Question

A student places a small amount of water in a glass dish and then carefully places a small paperclip on the surface of the water. The paperclip floats. What happens if the student adds a drop or two of dish soap to the water? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

I believe that adding soap will make the paperclip fall through the water to the base of the dish. Soap is a surfactant, which decreases the surface pressure of the water. The surface strain of water is what upheld the paperclip in the first place, so with the decrease in surface pressure the paper clip will fall.

Answer 2

Include:
- Adding cleanser makes the paperclip fall through the water to the base of the dish.
- Soap is a surfactant.
- Surfactants lessen the surface pressure of a fluid.
- The surface strain of water is the thing that upheld the paper cut.