JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On windy days we sometimes get this question at our local beaches. What exactly is seafoam and what causes it?
Dr. Melinda Simmons from Jacksonville University, in collaboration with First Coast News Meteorologist Robert Speta, demonstrated sea foam through a simple yet enlightening science experiment that can be replicated in the comfort of your own home.
“On windy days, we witness a phenomenon where mixing occurs in the ocean, stirring up dissolved organic matter such as fats and proteins from various aquatic organisms,” explains Dr. Simmons. This dissolved organic matter, including phytoplankton, serves as the primary ingredient in the formation of sea foam.
To illustrate this process, Dr. Simmons conducted an experiment using two glasses of milk, one containing non-fat milk and the other whole milk rich in fat content.
“The key factors contributing to sea foam formation are the intensity of mixing and the presence of dissolved organic matter,” she elucidates. As she activated a frother in each glass, bubbles began to surface. However, the whole milk, analogous to the ocean teeming with dissolved particles, produced a significantly larger volume of foam compared to its non-fat counterpart.
Dr. Simmons draws a parallel between the fat content in milk and the presence of phytoplankton in ocean waters. Phytoplankton, tiny single-celled organisms, thrive near the ocean's surface, harnessing sunlight for energy. These organisms possess lipids, akin to the oil in a bottle of vinaigrette, which can be released into the water. When whipped up by the wind, these lipids intermingle with the water, generating the sea foam reminiscent of our whole milk experiment.
Curious to conduct your own sea foam experiment at home? All you need are glasses of whole milk and non-fat milk, along with a mixing tool.