Polymers: Instant Snow

Objective

Students will be introduced to polymers and their role in our everyday lives. They will look at Sodium Polyacyrlate and how it is used to absorb liquids. Students learn about two forms of this polymer and how a change in their structure can affect their physical properties. This activity can be lengthened to include the students designing their own experiment looking at the affect of a variable. This activity can be followed with the polymer activity “Silly Putty.”