CLUB DAY ACTIVITY IDEAS

FOR EXPERIMENTATION
Idea #1: Separate Colors in a Green Leaf using
Chromatography (Chemistry/Biology)

What you need:

leaves, small jars (baby food jars work well)
covers for jars or aluminum foil or plastic wrap
rubbing alcohol, paper coffee filters
shallow pan, hot tap water, tape, pen
plastic knife or spoon, clock or timer.
What you do:
1. Collect 2-3 large leaves from several different trees. Tear or chop the
leaves into very small pieces and put them into small jars labeled with
the name or location of the tree.
2. Add enough rubbing alcohol to each jar to cover the leaves. Using a
plastic knife or spoon, carefully chop and grind the leaves in the
alcohol.
SAFETY NOTE: Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can be harmful if
mishandled or misused. Read and carefully follow all warnings on the
alcohol bottle.
3. Cover the jars very loosely with lids or plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Place the jars carefully into a shallow tray containing 1 inch of hot tap
water.
SAFETY NOTE: Hot water above 150 F can quickly cause severe
burns. Experts recommend setting your water heater thermostat no
higher than 125 F.
4. Keep the jars in the water for at least a half-hour, longer if needed,
until the alcohol has become colored (the darker the better). Twirl each
jar gently about every five minutes. Replace the hot water if it cools
off.
5. Cut a long thin strip of coffee filter paper for each of the jars and label
it.
6. Remove jars from water and uncover. Place a strip of filter paper into
each jar so that one end is in the alcohol. Bend the other end over the
top of the jar and secure it with tape.
7. The alcohol will travel up the paper, bringing the colors with it. After
30-90 minutes (or longer), the colors will travel different distances up
the paper as the alcohol evaporates. You should be able to see
different shades of green, and possibly some yellow, orange or red,
depending on the type of leaf.
8. Remove the strips of paper, let them dry and then tape them to a
piece of plain paper. Save them for the next project.
Idea #2: Mixing Colors (Chemistry)

You need:
a pencil, scissors, white cardboard or heavy white paper
crayons or markers, a ruler
a small bowl or a large cup (3 - 4 inch, or 7 - 10 cm diameter rim)
a paper cup
What to do:
1. Use the bowl to trace a circle onto a piece of white cardboard and cut
it out. With the ruler, divide it into six approximately equal sections.
2. Color the six sections with the colors of the spectrum as shown. Try to
color as smoothly and evenly as possible.
3. Poke a hole through the middle of the circle and push the pencil part of
the way through.
4. Poke a hole in the bottom of the paper cup, a little bit larger than the
diameter of the pencil. Turn the cup upside down on a piece of paper,
and put the pencil through so the point rests on the paper on a table.
Adjust the color wheel's position on the pencil so that it is about 1/2
inch (1 - 2 cm) above the cup.
5. Spin the pencil quickly and observe the color wheel. Adjust as
necessary so that the pencil and wheel spin easily.

Idea #3: Sky in a Jar (Physics)

What you need:

a clear, straight-sided drinking glass, or clear plastic or glass jar
water, milk, measuring spoons, flashlight
a darkened room
What to do:
1. Fill the glass or jar about 2/3 full of water (about 8 - 12 oz. or 250 - 400
ml)
2. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2 - 5 ml) milk and stir.
3. Take the glass and flashlight into a darkened room.
4. Hold the flashlight above the surface of the water and observe the
water in the glass from the side. It should have a slight bluish tint.
 Now, hold the flashlight to the side of the glass and look through the
water directly at the light. The water should have a slightly reddish
tint. Put the flashlight under the glass and look down into the water
from the top. It should have a deeper reddish tint.
What happened: The small particles of milk suspended in the water scattered
the light from the flashlight, like the dust particles and molecules in the air
scatter sunlight. When the light shines in the top of the glass, the water looks
blue because you see blue light scattered to the side. When you look through
the water directly at the light, it appears red because some of the blue was
removed by scattering.

