Gross science: Make a batch of snot at home

Did you know an explosive sneeze can shoot millions of droplets out of your nose and mouth at more than 100 mph? These droplets mainly consist of water, salt and protein. Using a few ingredients from around the house, you can make a batch of snot.

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup of glue

* 1/4 cup of borax

* warm water

* green food coloring

Instructions

STEP 1: Dissolve the borax into one quart of warm water.

STEP 2: Add a few drops of the green food coloring into the borax solution and mix.

STEP 3: Mix the glue and borax solution in a large bowl until the mixture looks like snot. You can add more borax if the mixture is too runny.

Explanation

Your batch of snot is a polymer, which is a long chain of molecules. The borax linked the glue's molecules together.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website "Hooked On Science" at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.