# @thespacegal on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVCQToDcwJ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/37996348-thespacegal-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/0f96cacb13.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-12-16T15:15:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Emily Calandrelli (@thespacegal) — https://gondola.cc/thespacegal

## Caption

Day 7 of Science Mischief!
Follow along for 12 days of science mischief from my elf Dr. Ralph the Science Elf. 

📝HOW TO🧪
Pour water into a plate
Sprinkle pepper onto the plate (if you set this out in the morning it’ll look like the first clip - if you set it out the night before it’ll look like the last clip - both are fun!)
Tap dish soap on the plate

🧪 THE SCIENCE 🤓
WATER is ~STICKY~ and it loves holding onto each other. Because of this, it creates something called SURFACE TENSION on the surface of water. 
🧼 SOAP is something called a SURFACTANT which means it breaks the bonds between water molecules. 
🧼⛓️‍💥So when you add soap to the water - it breaks the bonds between water molecules at that location - but the bond is still strong along the circumference. So those water molecules are PULLING and bring the pepper that’s floating on the surface towards them. 
🧂This is why the pepper JUMPS outwards! The stronger surface tension is PULLING it! 

Follow along for more science-Elf ideas!
#elfontheshelf #elfontheshelfideas

## Stats

- **Views:** 29,193
- **Likes:** 868
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 16

## Tags

elfontheshelf, elfontheshelfideas

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