Students often need practical, hands-on lessons to spark their interest in STEAM topics. Luckily, we have a no-mess slime recipe that’s perfect for both classroom and at-home projects. As students gather the ingredients for this slime project, they’ll gain firsthand experience with chemical reactions and learn about non-Newtonian fluids, cross-linking, and viscosity. This activity is a favorite among young learners and is engaging enough to reignite STEAM interest in older students.
Mobile Makerspace Activity: Slime Making
Key Concepts
Chemistry | Polymers |
Viscosity | Cross-linking |
Non-Newtonian fluid | Shear stress |
Introduction
It’s a liquid! It’s solid! It’s slime! Slime has been a popular toy for years now, with everyone loving its ability to transform from a liquid to a solid, and back. But what about the science behind it? Today we are diving into the science of slime, by making some of our own!
Slime is what is called a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it is liquid but can act like a solid. Viscosity, which is a liquid’s ability to flow or not, changes according to temperature. At colder temperatures, a liquid becomes more viscous, and it flows more slowly. Think of honey on a cold winter day. At warmer temperatures, a liquid becomes less viscous, and it flows more quickly. Think of heating up soup. However, a non-Newtonian fluid’s viscosity changes according to temperature and something called shear stressors, such as squeezing or stirring.
Slime is made up of polymers, which are made of very large molecules in a long repeating chain. Cross-linking occurs when an activator is added, causing bonds to form between the large polymer molecules making it harder for the molecules to slide past each other.
Materials
- Elmer’s glue- The polymer
- Hint: add more if your slime is too thick
- Water- Allows the molecules to flow past each other
- Hint: add more if your slime is too rubbery
- Baking Soda- Makes the slime non-stick
- Hint: add more if your slime is too sticky
- Saline Solution- Activator, causes polymer molecules to bond
- Hint: add more if your slime is too thin
Procedure
Mix together in a cup
- ¼ Cup of Elmer’s Washable School Glue
- ¼ Cup of Water
- ¼ Teaspoon of Baking Soda
- 1½ Teaspoons of Saline Solution
- Extra: Add 1-3 drops of paint to change the color of your slime
Helpful measurements:
Observation and Results
Watch how your slime develops over the course of mixing.
What changes when you add the water?
When you add the baking soda?
When you add the saline solution?
Clean up
Pack up your slime tightly in a plastic bag and seal all the air out of it, otherwise your slime will dry out. Clean up your area.