Why do bubbles not break in rain?

Question

OK, this is my 9 year old daughter's question. I am not sure if this is a physics question but I can't think what other subject to ask under.

If you blow bubbles using a bought bubble kit and blow them in the rain why do they not burst? Does the rain drop become part of the bubble? Does it pass through? Bounce off? Slide off? Or on that day, did every rain drop miss every bubble?

An anxious 9 year old awaits.

Answer 1

That is a great observation for a kid. Make sure you praise her for that.

I am not positive of the answer but my grandson (he's 3 1/2) and I (at heart I am about the same age..LOL) had one of those automatic bubble making machines that his folks got at costco. It is great, never saw so many bubbles in my life, and the mechanism is set up to produce bubbles inside of a bigger bubble.

Of course the kids (also a granddaughter) had a lot of fun breaking the bubbles, first by hand, then with a make believe sword....etc

We ended up trying to "shoot them out of the air" with water pistols. And here is where we were surprised probably the same as your girl. The darn bubbles were stubborn to be broken by a squirt of water. Four or five squirts would usually do it but that seemed a little strange.

All I can figure is the water from the squirt gun or the rain drop in your case must become part of the bubble. There is a surface tension on the bubble and evidently is enough to keep the rain drop from passing through. It is as if the rain drop initially wants to float on the bubble's surface but quickly spreads out and as you suspect becomes part and parcel of the bubble.

There is an old surface tension demonstration where you float a metal needle on the surface of water. I wonder if you could form a bubble (in a pan or something so it would be stationary) and then float something on the bubble's surface. It would probably slide right down the side but you might see the effect for an instant. Or take an eye dropper and bombard the bubble with your own raindrop. Might see somthing....

Another explanation might be that the raindrop passes through the bubble which quickly heals it self but that is a little difficult for me to envision....

Bubbles are fun

Answer 2

I've got a degree in physics and I don't know the answer but I would guess that the raindrops were either bouncing or sliding off the bubbles. I would imagine a direct hit would cause one to burst but that wouldn't happen very often. Also if it was light rain then it might be possible that you did not see any bubbles being hit by raindrops. But I like the bouncing and sliding theories best.

Great question, have a star :)

Answer 3

It is very nice to hear such an interesting question from such a young child.
It is also nice of you to look for answers for your child, even if when you aren't so sure of the answer yourself.

It is unlikely that every single rain drop missed every bubble. So the correct answer is that the rain drops bounce off of the bubble.

Soap bubbles are actually pretty rigid. You can see this if you gently catch a soap bubble and try to squeeze it until it bursts; you'll notice that you can squeeze quite a bit before they explode (depending on the concentration of soap).

This is known as surface tension. You can look at the surface of water (or soap-water bubble) as a sort of elastic sheet. If you squeeze this sheet just a little it will force your finger back. If you apply too much pressure the sheet will break apart, just like a balloon blows up when you squeeze it too much.
I guess that rain drops aren't that heavy or powerful and so they just bounce of the soap "balloon".

Answer 4

OK , its really a interesting question. and part of physics.
when u make bubbles using bubble kit u will see theses bubbles are round in shape like a round football.also the rain drops are even in small in size and if u notice these are also round in shape. for your information the round shape is formed due to SURFACE TENT ION . i.e. every side of the bubble and rain drops posses equal and opposite force from inside which makes them round and smooth due to small in size.as long as the bubbles have this surface tent ion it will not burst until a force greater than this will not give to it.
also the solution from which the bubbles are made give the bubble to a smoother surface .that's why some part of the rain drops just slide off and another part just become a part of the bubble to maintain its surface tention.

Answer 5

Meniscus & Lightness.

The rain drops just knock the bubble to one side.

However, a big bubble can get hit by several raindrops and burst.

Observational experimentation 10 mins ago.

Answer 6

it is in actual fact the pressure of the air in the bubble is much mor intense than the pressure outside of the bubble so that will make the bubble itsself stronger so the resistance of the bubble is bouncy! they will just bouce off! but if vyou had a big rain drop with a hight gravity pull obviously it would burst! hope it helps.. the questions kids ask is absoloutley amazing! shows that have a good imagination- i bet your proud.

Answer 7

I think it is because they are both wet..it is more likely for a bubble to burst if you touch it with dry hands, than if your hands are already wet..guess it would work the same with rain and soap bubbles.
question, why then wouldn't the rain and the soap bubbles produce more bubbles?
My cat is called Bubbles..hehe and he hates the wet.

Answer 8

This is a good question. I have no real answer. But I do find it so interesting, I want to investigate more. You have a young scientist to ask such a question. Very smart child to take such notice. And a star to you and her too!

Answer 9

WOW!! What a question and astute observation! Fantastic! Tisk of the tastic fan! That's the best question yet! I'll be reviewing for the answer! Sorry I have no answer of my own. Good luck with this one matie.

Answer 10

oh its great observation
It is very nice to hear such an interesting question from such a young child.
I think its happen with rain water only .