What makes styrofoam dissolve

Fortunately, not everyone is resigned to this fate. Instead, people have been trying to come up with a better way to deal with this. One of these ways uses acetone.

Acetone is an organic molecule made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and is the simplest member of the ketone family. On the right is a picture of acetone at the atomic level. Most of the uses of acetone revolve around a single property: it is an excellent solvent. Styrofoam is actually a trade name, used generically to describe polystyrene foam, a polymer made of a long chain of molecules. It is injected with gases during the manufacturing process and becomes extremely lightweight, with about 95 percent air.

Styrofoam often makes up drink holders and insulating materials, as it is a poor conductor of heat. Acetone is an organic compound with the formula CH3 2CO.

A colorless, flammable solvent, it mixes easily with water and evaporates quickly in air. It is popular in plastics manufacturing, industrial cleaning products and some household liquids, such as nail polish remover. To carry out an experiment with Styrofoam and acetone, all you need is a large bowl or measuring glass. Pour the acetone into the container, then slowly add pieces of Styrofoam.

You can use a large piece of Styrofoam, Styrofoam beads or even a Styrofoam cup. This makes it look like you're dissolving a massive quantity of material into a small volume of liquid.

You can see a less-dramatic version of the same effect by dissolving other polystyrene items in acetone. Common polystyrene products include disposable razors, plastic yogurt containers, plastic mailers, and CD jewel cases. The plastic dissolves in just about any organic solvent, not just acetone. Acetone is found in some nail polish removers. If you can't find this product, you could dissolve styrofoam in gasoline just as easily. It's best to do this project outdoors because acetone, gasoline, and other organic solvents tend to be toxic when inhaled.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.

Measure ad performance. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Social studies What causes the Styrofoam to disappear into the acetone?

Social studies. Ben Davis October 6, What causes the Styrofoam to disappear into the acetone? What does Styrofoam and acetone make? What happens when you put Styrofoam in nail polish remover? Will vinegar dissolve Styrofoam? Is melting styrofoam with acetone dangerous? How do you get rid of large amounts of Styrofoam? What liquid dissolves Styrofoam? Can I make Styrofoam at home? Can I melt Styrofoam? What happens when Styrofoam gets wet? How long does it take for a Styrofoam to decompose?

What can you use to seal Styrofoam? Will Styrofoam absorb water? Will Styrofoam kill plants? Is Styrofoam bad for plants? Will Styrofoam eventually sink?