How to make SHRINKY DINK Experiment (Shrinky dinks science)
To discover the effect of heat on polystyrene
Piece of clear polystyrene plastic. (Obtain from the top of Dannon yogurt container or salad container - will have a recycling code of “6”)
Oven , Permanent Marker and Cookie sheet
Procedure
If using the top of a yogurt container, remove the colored strip from the edge. Otherewise cut out a square piece of plastic. Draw a design on the plastic with a permanent marker.
If desired, punch a hole in the plastic with a hole puncher, so it may be attached to a key chain when finished.
Place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 F (170C)
If you have ever thrown a styrofoam cup into a campfire, you know that styrofoam shrinks considerably when heated. If a 2-litre bottle is filled with boiling water, it will noticeably shrink in size. Many packages are shrink-wrapped ion plastic. Certain types of plastics that are put over windows in the winter for insulation must be shrink fitted with a hair dryer. Polystyrene, which is used in this experiment, also shrinks when heated. The reason for this can be traced back to its manufacture.
In order to be made into a film, the polystyrene must be heated, stretched, and then quickly cooled. This locks the plastic into a particular shape and thickness. When heated again, it becomes unlocked and returns to its original position and thickness.
Experiment with plastic plates and cups that are also made of polystyrene. Heat them in the oven using the same procedure as above. What happens?