducks are available.
Source: UW Card Catalog
Year: N/A Vol: N/A Page: N/A
Keywords: Surface tension, Duck, Cotton batting, Surfactant
Rating: 
Hazard: Low
- Use of inert substances
Effectiveness: Good
- Results are clearly observable
- Good connection from demo to course material
- Clear contrast between behavior of systems
- Moderate reliability
- Time to results is low
Difficulty: Medium
- Precise and delicate manipulations required
- Simple procedures
- High degree of equipment cleanliness required
Safety Precautions:
- Eye protection required
- Gloves required
Class: Liquids and Solids, Intermolecular Forces, Thermodynamics, Surfaces
Division: General, Physical Chemistry
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