CHEMISTRY 1010

e-Portfolio Project

THIS IS AN ORIGINAL BAR OF IVORY SOAP. IT HASN’T BEEN ALTERED IN ANYWAY. UNWRAP THE SOAP AND PLACE IT ON A

MICROWAVE SAFE PLATE.

MICROWAVE IVORY SOAP ON 100 % POWER FOR 2 MIIN. WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

AS YOU CAN SEE THE SOAP IS STARTING TO EXPAND. WHAT HAPPENS THE LONGER IT IS LEFT COOKING? WILL IT START TO

MELT OR CONTINUE TO GROW LARGER?

THE FIRST MINUTE

THE LONGER IT IS LEFT IN THE MICROWAVE THE LARGER IT BECOMES. IF YOU MICROWAVE IT LONGER THAN 2 MINUTES, THE

GROWTH STOPS, AND IT JUST GETS WARMER.

STILL GROWING

A SOAP SOUFFLE

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Ivory soap contains small pockets of air that have water vapor trapped

inside of them. Since this soap contains air, it is the only one that will float in water. The water vapor inside of soap heats up when the microwave

is turned on. Microwaves cause molecules inside the soap to move around causing heat. This leads to

areas of high pressure inside the soap. The bar of soap can’t hold up to the

pressure and the soap starts to bubble and expand. As the soap cools down it stiffens up but keeps its new shape. The soap is very brittle after it has

gone through this reaction, and crumbles.