1 1/2 cups glue
4 Tbsp.Borax (laundry detergent aisle)
4 cups water
Concept: Creating a polymer. A polymer is a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of repeating structural units typically connected by covalent (The number of electron pairs an atom can share with other atoms) chemical bonds.
Procedure: Mix 2 cups of water and the glue in a bowl. In a empty plastic bottle use a funnel to add 2 cups of warm water and 4 Tbsp. of Borax. Shake bottle till Borax is dissolved. After it's dissolved, pour the Borax mixture a little at a time into the glue mixture and stir. You may not need all of the Borax mixture.
Extension: Make other sensory substance like mud, playdough, slime, and silly putty and test each substance for bounce, stretch, and stickiness. Have students document results.
Application to the Real World: Polymers play an essential role in our daily life's. They range from sythetic plastics(synthetic rubber, Bakelite, neoprene, nylon, PVC, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, PVB, silicone), to natural bipolymers like DNA, nucleic and proteins. Natural polymers include cellulose, natural rubber, amber, and shellac.
