Materials List: Sweet Surfactants:
A Surface Tension Investigation Relating Additives to Surfactant Function

Each group needs:

Soap Motor Activity

  • Soap Motor Phenomenon Worksheet (1 per student)
  • 1 tray or wide container
  • 1 cotton swab
  • 1 pair of scissors (to cut out the boat, if not already cut out)
  • 1 boat or small leaf (from Boat Template sheet)
  • 1 container (e.g., beaker or graduated cylinder or measuring cup) to hold water
  • 2-4 drops of liquid soap
  • colored water (enough to cover the bottom of the tray/wide container)

Hydro Dipping Activity

  • Student Worksheet (1 per student)
  • Real-World Connection Worksheet (1 per student)
  • 2-3 pre-made cake pops, marshmallows, or fun-sized candy bars (at least 1 per person)
  • 1-2 toothpicks or skewers (for holding/dipping treats; at least 1 per person)
  • 1 small plate or wax paper (for drying the treat after dipping; at least 1 per person)
  • 1 dipping trough/small container (~6–8 cm deep to fully submerge treat; could be a small Tupperware or similar)
  • 100-150 mL water/corn syrup bath (assigned concentration: 33% or 66% or 100% corn syrup)
  •  ~50 g candy melts of varying colors
  • 1-2 tsp additives (coconut oil, food-grade lecithin, or vegetable oil)
  • 1 drizzle spoon, teaspoon or a pipette
  • 1 scale/balance
  • 5-10 food safe weigh boats/paper
  • 1 graduated cylinder (for measuring the volume of candy melt the spoon can hold)
  • 1 spoon
  • food-safe gloves (1 per student)
  • (optional) 1 food thermometer and heat source (if candy melts need melting)
  • (optional) apron (1 per student)

For the class to share:

  • 1 laptop or tablet with projector and internet access (to show YouTube videos)
  • paper towels to clean up spills