Environment 2.0 Participation Projects: Climate Bubbles:
Manchester
Take Part
Get involved by performing two types of measurements with bubbles. It is suitable for an evening game with friends, an early morning experiment with the kids, or a journey home from a nightclub.
The best conditions are after 10pm and before 7.30am. We ask everyone to do the Bubble Games on the same day. The supercomputers and senior scientists at the Met Office will provide live updates to the Futuresonic 2009 festival audience of the best time and place to experience the phenomenon. Work in pairs if possible.
Safety
Both bubble games are intended to be played outside throughout Manchester.
While playing the games please ensure that you think about your own safety and that of others. While chasing bubbles make sure that you do not run across roads or trespass onto other’s property. Do not drink the bubble liquid.
Ensure that an adult is present at all times.
When to perform measurements
Blow your bubbles anytime from noon Friday 22nd May to noon on Monday the 25th May. We need lots of measurements over this 72 hour period.
72 hours for Bubble Racing and Chasing: we need lots of measurements at different times of the day (and night) over this 72 hour period. The best conditions for the experiment are during the daytime (11.00am-15.00pm) but a fun idea is to have a Bubbles Breakfast, or you may want to blow bubbles after work or school.
Take part anywhere across Greater Manchester, we want races in as many different places as possible.
Instructions
Making the measurements we need is simple and fun. The measurement activties are suitable for an evening game with friends, an early morning experiment with the kids, or a journey home from a nightclub.
When you're finished
The project is finished but you can try uploading data here if you have been bubble blowing.
Hints and Tips
Not every blow results in a bubble. You may need to try several times before you are successful. It's all part of the fun!
• Pick your location carefully. Choose a safe open space away from buildings.
• The games work best with mild to quite strong wind. They do not work as well when there is no wind, or when the wind is extremely strong.
• Soak your cone for a few minutes before you start blowing.
• Dip the wide end of your cone in the bubble fluid, quickly and smoothly take it out of the fluid, place to your mouth, and blow slowly and constantly. Avoid shaking the cone before you blow.
• Take care of your cone. Treat it with love and it will last longer and will repay you with better bubbles.
• If you can't blow bubbles try making a narrower cone.
• Take a few spare cones with you so you can blow even more bubbles.
• During the Chase it is OK if the wind changes direction. Just note the start and end point.
• During the Race the bubbles may not travel 10m. You can time the bubble over 5m and multiply the time by 2. Or you can time the bubble over 2m and multiply the time by 5 (if the wind is very low).
This work by Futuresonic & FutureEverything is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.