How many figures can you make dance? Try our dancing marker man experiment.

Equipment

  • Whiteboard marker
  • A plate
  • Luke warm water

Instructions

  1. Use the whiteboard marker to draw a marker man or other desired figure onto a dry plate
  2. Let the figure dry
  3. Carefully pour lukewarm water on top
  4. Loosen the figure by carefully moving the plate

What happens?

Whiteboard markers are designed to be removed from smooth surfaces. A glazed plate is very smooth, and therefore the marker man loosens from the surface. The pigments would have been absorbed and stuck if we tried this on clothes, paper, or another porous material. Whiteboard markers usually contain a silicone polymer, an “oily” and hydrophobic molecule. Hydrophobic means “water-fearing,” which means that the marker pigments can’t mix with water. The marker pigments are also lighter than water. Therefore, the marker man floats on top of the water.

How many figures can you make dance? Try our dancing marker man experiment. Equipment Whiteboard marker A plate Luke warm water Instructions Use the whiteboard marker to draw a marker man or other desired figure onto a dry plate Let the figure dry Carefully pour lukewarm water on top Loosen the figure by carefully moving….Click to read more