Ivory Soap Science Experiment

This is a science experiment that really "cleans up"!

My daughter's best friend did this experiment at school, and after she told us about it, we just had to try it out!  We took a bar of Ivory soap and place it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.  While it's in there, I asked the kids what they thought would happen.  My son had a friend over, he said he thought it would melt.  My daughter said she thought it would burn. 
After 2 minutes, I took it out and it has become a cloud!  A wonderful, Ivory soap smelling cloud!  It looks like whipped cream, but the texture is more like meringue.  It immediately "falls" and stiffens, which is so fun to watch!   Then we placed the foam in water, and just like the bar, it floats!  Guess how my four year wants to take a bath tonight!
The scientific explanation is that the soap, which floats in it's bar form, is different from other soaps because it's whipped!  Whipping the soap causes lots of tiny air bubbles, and has captured water inside the bubbles.  Like popcorn, when it is heated, it expands!  Thanks to Steve Spangler Science for explaining it to me.  For more information;  http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/soap-souffle