Ivory Soap Experiment – Only Soap and Microwave Needed

This Ivory Soap Experiment will literally have your kids on the edge of their seats as they watch the Ivory soap grow.

Ivory Soap Experiment

For this week’s Saturday Science post I am sharing a science experiment so simple, yet so exciting, that your kids will be asking for it again and again.  This microwave Ivory soap experiment only requires two things.  One, some Ivory soap.  And two, a microwave.  Please note that it has to be IVORY soap for this to work.  Other soap just won’t do.  But, it is fun to try out some different kinds of soap and have the kids predict what they think will happen. That’s a great way to introduce the scientific method to them at an early age.  (Ah..the science teacher in my is coming out. 😉

Ivory Soap Experiment

First, we cut up a bar of Ivory soap and placed it on a paper plate.

Then, we placed it into the microwave for about 2 minutes.  You can watch it start to grow within a few seconds.  You can go longer than 2 minutes and it will keep expanding but you’ll be left with a mess. 😉

Then pull it out of the microwave (careful, it’s hot!) and you are left with a cloud of soap!

My boys had a blast playing with the soap.  The result is kind of flaky but moldable.  Definitely interesting to play with.  And, it is a bit messy, so you have been warned!

And the great thing about this is you can still use the soap.  Just flake it up and put it into a baggie and it can still be used.  Pretty cool, right!

How does it work?  Basically Ivory soap was made by accident.  The employee making it, mixed the soap mixture too long and air pockets formed in the soap.  That is why Ivory soap floats.  It is full of air bubbles.  So when you put it in the microwave and heat up those air pockets, they expand, creating this amazing result.

And for this week’s Saturday Science blog hop please check out these amazing bloggers below.  I love connecting with them every week to bring you some amazing science projects your kids will love.

Science Experiments that Pop, Fizz and Crackle from Lemon Lime Adventures

Cool Ice Science from P is for Preschooler

8 Easy Science Discovery Bottles from Little Bins For Little Hands

And check out all of these science experiments linked up to our linky party.  If you have a science experiment to share, please link it up below.