Idea #4: Split light into a spectrum (Physics)

What you need:

a small mirror, a piece of white paper or cardboard, water
a large shallow bowl, pan, or plastic shoebox
a window with direct sunlight coming in, or a sunny day outdoor
What to do:
1. Fill the bowl or pan about 2/3 full of water. Place it on a table or the
floor, directly in the sunlight. (Note: the direct sunlight is important for
this experiment to work right.)
2. Hold the mirror under water, facing towards the sun. Hold the paper
above and in front of the mirror. Adjust the positions of the paper and
mirror until the reflected light shines on the paper. Observe the colored
spectrum.

Idea #5: Egg in a Bottle (Physics)

Procedure
1. Peel the shells off the eggs.
2. Place one of the eggs on the mouth of the jar. What happens? Note: The egg
sits there and does not move. There is a balance between the air pressure
pushing down on the egg, the air pressure pushing sideways, and the air
pushing up from inside the jar. Gravity pulls the egg down, but the bottle
pushes it up.
3. Remove the egg and drop two well lit matches into the jar.
4. Observe the egg.
5. Discuss what happened to the egg.

Note: It was pushed into the jar by the air in the room. It is a misconception
to say it was "sucked" into the jar.

When you changed the balance of pressure, the egg moved. In this
experiment, you removed some of the air inside the bottle and it is not able
to push up with the same pressure as it did before the experiment. Some of
the air was removed during the process of burning the matches. More air was
 removed when the heated air inside the jar tried to escape. As it heated, it
took up more space and it escaped the jar causing the egg to bounce.
6. Remove the egg by breaking it up with a knife and pouring the contents into
a garbage can.
7. Repeat the experiment, focusing on the bouncing of the egg after it is placed
on the mouth of the jar.

Idea #6: Egg Drop (Physics)

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Use the Internet as an effective research tool
2. Name and explain the steps of the scientific process
3. Explain applications of the scientific process and how companies use
it
4. Follow the procedure of the scientific process
5. Design and construct an egg protection device
6. Analyze and draw conclusions based on the results of the egg drop
experiment
Instructions:
In this lesson you will use teamwork to design a container that would protect
a raw egg as it falls to the ground from a height of 8 feet. Your team will
receive an egg and a bag of materials. You will be given time to brainstorm
how you might construct a protective mechanism for dropping your egg
without breaking it. You are only allowed to use the materials in your bag
within the time frame allotted. It will be important to work well with your
teams in analyzing the materials you are given and predicting which
materials will safely protect your egg during its descent.

Team Roles:
1. Materials Manager - the person whose birthday is the nearest
in the future. Picks up, manages, and returns all materials.
2. Checker - the person to the right of the materials manager;
makes certain all tasks are carried out correctly, answers
team questions and seeks out assistance when team requests
it. Also responsible for navigating to the websites identified by
the instructor to check for resources explaining the outcomes
of their trials;
3. Encourager - the person to the right of the Checker;
responsible for establishing and keeping a positive team
spirit.
4. Reporter/Recorder - the person to the right of the Encourager;
responsible for taking down (entering into the computer) the
team brainstorming notes and the selections for assembling
the protective mechanism as well as recording the results of
 the team trials. This person will also report the findings of the
team.
5. If there are five team members the fifth person will be the
reporter.
After your team has assigned and reviewed the roles, the materials manager
can pick up the team materials.
Materials
1. Computers with Internet access
2. One egg for every group of students
3. One piece of newspaper for every group of students
4. One foot of tape for every group of students
5. Some materials you may choose are poster board, cardboard
cotton, Styrofoam, tape, glue, socks, toilet paper, and straws.
6. Garbage bags
7. Area outside or in school stairwell.
In your design, you should choose one or two variables and test the
results of this variable on your crate. Your design must not include
changing the egg in any way (no tape on the egg, no nail polish on the
egg, no hollow eggs...). You will write a lab report with all the standard
sections and produce a final product to describe your work. In this
project, you should be trying to apply some of the knowledge about
motion.

