MAKE A BIG DRY ICE BUBBLE

Have fun making a dry ice bubble that will grow and grow as it fills with fog. This experiment is a
great one for adults to do with kids. Add water to the dry ice, cover it with a layer of soapy water
and watch your bubble grow, how big will it get before it bursts? Give it a try and find out!

What you'll need:

 Water
 A large bowl with a lip around the top (a smaller bowl or cup will work too)
 A strip of material or cloth
 Soapy mixture for making bubbles (water and some dishwashing liquid should do the trick)
 Dry ice - one piece for a cup, more for a bowl. Places where adults can buy dry ice include
large grocery stores and Wal-Mart. Butchers and ice cream stores might have some too.

Safety first! Be careful with dry ice as it can cause skin damage if not used safely. Adults should
handle dry ice with gloves and avoid directly breathing in the vapor.

Instructions:

Place your dry ice in the bowl and add some water (it should start looking like a spooky cauldron).
Soak the material in your soapy mixture and run it around the lip of the bowl before dragging it
across the top of the bowl to form a bubble layer over the dry ice. Stand back and watch your
bubble grow!

What's happening?

Dry ice is carbon dioxide (CO2) in its solid form. At temperatures above -56.4 °C (-69.5 °F), dry ice
changes directly from a solid to a gas, without ever being a liquid. This process is called
sublimation. When dry ice is put in water it accelerates the sublimation process, creating clouds of
fog that fill up your dry ice bubble until the pressure becomes too much and the bubble explodes,
spilling fog over the edge of the bowl. Dry ice is sometimes used as part of theater productions
and performances to create a dense foggy effect. It is also used to preserve food, freeze lab
samples and even to make ice cream! .

BLOWING UP BALLOONS WITH CO2

Chemical reactions make for some great experiments. Make use of the carbon dioxide given off by
a baking soda and lemon juice reaction by funneling the gas through a soft drink bottle and in to
your awaiting balloon!

What you'll need:

 Balloon
 About 40 ml of water (a cup is about 250 ml so you don't need much)
 Soft drink bottle
 Drinking straw
 Juice from a lemon
 1 teaspoon of baking soda

Instructions:

Before you begin, make sure that you stretch out the balloon to make it as easy as possible to
inflate. Pour the 40 ml of water into the soft drink bottle. Add the teaspoon of baking soda and stir
it around with the straw until it has dissolved. Pour the lemon juice in and quickly put the
stretched balloon over the mouth of the bottle.

What's happening?

If all goes well then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates
a chemical reaction. The baking soda is a base, while the lemon juice is an acid, when the two
combine they create carbon dioxide (CO2). The gas rises up and escapes through the soft drink
bottle, it doesn't however escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up. If you don't
have any lemons then you can substitute the lemon juice for vinegar.

RELAX WITH BEAUTIFUL BATH SALTS

Whether you're making a special present for someone else, experimenting at home or just want to
relax in a hot bath, give this experiment a go. Create your own bath salts with a variety of
refreshing fragrances, experiment with different essential oils to see which you like best.

What you'll need:

 1 cup of washing soda

 A plastic bag
 A rolling pin (or something similar that can crush lumps)
 A bowl
 A spoon for stirring
 Essential oil
 Food coloring

Instructions:

Take the cup of washing soda and put it into a plastic bag. Crush the lumps with a rolling pin or
similar object. Empty the bag into a bowl and stir in 5 or 6 drops of your favorite essential oil such
as rosemary, lavender or mint. Stir in a few drops of food coloring until the mixture is evenly
colored. Put the mixture into clean dry containers and enjoy as you please.

What's happening?
Bath Salts are typically made from Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), table salt (sodium chloride) or
washing soda (sodium carbonate). The chemical make up of the mixture makes it easy to form
lather. Bath salts are said to improve cleaning and deliver an appealing fragrance when bathing.