How does this happen? It's amazing!

[jakub]

http://revver.com/video/589547/science-or-magic/

[swansont]

Pepper floats on the surface of the water due to the surface tension. Detergent reduces the surface tension. The ripple from the spreading detergent moves the pepper out of the way — if you were to add pepper to the area with detergent, or waited longer for some more mixing, you'd get some pepper falling to the bottom of the bowl.

[YT2095]

here`s another one that you may try at home, get a sheet of paper and fold it to make a little paper boat, and then rub some Hand soap on the back of the boat and place it in you bath tub full of water.

the boat will seem to drive along forwards as if it had an engine!

 

in actual fact the surface tension of the water in front is Greater and is Pulling the boat along

[Mr Skeptic]

Perhaps for more fun, you can use soap to power a tiny boat. Just put a cube of soap on the back of your boat, and place it in a large body of water, and the surface tension effects will propel your boat.

 

Looks like YT beat me to it.

[D H]

This makes an excellent trick as a bar story. You need to weave a good story around it. If you are a bartender, this is a great trick for tips. If you are just a customer, this is good for a free drink. These are the instructions for a customer.

 

Tell a bartender to get a bowl of water, some black pepper, white pepper, ginger, and detergent. "This bowl of water represents this bar." Tell the bartender to sprinkle some white pepper on the water. "Hey! You have a few customers!" Now tell the bartender to sprinkle some black pepper on the water. "Some black people joined the white people already at the bar. We're cool; everything is copacetic." Now tell the bartender to sprinkle some ginger on the water. "Looks like that group of Asians that just came in is getting along fine with everyone else." Now for the kicker: "Oh oh. An Aggie just came in to the bar." Tell the bartender to let a drop of detergent fall into the middle of the bowl.

 

Note: Aggies are fair game as the brunt of all jokes in Texas. If you aren't in Texas you will need to substitute the term "Aggie" with the politically correct punching bag from your neck of the woods.

[iNow]

This makes an excellent trick as a bar story.

 

LOL!

 

 

Hook 'em.