Magnetic Slime

Safety Notes

• Adult supervision required when handling iron oxide powder
• Iron oxide is messy and can stain - wear old clothes and gloves
• Avoid ingestion or eye contact with iron oxide or slime
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling
• Keep strong neodymium magnets away from:
• Small children (choking hazard if swallowed)
• Electronics (phones, computers, credit cards)
• Pacemakers and medical devices
• The slime itself is safe once mixed

Instructions

1. Make the base slime:
2. In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup white glue and ½ cup warm water

3. Stir until completely smooth and well mixed

4. Add the magnetic material:

5. Add 2-3 tablespoons of iron oxide powder or iron filings
6. Mix thoroughly until the iron is evenly distributed

7. The slime will turn dark gray or black

8. Activate the slime:

9. Slowly pour in ½ cup of liquid starch (or borax solution) while stirring constantly
10. The mixture will start to thicken and pull away from the bowl

11. Keep stirring until it forms a cohesive mass

12. Knead the slime:

13. Use your hands to knead the slime until it's stretchy and uniform
14. Blot any excess liquid with paper towels
15. If too sticky, add a bit more starch

16. If too stiff, add a tiny bit of water

17. Test with magnets:

18. Hold a strong neodymium magnet close to the slime (but don't let it touch!)
19. Watch the slime stretch, rise, and crawl toward the magnet
20. Move the magnet around to make the slime dance and move

Tips for Best Results

• Firmness matters: Slime that's slightly firm (not runny) responds better to magnets
• Stronger magnets = more drama: Neodymium (rare-earth) magnets work much better than regular refrigerator magnets
• Keep magnets clean: Don't let the magnet touch the slime or the iron particles will stick to it permanently
• Storage: Keep in an airtight container when not in use to prevent drying out

What's Happening?

Ferromagnetism:
Iron is a ferromagnetic material, meaning it's strongly attracted to magnetic fields. When you mix iron powder into the slime, you're creating a material that can respond to magnets.

How It Moves:
1. The iron particles are suspended throughout the slime
2. When you bring a magnet near, the iron particles become magnetized
3. They align with the magnetic field and are pulled toward the magnet
4. Because they're stuck in the stretchy slime, they drag the slime with them
5. This makes the slime appear to "crawl" toward the magnet!

Why Strong Magnets?
Regular refrigerator magnets aren't strong enough to pull the iron particles through the thick, gooey slime. Neodymium magnets are much more powerful, creating stronger magnetic fields that can overcome the slime's resistance.

Temporary vs. Permanent Magnets:
- The iron particles become temporary magnets when near your magnet
- When you move the magnet away, the iron particles lose their magnetism
- This is different from permanent magnets (like your neodymium magnet) which stay magnetic

Comparing to Regular Slime:
Remember the regular slime experiment? That was all about polymer chemistry - long chains of molecules (PVA) cross-linked by borax or starch. This magnetic slime has the same polymer structure, but with magnetic particles suspended in it - combining chemistry with physics!

Advanced Experiments

1. Test different magnets:
2. Try weak vs. strong magnets

3. Which creates the most movement?

4. Iron powder vs. iron filings:

5. Does powder or filings work better?

6. Why might there be a difference?

7. Magnetic field patterns:

8. Place the slime on a plate
9. Hold magnets underneath

10. Watch the slime form spikes along magnetic field lines!

11. Make it permanent:

12. Can you make the slime stay magnetic after removing the magnet?
13. (Spoiler: No - the iron particles need the external magnetic field)

Storage

Store magnetic slime in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. It should last 1-2 weeks if kept sealed. The iron may cause it to dry out faster than regular slime.