Bubble and Sphericons

After deciding to try my hand at bubble-surfaced sphericons, I first made a large wireframe sphericon with a 6" central square. I rounded up the ingredients for some bubble solution, mixed it in a big pot while muttering some arcane incantations, then dipped one fourth of my first wireframe sphericon. Unfortunately, the model was so large that all I could do was roll one surface at the time through the solution. Surprisingly at that point, but obvious in retrospect, I did not get the straight side, but rather a surface pulled in toward the center. Instead of getting a bubble that was flat in one direction as I expected, I got one that wrapped around and pulled inward toward the center of the sphericon. A very interesting result, and is what I should have expected, in hindsight, as all of the surface is in tension.

I soon figured out how to dip one surface, then a second one so that two adjacent films had bubbles. Interestingly enough, the two merged and collapsed down so that the arc had a planar bubble down toward the middle, which then divided into two other bubbles almost in the plane of the central square.

The first small wireframe consisted, as the bigger one had, of a central square, with two arcs connected to opposite corners of the square. Finally, the time had come to dip the whole thing at once, and see what I got. Since I had seen what two adjacent sides gave me, my hopes were pretty well dashed for getting something with an exterior surface. Sure enough, I got something else, and it is pretty strange and neat.

As you may be able to see from the photos below (it's pretty hard to take good pictures of these bubbles), each of the arcs has a planar bubble stretching toward the central square. Since the arcs are at 90 degrees to each other, these bubbles are as well. Both arc bubbles connect to an essentially planar bubble stretched across the central square. However, since all bubbles are in tension, these arc bubbles pull on the central square bubble where they attach to it. So, what we get in the central square bubble is a set of 4 undulating quadrant bubbles, as you go around the square.

We're having some fun now! In playing with the bubbles, we were able to pop certain bubbles, and end up with a single bubble that went through the center of the model, but had quite a twist in it. In looking at the edges that held this bubble, I discovered that I could make a different wireframe model that would make this and only this bubble automatically. This model would have two arcs, and two opposite sides of the square to connect them. I made this model (at right), and lo and behold, it worked! This aberration still rolls wobbily like a standard sphericon.

After popping one of the four quadrant bubbles.

After popping the smaller of the two remaining bubbles.

The same bubble in a modified wireframe with two sides of the square missing.

It would be nice to have a permanent bubble. I did find a new product on the market called "Catch-a-Bubble", by Spin Master Toys. With this, you get a couple of cc's of solution that lets you blow bubbles that 'harden' after you blow them. You can then catch them and play with them, as they stay rubbery and a little bit sticky.

I understand that there is/was also a product that we played with as kids called Form-a-Film, by Joli. This product would allow you to dip a wire form in, and it would form appropriate bubble surfaces. If you left it out to dry, it would eventually harden into a krispy film, which you could touch gently. It even came in different colors. I have searched all over for this product, but it appears to be discontinued. If anyone knows where I can buy some Form-a-Film, please contact me at . I'd love to buy some if it is still available, or make it if I could find the recipe. All of you wonderful visitors out there, help me!

All of this fun with bubbles has led me in other related, but different directions. My father sent me some copies of a few pages out of a book titled "What is Mathematics," by Courant and Robbins, 1941. Beginning on page 388, there is quite an interesting discussion of soap bubbles in general, and some intriguing bubble shapes. For example, you can easily make a wire frame that will generate a bubble Moebius strip!

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