Electrical Circuit
Electricity and Magnetism

Making conducting dough

Teaching Guidance for 5-11 11-14 IOP RESOURCES

The following recipe is quick and easy to make. It will produce 350 g of dough, enough for two groups to make a:

Play-dough circuit with Christmas tree component

You may need to make several batches.

Apparatus and Materials

  • One cup of water
  • One cup of flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • ¼ cup of salt
  • Nine tbsp. lemon juice
  • One tbsp. vegetable oil
  • Green food colouring

Health & Safety and Technical Notes

The dough will keep for several weeks when stored in an airtight container or plastic bag.

Read our standard health & safety guidance

Procedure

  1. Combine the water, flour, salt, lemon juice, vegetable oil and food colouring in a medium-sized saucepan, and whisk to ensure a smooth consistency.
  2. Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t burn. The mixture will begin to boil and start to thicken.
  3. Keep stirring until the mixture forms a ball in the centre of the pot.
  4. Once a ball forms, place on a floured surface and knead until the desired consistency is reached.
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