MEL Chemistry | A message for a loved one @melchemistry7035 | Uploaded July 2019 | Updated October 2024, 28 minutes ago.
A paper flower blooms before your very eyes and gives your loved one a happy surprise! How? Read on to find out!
Equipment: paper flower, marker, plate, water.
Write an inscription on the paper flower’s petals (we wrote “I love you.” Keep in mind that it usually looks best when the number of petals is equal to the number of letters in the inscription!) Then, starting from the last petal, fold them in towards the center, creasing them slightly. Set the flower in a plate of water and watch it bloom!
The water permeates into the paper due to the material’s wettability and the capillary effect. The capillary effect is the phenomenon in which water strives to fill narrow capillaries, formed in this case by the interwoven fibers of the cellulose. When wet, the cellulose fibers swell and apply tension to the creases in the paper. This results in elastic forces that cause the paper to unfurl.
Safety precautions: none.
A paper flower blooms before your very eyes and gives your loved one a happy surprise! How? Read on to find out!
Equipment: paper flower, marker, plate, water.
Write an inscription on the paper flower’s petals (we wrote “I love you.” Keep in mind that it usually looks best when the number of petals is equal to the number of letters in the inscription!) Then, starting from the last petal, fold them in towards the center, creasing them slightly. Set the flower in a plate of water and watch it bloom!
The water permeates into the paper due to the material’s wettability and the capillary effect. The capillary effect is the phenomenon in which water strives to fill narrow capillaries, formed in this case by the interwoven fibers of the cellulose. When wet, the cellulose fibers swell and apply tension to the creases in the paper. This results in elastic forces that cause the paper to unfurl.
Safety precautions: none.
