# Making a bouncy ball from scratch

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tERigvFwLrM
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/tERigvFwLrM
Generated: 2025-08-14T17:32:52.882+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The video successfully demonstrates how to create a bouncy ball from sulfur and 1,2-dichloroethane, resulting in a rubbery, albeit not perfectly spherical, bouncy object after a multi-stage chemical reaction and cooling process.

**Key Points:**
- A bouncy ball is successfully synthesized by reacting sulfur with sodium hydroxide and then 1,2-dichloroethane.
- The process involves creating polysulfides, which initially turn the solution yellow.
- Cooling the polysulfide solution helps in the precipitation of the rubbery material.
- The final product is a lumpy, yellow, rubbery substance.
- The synthesized material bounces when dropped, though it is not perfectly spherical.
- The entire process, including reactions and cooling, takes approximately 70 minutes.

![Screenshot at 02:26: The final synthesized bouncy ball is held by tongs, showing its lumpy, yellow, and rubbery texture, demonstrating the outcome of the experiment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-02-26.png)

**Context:** The video demonstrates a DIY method for creating a bouncy ball using common chemical compounds. The process involves creating a solution of polysulfides by reacting elemental sulfur with a source of sodium hydroxide, followed by cooling and precipitation using 1,2-dichloroethane. The experiment aims to replicate the process of making synthetic rubber, which forms the basis of bouncy balls.

## Detailed Analysis

The video details the process of synthesizing a bouncy ball from elemental sulfur and 1,2-dichloroethane. It begins by adding 300 ml of water to a beaker and stirring it to create a vortex. Then, approximately 30 grams of sulfur are added, which slowly reacts with the sodium hydroxide (implied, as 'drain cleaner' is mentioned as a source). The reaction forms polysulfides, which are soluble in water, turning the solution cloudy yellow. This process takes about 30 minutes. To solidify the polysulfides, the mixture is cooled, taking about 40 minutes. Finally, 1,2-dichloroethane is added to the cooled mixture, causing the polysulfides to precipitate out as a rubbery solid. The resulting material is a lumpy, yellow, rubbery substance that, when dropped, bounces, though not as perfectly round or as high as a commercial bouncy ball.

### Experiment Setup

- Mix water and sulfur in a beaker, then add sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner) to create polysulfides

### Reaction Process

- Sulfur reacts with sodium hydroxide to form soluble polysulfides, turning the solution yellow

### Solidification

- Cool the polysulfide solution to precipitate the rubbery material

### Final Product Creation

- Add 1,2-dichloroethane to further precipitate and form the bouncy ball material

### Testing the Bouncy Ball

- Observe the resulting rubbery substance bouncing, though imperfectly spherical

![Screenshot at 00:03: A blue bouncy ball is shown with an arrow pointing to it, illustrating the concept.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-03.png)
![Screenshot at 00:04: A beaker with 300 ml of water is prepared for the experiment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 00:11: A gloved hand adds a white substance \(likely sodium hydroxide\) to the water.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-11.png)
![Screenshot at 00:27: Sulfur powder is added to the swirling mixture in the beaker.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-27.png)
![Screenshot at 00:44: The mixture turns a cloudy yellow, indicating the formation of polysulfides.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-44.png)
![Screenshot at 00:56: The solution is shown after cooling, with a darker, more concentrated liquid at the bottom.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-00-56.png)
![Screenshot at 01:28: 1,2-dichloroethane is added to the mixture, causing precipitation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-01-28.png)
![Screenshot at 01:41: The resulting rubbery substance is shown, described as 'thiokol rubber'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-01-41.png)
![Screenshot at 02:05: A gloved hand uses tongs to pull a lumpy, yellow, rubbery mass from the beaker.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-02-05.png)
![Screenshot at 02:26: The resulting bouncy ball is held up, showing its irregular shape and texture.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/tERigvFwLrM/00-02-26.png)