A number of interesting and engaging activities dealing with soap films have appeared in the physics teaching literature.1 In this paper we describe a simple activity that demonstrates some important and intriguing aspects of the physics of thin fluid films.

Topics
Teaching
1.
For example,
Joe
 
Pizzo
, “
An interactive soap film apparatus
,”
Phys. Teach.
 
26
,
238
(April
1988
) and
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
Göran
Rämme
, “
Science and art-rotating and vibrating soap films
,”
Phys. Teach.
31
,
124
(Feb.
1993
). See also http://chemmovies.unl.edu/chemistry/beckerdemos/BD028.html.
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Crossref
Search ADS
 
2.
For a college-level introduction to the problem, see for example E.R. Jones and R.L. Childers, Contemporary College Physics (McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math, 2000), ISBN 0072415126. More details can be found in C. Isenberg, The Science of Soap Films and Soap Bubbles (Tieto, Clevedon, England, 1978, reprinted in Dover, New York, 1992) and C.V. Boys, Soap Bubbles: Their Colours and Forces Which Mould Them (Dover, New York, 1959).
3.
A thorough description of the physical and mathematical details of this configuration can be found in
D.
Brink
,
R.
Gobbo
,
L. M.
Gratton
, and
V.
Zanetti
, “
Soap films and their surface tension
,”
La Fisica Nella Scuola (Physics at School)
32
,
39
(
1999
).
Google Scholar
 
4.
The photographs were all taken with a digital camera (Nikon Coolpix 885) set to work in manual mode (shutter speed 1/15 s, f/2.8). The films were placed in front of a black screen and illuminated with diffused light from a photographic spotlight.
5.
In all our experiments we use a simple solution to obtain durable bubbles and films. In our recipe, to prepare 1 liter of solution we took 60 ml of Ultra Joy® concentrated dishwashing liquid, 15 ml of glycerin, and 925 ml of water.
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© 2005 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2005
American Association of Physics Teachers
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