EXPERIMENTS ONLY

Here are the experiments from my last post only on their own.  I will also try to add some video or pictures to explain further.  These really are fun activities and all of them "wow" kids.  Never had someone boo hoo these tricks!  Enjoy!

FLAME RELIGHT TRICK (POLYMERS TRAIL)

-          Candle

-          Matches

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Light both the match and the wick of the candle.  Keeping the match lit, blow out the candle.  As the smoke comes off the candle, catch a “stream” of smoke and put the lit match right in the stream.  The flame will “jump” to the candle wick without the match touching the wick.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  The smoke is made up of tiny polymers that create chains.  Essentially, you are lighting the chain and the fire makes it way down to the wick.

BLOW OUT MATCH WITHOUT WIND

-          ¼ cup vinegar

-          Teaspoon of baking soda

-          Matches

-          INSTRUCTION:  Pour vinegar into a glass measuring cup.  Add the baking soda and allow the chemical reaction to take place.  There will be lots of bubbles and fizzing.  Take a match, light it, and slowly move it towards the middle of the measuring cup.  The closer it gets to the liquid, the match will just go out without anyone blowing on it.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  Vinegar and baking soda create CO₂ gas.  Inside the measuring cup the CO2 is so thick, there is no oxygen for the flame to survive therefore it goes out

SKEWERS IN A BALLON

-          Balloons

-          Bamboo cooking skewers

-          Cooking oil or dish soap

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Blow up a balloon almost all the way up and then let some air out.  (This is just to help make sure the balloon is adequately stretched out).  Tie a knot.  Coat one skewer with some dish soap or oil.  Place the sharpened tip on the thick end of the balloon (the top of the balloon that is darkest should be your entrance point) and keep pushing all the way through to the other side of the balloon.  Your skewer will NOT pop the balloon.  (Though after a while, the balloon will start to show signs of deflation…)

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  Polymers are the answer again!  Polymers are long chains of molecules.  In rubber the elasticity of the polymer chain causes them to stretch enough you can get the skewer through the thickest point of the balloon.  This is why you MUST enter through the darkened portion of the balloon.

LEAK PROOF BAG

-          Sharpened pencils (or bamboo skewers)

-          Zipper lock bags

-          Water

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Fill the baggie with water and zip it shut.  Next, take pencils and puncture through the bag on one side and then through to the other side.  As long as you keep pushing the leave the pencils in place, the bag will not leak

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  The water tension that is created by the bag and pencil and water keeps the water in the bag

MYSTERIOUS WATER SUSPENSION

-          Mason jar

-          Plastic screen/mesh

-          Index card (plastic cover for index card works well too)

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Place the screen under the portion of the lid that screws down.  This way, you can pour water into the jar.  Pour water in jar through the screen.  Place the index card over the lid and turn the jar over.  Once the jar has been turned over, remove the index card.  The water DOES NOT COME OUT!  This is again due to water tension!!  There is enough support from the screen/mesh that the water will stay put.  Now, if you tip the jar, it will pour out, but if you turn it completely upside down with the card and then remove it, the water will not come out.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  There is atmospheric pressure that is exerted by the surrounding air.  There is also surface tension that keeps the water from breaking the small membrane that forms in between all the squares of the screen. 

WATER SUCKING CUP

-          Plate

-          Glass cup

-          A bit of tacky-tack

-          Birthday candle

-          Water

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Put some tacky on the bottom of the birthday candle.  Stick the birthday candle in the middle of the plate.  Put a small amount of water in the plate.  Enough to cover the plate but not excessive.  Light the candle and place the glass cup over the candle.  Eventually the flame on the candle will go out, when this happens you’ll notice the water being sucked up into the glass.  Much of the water on the plate will seemingly disappear and get sucked up into the glass

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  The flame uses up all the oxygen in the cup and creates a vacuum which causes the suction of the water in the cup.

WALKING ON EGGSHELLS

-          6-8 cartons of eggs

-          Trash bags

-          Bucket of soap and water

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Cover area with trash bags and inspect eggs.  Make replacements if necessary.  Orient eggs so that the cartons are all pointed in the same direction.  Remove shoes and socks.  You might need to provide assistance to the person walking on eggs to get started.  The key is to make sure your foot is as flat as possible.  When foot is positioned slowly shift weight to the egg leg.  There will be a bit of creaking sounds, but don’t worry.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  The shape of the egg is the secret.  The egg the strongest at the top and bottom that’s why it doesn’t break when you squeeze the top and bottom.  The carton is huge too.  Joseph Coyle invented the egg carton.  Supposedly if the carton is dropped the eggs won’t break.

EXPLODING TOOTHPASTE

-          1 liter bottles

-          Hydrogen peroxide (12%) 40 volume

-          Liquid Dish soap

-          Food coloring

-          Package of dry yeast

-          Small plastic cup

-          Measuring spoons

-          Funnel

-          Plastic to cover surface

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Use a funnel to add 4 oz hydrogen peroxide to 1 liter soda bottle.  Add a squirt of dish soap and some food coloring to the hydrogen peroxide in bottle.  Give the bottle a quick swirl to mix contents.  Set 1 liter aside.  Mix the entire package of yeast with 4 tablespoons of very warm water in a small plastic cup.  Sitr mixture with a spoon.  Pour yeast mixture into bottle – wait a few seconds for it to react.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  This is an exothermic reaction – energy in the form of heat given off.  Hydrogen peroxide breaks into H₂O and O₂

SECRET SPRAYING BOTTLE

-          Take a plastic pop bottle (Coke, 7 up, etc)

-          Poke about 4 holes around bottle

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Fill bottle with water and put the lid on.  Give the bottle to a friend and have them take the lid off.  Water will start spraying from bottle.  Put the lid back on and the water stops

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  The pressure that comes from the air in the bottle when it is “pushed” in with the positioning of the lid.  When the lid is removed the pressure is gone and the water starts leaking out.

FIREBALL (WARNING – THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A VERY SAFE PLACE…POSSIBLY OUTSIDE OR IN A GARAGE!!!)

-          About a Tablespoon of corn starch

-          A small piece of paper (about 4x4 inch piece)

-          Lighter

-          INSTRUCTIONS:  Take about a tablespoon of corn starch and place it down the center of the paper.  Roll the paper up so the cornstarch is inside the roll of paper.  Take this to a safe place to ignite.  With the tube of corn starch held up to your mouth, blow the contents into the a lit lighter (blow directly into the flame).  This will create a VERY LARGE fireball that will last only about 2 seconds.

-          SCIENCE BEHIND IT:  If you tried to light corn starch on fire as just a pile of corn starch sitting on the table it will not ignite.  However, when you add air, this substance will light on fire.  This is the same concept that causes explosions in grain elevators.  When compacted it is okay, but air and any spark added can cause major issues.