Part I. (10 minutes)

Once the team has taken time to read the egg drop instructions and look
over the materials, they will brainstorm ideas on how to create the most
protective mechanism.
After brain storming, the checker makes sure everyone’s idea is discussed
and the most agreed upon plan will be selected. The checker may consult
with other groups if their teams wish.
Part II. (15 minutes)
When the team has decided upon the construction plan, they may begin to
construct their mechanism. Following the construction, the group then
chooses a slogan for their group and select an energizer which they would
like the group to give them as they complete their drop.
The encourager leads the cheer following the group’s presentation
Part III. (10 minutes)
When all teams have completed their mechanisms the instructor will bring
them to the “drop” site.
Following the concluding drop, each of the groups will review the results and
hypothesize why the mechanisms performed as well or poorly as they did.
The materials manager returns the supplies and picks up the egg drop lab
sheet. The group discusses the analysis and work together to individually
complete each sheet.
The group then chooses a slogan for their group and assist the recorder in
preparing a graphic organizer for teaching the whole group about what they
learned. They also select an energizer which they would like the group to
give them as they complete their presentation.
The encourager leads the cheer following the group’s presentation
Part IV
Processing: Each team assesses the quality of the work their team
accomplished in the egg activity.

Idea #7: Color Changing Milk (Chemistry)

It's an explosion of color! Some very unusual things

happen when you mix a little milk, food coloring, and a
drop of liquid soap. Use this experiment to amaze your
friends and uncover the scientific secrets of soap.

Materials
• Milk (whole or 2%)
• Dinner plate
• Food coloring (red, yellow, green, blue)
• Dish-washing soap (Dawn brand works well)
• Cotton swabs

1. Pour enough milk in the dinner plate to completely

cover the bottom. Allow the milk to settle.
2. Add one drop of each of the four colors of food
coloring - red, yellow, blue, and green - to the milk.
Keep the drops close together in the center of the
plate of milk.
3. Find a clean cotton swab for the next part of the
experiment. Predict what will happen when you
touch the tip of the cotton swab to the center of the
milk. It's important not to stir the mix. Just touch it
with the tip of the cotton swab. Go ahead and try it.
 4. Now place a drop of liquid dish soap on the other end of the cotton
swab. Place the soapy end of the cotton swab back in the middle of the
milk and hold it there for 10 to 15 seconds. Look at that burst of color!
It's like the 4th of July in a bowl of milk!
5. Add another drop of soap to the tip of the cotton swab and try it again.
Experiment with placing the cotton swab at different places in the milk.
Notice that the colors in the milk continue to move even when the
cotton swab is removed. What makes the food coloring in the milk
move?

Repeat the experiment using water in place of milk. Will you get the same
eruption of color? Why or why not? What kind of milk produces the best
swirling of color: skim, 1%, 2%, or whole milk? Why?

How does it work?

Milk is mostly water but it also contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and tiny
droplets of fat suspended in solution. Fats and proteins are sensitive to
changes in the surrounding solution (the milk).

When you add soap, the weak chemical bonds that hold the proteins in
solution are altered. It becomes a free-for-all! The molecules of protein and
fat bend, roll, twist, and contort in all directions. The food coloring molecules
are bumped and shoved everywhere, providing an easy way to observe all
the invisible activity.
At the same time, soap molecules combine to form a micelle, or cluster of
soap molecules. These micelles distribute the fat in the milk. This rapidly
mixing fat and soap causes swirling and churning where a micelle meets a
fat droplet. When the micelles and fat droplets have dispersed throughout
the milk the motion stops, but not until after you've enjoyed the show!

There's another reason the colors explode the way they do. Since milk is
mostly water, it has surface tension like water. The drops of food coloring
floating on the surface tend to stay put. Liquid soap wrecks the surface
tension by breaking the cohesive bonds between water molecules and
allowing the colors to zing throughout the milk. What a party!

Idea #8: Seven Layer Densities (Chemistry)

Anyone can stack blocks, boxes, or books, but only those with a steady hand
and a little understanding of chemistry can stack liquids. What if you could
stack seven different liquids in seven different layers? Think of it as a science
burrito!

