YoU WILL NEED \ # Dinner plate \ % Jug of water X we yy ‘ Black pepper grinder : % Dish soap 4 Your finger! ‘ ] = Pour some water ‘onto a dinner 2 Grind some black ae > plate until it’s pepper onto the water almost at the ithe it’ ly . Saeruees so it's evenly spread EPPER is Fine ed magic powers u always want V eye ur anqartipa: this is the trick for you. oo of stretchy water enables Knowing the secre er at will... you to repel, or push away, PePP! THE SC/ENCE Dish soap reduces the surface tension, so putting a soapy finger in water is like popping a balloon with a pin—the stretchy surface Water has a property called surface tension that makes the pulls back, carrying the top layer stretchy like a balloon. _pepperwithit POPPING A BALLOON 443 Tell your friend to put their finger in the water. Nothing happens... because they don't have your magic powers. Secretly put some dish soap on the tip of your finger. Dip your finger into the water and watch the pepper zoom away!