Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi everyone,

I need some help with constants.
I'm doing this project where I have to find what the effect of the ratio of the solutions have on the slime's stickiness.
I'm using borax and Elmer's glue.
The problem is, everything is changing, and a constant means a variable that doesn't change...but all the variables in my experiment are changing...do you get what I mean?
Because of this..I don't know what I should put for the "Identify your constants"!
Please help me...thank you!

Hi simplyminji,
This sounds like a fun experiment!
It seems to me that you have a very good start with your variables (ratio of the solutions). Now, the next step is to figure out how are you going to define and measure "stickiness." This procedure for measurement can then be your constant.

For example, let's say we want to define stickiness as the amount of time it takes for the slime to travel a certain distance at a certain room temperature. (We can flip the jar upside down and see how long it takes for the slime to move from point A to point B.) You constant will then be the distance of point A to point B within the jar that you are going to test with the different slime. There are many other ways to define this and it's really up to your imaginations

Best of luck with the experiment and please let us know if there's anything else that we can do to help.
Willey

Thank you for answering, Willey!

For example, would the slime's stretchiness(?) work also? I was thinking that I can stretch the slime as far as I could and measure how much it can stretch (and measure that).

Sure, that would absolutely work. The challenge now is to come up with a measurement method that is consistent each time you test the different slime's stretchiness. Specifically, you will need to figure out how you can apply the same force to stretch out the slime. For example, gravity is a constant force that you may be able to use. In fact, there are many more possibilities such as springs, magnets, etc...

Good Luck and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help!
Willey