Materials
• Light Karo syrup
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Dawn dish soap (blue)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Lamp oil
• Honey
• Graduated cylinder
• Food Coloring or True Color Coloring Tablets
• Food baster
• 9 oz portion cups
• Experiment
• Video
• Related Experiments
• Reviews
1. Measure 8 ounces of each type of liquid into
the 9 ounce portion cups. You may want to
color each of the liquids to make a more
dramatic effect in your column. Light Karo
syrup is easier to color than dark syrup. The
only liquids that you may not be able to color
are the vegetable oil and the honey.
2. Start your column by pouring the honey into
the cylinder. Now, you will pour each liquid
SLOWLY into the container, one at a time. It is
very important to pour the liquids slowly and
into the center of the cylinder. Make sure that
the liquids do not touch the sides of the
cylinder while you are pouring. It’s okay if the
liquids mix a little as you are pouring. The
layers will always even themselves out
because of the varying densities. Make sure
you pour the liquids in the following order:
o Honey
o Karo syrup
o Dish soap
o Water
o Vegetable oil
o Rubbing alcohol
o Lamp oil
3. As you pour, the liquids will layer on top of one another. After you pour
in the liquids you will have a seven-layer science experiment - a
science burrito!
How does it work?
The same amount of two different
liquids will have different weights
because they have different masses.
The liquids that weigh more (have a
higher density) will sink below the
liquids that weigh less (have a lower
density). To test this, you might want to
set up a scale and measure each of the
liquids that you poured into your
column. Make sure that you measure
the weights of equal portions of each
liquid. You should find that the weights
of the liquids correspond to each different layer of liquid. For example, the
honey will weigh more than the Karo syrup. By weighing these liquids, you
will find that density and weight are closely related.
The chart shows the densities of the liquids used in the column as well as
other common liquids (measured in g/cm3).
Density is basically how much "stuff" is smashed into a particular area... or a
comparison between an object's mass and volume. Remember the all-
important equation: Density = Mass divided by Volume. Based on this
equation, if the weight (or mass) of something increases but the volume
stays the same, the density has to go up. Likewise, if the mass decreases but
the volume stays the same, the density has to go down. Lighter liquids (like
water or rubbing alcohol) are less dense than heavy liquids (like honey or
Karo syrup) and so float on top of the more dense layers.

Additional Info
So, we've had the density column sitting in our office for a few days now and
have noticed a very interesting change... the layers of vegetable oil and
rubbing alcohol have switched places. The rubbing alcohol is now below the
vegetable oil, indicating that the density has changed. We are not exactly
sure why the change occurred.

Idea #9: The Folding Egg (Chemistry)

The Folding Egg activity is actually an extension of the classic Rubber Egg
experiment with a really fun twist. Just imagine the look on your friends'
faces when you show them an egg and then proceed to fold it in half several
times until it forms a small white ball! Wait... it gets better. Just bounce the
"folded egg" between your hands and the egg reappears!

Materials
• Raw egg
 • Pin or a thumb tack
• Long needle or plastic coffee stirrer
• Tall glass
• Vinegar
• Patience
•
Warning: Always wash your hands well with soap and water after handling
raw eggs. Some raw eggs contain salmonella bacteria that can make you
really sick!

