Why Bubbles Are Round? - Science ABC

Bubbles are round because the surface tension of the soap film pulls them into the shape of a sphere. This happens because the surface tension is the force that balances the inward force of the air molecules on the bubble and the outward force of the air molecules on the bubble.

In the case of bubbles, the air molecules trapped inside experience a force from the air molecules outside the bubble. They, in turn, also exert an equal and opposite force. Due to this, the air bubbles inside try to cluster together into a shape that minimizes their contact with the outside air. The resultant shape is spherical.

I remember that whenever I used to go to any fair, I always looked for one of those little things that you can make bubbles with. You know, the little bottle of soap solution and a ‘wand’ that you can dip into the former and then blow through to make round, beautiful bubbles.

Well, if my description isn’t helping much, the following picture should tell you what I’m talking about:

I’m sure that you’ve made bubbles using this ‘device’ at some point; if not, you may be dead inside. Or from another planet.

Anyway, the thing about the bubbles that’s really cool is that a) they are so colorful, and b) they usually are absolutely spherical. No matter what the size, bubbles that form with this toy are always round!

Come to think of it, it’s not just the bubbles made by this toy that are spherical, but practically all bubbles, right? Have you ever thought about why?

Note: Not all bubbles are necessarily spherical; they can come in different shapes other than a sphere, but for the scope of this article, we shall only consider the most generic shapes, i.e. spherical ones.

So, let’s get started.

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Why Do Bubbles Form In A Glass Of Water?