Secret Life in Water-Proof Mascara
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:28 pm
yo I need help with this. I can't find a website for this on google or yahoo. yo I need help with this. I can't find a website for this on google or yahoo.Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"
If you have a question about your science fair project, you are in the right place!
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/ask-an-expert/
Secret Life in Water-Proof Mascara
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/ask-an-expert/viewtopic.php?t=997
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yo I need help with this. I can't find a website for this on google or yahoo.Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:36 pm
We can't read your mind... you must give us more details to go on... You need to ask a specific question.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:44 pm
well I was wondering how/which chemicals make mascara water-proof and how.
Reading the label...
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:56 pm
Ok... now we are talking...
How about a little scientific research... at the cosmetics counter...
Try reading the labels of both water-proof and non-water proof mascara. Creat a table of the list of ingredients, noting what the two types have in common... both within each type and in both types... then find what the two times DO NOT have in common.
Look at as many different products as possible, as this will give you a better sample size to find which ingredients are the likely materials to impart "water-proof-ness" to the water proof mascara.
This is called "comparative analysis". It does not always give absolute results, but it helps identify possible candidates to test...
The next step in a scientific method would be to find yet another, random brand of mascara... and read the ingredients first... and from the ingredients, test your hypothesis that a given ingredient's presence or absense will indicate whether it is water-proof or not. If each time you run this test, your prediction is correct... then your theory is strengthened.
This is how much of science is conducted, analyze, compare and contrast, hypothesize, and test... and test again... and test again... If you conduct this kind of evaluation in a systematic and most importantly, well documented fashion, you will be performing a good science experiment.
Good luck, let us know how it works out. Maybe post some results?
How about a little scientific research... at the cosmetics counter...
Try reading the labels of both water-proof and non-water proof mascara. Creat a table of the list of ingredients, noting what the two types have in common... both within each type and in both types... then find what the two times DO NOT have in common.
Look at as many different products as possible, as this will give you a better sample size to find which ingredients are the likely materials to impart "water-proof-ness" to the water proof mascara.
This is called "comparative analysis". It does not always give absolute results, but it helps identify possible candidates to test...
The next step in a scientific method would be to find yet another, random brand of mascara... and read the ingredients first... and from the ingredients, test your hypothesis that a given ingredient's presence or absense will indicate whether it is water-proof or not. If each time you run this test, your prediction is correct... then your theory is strengthened.
This is how much of science is conducted, analyze, compare and contrast, hypothesize, and test... and test again... and test again... If you conduct this kind of evaluation in a systematic and most importantly, well documented fashion, you will be performing a good science experiment.
Good luck, let us know how it works out. Maybe post some results?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:20 pm
THANK YOU 
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:20 pm
A few hints...
This is really a chemistry research project dealing with the solubility of mascara components in water.
Water is a polarized molecule because the two hydrogens do not lie in a straight line, but are angled at 109 degrees. The oxygen is more exposed on one end and the hydrogens are more exposed on the other. The result is an electrical orientation found in few other chemicals.
Most oils, greases, waxes, and hydrocarbons in general are non-polarized. Think about how they mix with water and you have your first clue.
Now, consider soap, which allows oil and water to mix. It is polarized on one end, has a long hydrocarbon tail (of fat), and appears non-polar on the fatty end. Alcohol acts somewhat the same, but for a different reason.
Now, go back to the mascara components and determine what catagory each one falls into and you should find your answer.
Robert Reavis
This is really a chemistry research project dealing with the solubility of mascara components in water.
Water is a polarized molecule because the two hydrogens do not lie in a straight line, but are angled at 109 degrees. The oxygen is more exposed on one end and the hydrogens are more exposed on the other. The result is an electrical orientation found in few other chemicals.
Most oils, greases, waxes, and hydrocarbons in general are non-polarized. Think about how they mix with water and you have your first clue.
Now, consider soap, which allows oil and water to mix. It is polarized on one end, has a long hydrocarbon tail (of fat), and appears non-polar on the fatty end. Alcohol acts somewhat the same, but for a different reason.
Now, go back to the mascara components and determine what catagory each one falls into and you should find your answer.
Robert Reavis