1. The first step is the trickiest and requires a little practice. You'll need to
blow out the inside of the egg without damaging the egg (too much!).
Use a sharp pin, a thumb tack or the tip of a sharp knife (yes, with the
help of an adult) to poke a small hole in both ends of the egg. The hole
should be about an 1/8 of an inch in diameter. Don't be frustrated if
you crack a few eggs before you get the hang of it.
2. The next step is to scramble the inside of the egg to break the yellow
yolk and to blow the liquid out through one of the holes. The best way
to break the yolk is to poke a long needle or
something similar (like a plastic coffee stirrer)
through the hole and to carefully poke around inside
the egg.
3. Once the yolk is broken and the egg is "scrambled,"
it's time to blow all of the liquid out of the egg. One
method is to clean off one end of the egg, cover the
hole with your mouth and blow the egg liquid out the
other hole. Of course, it's best to hold the egg over
the sink as you're doing this. People who are
concerned about using their mouth may experiment
with other methods or may elect not to try the
activity.
4. Place the hollow egg in a tall glass or jar and cover
the egg with vinegar. You want the egg to be
completely submerged in the vinegar, which means
that you may need to place something on top of the
egg to push it down or to try to fill the inside of the
egg with vinegar to weigh it down.
5. Leave the egg in the vinegar for up to 10 days or
until all of the shell has dissolved. Some eggshells
will take longer to dissolve than others because
every egg is unique. For the first few days, bubbles
of carbon dioxide gas will form on the shell. The
vinegar is dissolving the calcium carbonate in the
shell and producing bubbles of carbon dioxide at the
same time. When the bubbles stop forming, it's a
 good indication that the eggshell is completely dissolved. (In the video
Steve uses 3 M HCl to speed up the process.)
6. Once the bubbles have stopped forming (again, this could be up to 10
days so be patient!) pour off the vinegar and carefully rinse the egg
with water. The egg looks translucent because the outside shell is
gone! The only thing that remains is the delicate membrane of the
egg. You've successfully made an egg without a shell. Okay, you didn't
really make the egg. The chicken made the egg. You just stripped
away the chemical that gives the egg its strength.
7. Carefully squeeze out all of the water from the egg membrane. Gently
blow a little air into one end of the egg and the egg will puff up. Hey, it
looks like a real egg! Slowly squeeze the egg in your hand and it will
look like you crushed the egg. Just carefully toss and bounce the
"folded egg" in your hand to allow the air to slowly work its way back
into the egg. The egg magically restores its shape.
8. Dust the egg membrane with some baby powder (sometimes called
Talcum powder). Try to get some of the powder inside the egg as well.
The powder will help keep the egg membrane from drying out and
cracking - and it makes the egg look even more real.

How does it work?

The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks down the calcium carbonate in the
eggshell, and the bubbles that form on the surface of the egg are carbon
dioxide gas. Eventually the hard shell of the egg disappears entirely and all
that remains is the egg membrane. Because you have already blown out the
contents of the egg, the membrane is just full of air. You can fold it up and
the air will sneak out the tiny hole in the membrane you used to blow out the
egg. The membrane will compress down into practically nothing. As you
gently shake the "folded egg," the air will re-enter the membrane, expanding
back into its original shape and volume.

Additional Info
A Little Magician's Secret - The Folding Egg is a classic science magic trick
dating back to the early 1900's. To perform the illusion, the magician would
place the inflated egg in an egg carton along with several real eggs. He
carefully removed the "special" egg and proceeded to squeeze the egg in his
hand. With a little slight of hand, the egg magically seemed to vanish. The
magician then showed his audience a clear, empty glass. While showing the
glass, he secretly dropped the crumpled up egg membrane into the glass
being careful to cover the bottom of the glass with his other hand. "I'll make
the egg magically appear by simply shaking the glass." With a little shaking
and lots of showmanship, the audience watched as the egg magically
reappeared in the glass. Ta da!
Idea #10: Cornstarch Science - Quicksand Goo (Chemistry)

Anyone who has ever watched a classic western movie knows about the
dangers of quicksand. You know… that gooey stuff that grabs a hold of its
victim and swallows them alive? So, what is quicksand and how does it really
work? In this experiment, you'll use ordinary cornstarch to model the
behavior of real quicksand.

