Flubber
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Robin Williams plays an absent minded professor and scientist in the movie “Flubber.” From the opening scenes we are mesmerized by exciting robotics and talking, flying computers, which are all products of scientific research.
The professor stumbles upon “Flubber” by accident concocting polymers and
catalysts, and a dash of electricity. Flubber is a polymer made by a chemical reaction.
Polymers are very long chains of repeating units. When the two solutions are combined,
chains are linked together by ions and other chemical bonds. This produces the thick,
sticky polymer called flubber. As in real life with trial and error scientist conduct
hundreds of experiments and make hypothesis after hypothesis to reach a final product.
How often it is though scientists find their creation by mistake.
This “floating rubber” is manipulated through experimentation, trial and error. Each time the professor is trying to find a way to control flubber with gamma radiation and compounds. He is trying to harness flubbers enormous absorption of kinetic energy, energy of motion. He changes his formula, his temperature, all concepts and terms we use in chemistry.
Tedious and time consuming trials and dedicated scientists use terms like “Kelvin” or “gamma rays” to label and describe different properties and elements in chemistry and science. Science and chemistry are around us everyday. Even the human emotion of love can be broken down into simple chemical reaction.
Real life scientists use chemistry and science concepts everyday to create new innovations that benefit all people, and change the way the world works-all made possible through science. In this movie, viewers see hundred of experiments and modifications to lead the professor to the final product. It is the heart of the scientist that benefits us all.