Purpose
To demonstrate surface effects.
Materials
1-L Beaker or shallow glass pie pan
1 g Flowers of sulfur (fine sulfur powder)
1 mL Dishwashing detergent in beaker
Tap water
Petri dish
25 mL Homogenized fresh whole milk (4% milk)
Food coloring
Thin-stem transfer pipet
Triple-beam balance
Support stand with ring
Wire circle with wire loop (60 cm heavy gauge aluminum wire; solder; soldering iron; suitable soldering work surface)
Safety and Disposal
There are no unusual hazards in this experiment. No special precautions are required in this experiment; follow routine laboratory precautions. The materials used in this activity may be disposed of safely at the sink.
Procedure
1. Place 500 mL tap water in a 1-L beaker. Sprinkle some powdered sulfur on the surface of the water. Dip your clean dry finger into the water, and note the effect on the sulfur.
2. Dip your finger into some liquid dish detergent, and then dip it into the beaker containing the sulfur. Note the effect on the sulfur.
3. Fill a Petri dish bottom half-full of whole milk. Drop some food coloring onto the surface. Fill a transfer pipet with some liquid dishwashing detergent. Place a few drops of the detergent on the inside wall of the Petri dish above the level of the milk. Note any evidence for reaction. After a long period of time, the apparent changes cease.
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