From Liquid to Foam: The Magic of Elephant Toothpaste!
August 8, 2026On Wednesday, July 22nd, we hosted our bubbly science experiment at the San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) in San Antonio, Texas! Not only were the kids attentive and curious, but they also had fun playing around with the colorful foam and asking funny, yet observant questions.
Here’s what students learned:
Chemical reactions: Kids learned how to differentiate physical changes from chemical reactions. When experimenting, they were able to identify the signs that a chemical reaction occurred (Bubbling, temperature change).
Catalysts: Within the experiment, dry yeast acted as a catalyst. It accelerated the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, thus leading to the creation of foam!
Exothermic reactions: After the rapid breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, new, stronger bonds are created, thus releasing extra energy and causing the temperature of the reaction to rise.
The day was filled with laughs and awe as we hypothesized and discussed the outcomes of this giant foamy explosion! Stay tuned for more experiments, and if you want to be a part of ChemZoo, sign up to be a chapter director or a volunteer in your state. ChemZoo is all about making science accessible and fun, because our generation needs more scientists.
