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Cinnamon Art Learn why certain things float on water as you make a unique art project. Materials • Cinnamon (powdered) • Wide bowl or plate deep enough to pour water in • Liquid soap • Toothpick
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5. Now try to draw a line in the cinnamon. You should notice you are able to “cut” through the layer easily. 6. Experiment with the patterns you can create! Explanation You just learned what soap does to the surface of water! Water has a property called surface tension, which forms a barrier that prevents certain (lighter) things from falling through it. That’s why the cinnamon floats on top so easily. When you try to draw with just the toothpick and no soap, the cinnamon stays clumped together and stays put on the water. However, when you add soap to it, it immediately cuts through the layer of cinnamon. The soap is lessening the effect of surface tension on the water. The cinnamon doesn’t want to be in those parts and gets pushed away. Going further Try other materials on the surface of water to see what soap does to it. Get fresh water before you try new materials in the same bowl.
Procedure 1. Fill a small bowl or a plate with some water. Not to the top — that’s hard to clean up! 2. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the water so it covers the entire surface. 3. Try using the toothpick to draw along the surface of the cinnamon. Not much happens! Keep that in mind during the next step. 4. Dip one end of the toothpick in some liquid soap, just coating it.
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METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / JAN-FEB 2024 27
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