Instead of using glue as a polymer (as in the slime recipes above), we're going to use PVA (polyvinyl alcohol). Most liquids are unconnected molecules bouncing around. Monomers (single molecules) flow very easily and don't clump together. When you link up monomers into longer segments, you form polymers (long chains of molecules).
Polymers don't flow very easily at all - they tend to get tangled up until you add the cross-linking agent, which buddies up the different segments of the molecule chains together into a climbing-rope design.
If you use more, you’ll make more!
The green slime might look stronger because it’s opaque, so you can’t see through it as well as the clear slime.
What happens if you use all the PVA and all the water, and why does the green slime look stronger.
Yes we have another half dozen in the works!
If you use what all together? For PVA slime you do get to mix everything listed together.
video was cool. could you make some more dissection videos
what happens if you use it all together.
This is a chemistry experiment, but it’s in the Fourth Grade Earth Science section. Do you know why?
-Olivia
P. S. The Sewer Slime is also in Fourth grade Earth Science.
I am sorry you’re having trouble with the material list! Let me see if I can help:
There are three chemistry units in e-Science: Units 3, 8, and 15.
Unit 3 has basic grocery store items – find it here.
Unit 8 materials can be found mostly from a single kit here.
The gold kit doesn’t include the C3000 which is required for Unit 15 Lesson 2… that’s included with the Diamond kit. Instead the gold kit has the C1000 which is for Unit 15 Lesson 1.
Man… I’m realizing that my gold kit is lacking many of the supplies that my son is asking for in the chemistry section. Didn’t plan on shopping around for PVA! Hoping the list of things for me to locate isn’t any longer than the one my son just handed me. :-/
Oops – looks like they changed their product. You can still get the kit and use parts of it that you need. If you’re searching for PVA on the internet, here are a couple of tips: you can purchase it in powder form, but it’s *really* difficult to turn it into a solution, because it doesn’t mix well with water (you’ll spend an hour trying to get it right, ruin your pot, and still not have something you can use).
You can also try these links:
PVA Solution Source #1
PVA Solution Source #2
Hope this helps!
Aurora
Aurora,
We just tried clicking on the link for the PVA , but it links us to a slime making kit. When we tried searching on the website for PVA, our only search result were PVA bags. Is there another source you would recommend to purchase this? Thanks for your help!
Crystal and crew
PVA is not toxic unless it is burned. In large amounts, it can cause environmental problems in water and is dangerous for fish.
So, for us on earth…PVA is safe unless burned, as is the case with most plastics.
Does the PVA release toxic chemicals into the air like PVC does?
Every experiment should have a material list with it… is there one you’re finding that does not? I just updated this one.
HI,
It would help if there was a list of ingredients after the video that we could print out and take to the kitchen. I find I am watching the video, pausing and rewinding to catch all the ingredients.
What happens if you make alot of it at once?
By Skylar 😀
Comment by Skylar :0
This is really cool! I want to try that sometime! 🙂
thx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No, it’s a totally different chemical. You can order PVA from the link on the shopping list, or just skip it for now and make a different one. 🙂
Can you use rubbing alcohol
Hi Todd,
Yes, you can have the kids take it home and stick it in the fridge in a bag labeled “DO NOT EAT!” The kids can use gloves if they want to, but when I teach this to kids, I am the only one who wears them (personally, the skin on my hands react with water, so I need to cover them with wet projects… the result of not wearing gloves when handling chemicals in college!) The PVA slime will keep just like the glowing slime – this one is more rubbery, but can still be thawed in the microwave if frozen. Have fun and send me a picture!
Here’s a quick question? In making this you used gloves, but if I have my students make it will they be able to take their slime home? and play with it? or will they need gloves? and also is this like the glowing slime in that if they keep it in the fridge it will extend the life?
Thanks,