Materials
• One box of cornstarch (16 oz)
• Large mixing bowl
• Cookie sheet, square cake pan, or something similar
• Pitcher of water
• Spoon
• Gallon size zipper-lock bag
• Newspaper or a plastic drip cloth to cover the floor
• Water
• Food coloring

1. Pour approximately 1/4 of the box (about 4 oz) of cornstarch into the
mixing bowl and slowly add about 1/2 cup of water. Stir. Sometimes it
is easier (and more fun!) to mix the cornstarch and water with your
bare hands.
2. Continue adding cornstarch and water in small amounts until you get a
mixture that has the consistency of honey. It may take a little work to
get the consistency just right, but you will eventually end up mixing
one box of cornstarch with roughly 1 to 2 cups of water. As a general
rule of thumb, you're looking for a mixture of roughly 10 parts
cornstarch to 1 part water. Notice that the mixture gets thicker or
more viscous as you add more cornstarch.
3. Sink your hand into the bowl of “quicksand” and notice its unusual
consistency. Compare what it feels like to move your hand around
slowly and then very quickly. You can’t move your hand around very
fast! In fact, the faster you thrash around, the more like a solid the
gooey stuff becomes. Sink your entire hand into the goo and try to
grab the fluid and pull it up. That’s the sensation of sinking in
quicksand!
4. Drop a plastic toy animal into the cornstarch mixture and then try to
get it out. It’s pretty tough even for an experienced quicksand
mixologist.

Slap Test
Pour the mixture onto the cookie sheet or cake pan. Notice its unusual
consistency when you are pouring it onto the pan. Stir it around with your
finger, first slowly and then as fast as you can. Skim your finger across the
top of the glop. What do you notice?
Try to roll the fluid between your palms to make a ball. You can even hold
your hand flat over the top of the pan and slap the liquid glop as hard as you
can. Most people will run for cover as you get ready to slap the liquid, fearing
that it will splash everywhere.
According to theory, the mixture should stay in the pan. Yeah, right! If your
cornstarch water mixture inadvertently splatters everywhere, you will know
to add more cornstarch. When you are finished, pour the glop into a large
zipper-lock plastic bag for later use.

IMPORTANT - READ THIS! The cornstarch will not stay mixed with the
water indefinitely. Over time, the grains of cornstarch will separate from the
water and form a solid clump at the bottom of the plastic storage bag. It is
for this reason that you must not pour this mixture down the drain. It will
clog the pipes and stop up the drain. Pour the mixture into a zipper-lock bag
and dispose of it in the garbage.

How does it work?

The cornstarch and water mixture acts like a solid sometimes and a liquid at
other times. This concoction is an example of a suspension - a mixture of two
substances, one of which is finely divided and dispersed in the other. In the
case of the cornstarch quicksand, it's a solid dispersed in a liquid.

When you punch the cornstarch quicksand, you force the long starch
molecules closer together. The impact of this force traps the water between
the starch chains to form a semi-rigid structure. When the pressure is
released, the cornstarch flows again.

All fluids have a property known as viscosity - the measurable thickness or

resistance to flow in a fluid. Honey and ketchup are liquids that have a high
resistance to flow. Water has a low viscosity. Sir Isaac Newton said that
viscosity is a function of temperature. So, if you heat honey, the viscosity is
less than that of cold honey. The cornstarch and water mixture and
quicksand are both examples of non-Newtonian fluids because their viscosity
changes when stress or a force is applied, not when heat is applied.

What is Quicksand?
Quicksand is nothing more than a soupy mixture of sand and water, where
the sand is literally floating on water. Scientifically speaking, quicksand is
actually a substance that behaves like a solid and a liquid at the same time.
This is the interesting sensation you experienced with the cornstarch and
water mixture. Quicksand is just solid ground that has been liquefied by too
much water, and the term "quick" refers to how easily the sand shifts when
in this solid-liquid state.
Quicksand is created when water floods or saturates an area of loose sand
and the sand begins to move around. Think of quicksand as a soupy mixture
of sand and water that is constantly being stirred. When the water in the
sandy soil cannot escape, it creates a liquid-like soil that can no longer
support any weight. If an excessive amount of water flows through the sand,
it forces the sand particles apart. This separation of particles causes the
ground to loosen, and any weight on the sand will begin to sink through it.

The quicksand phenomenon can be caused by something like flowing

>underground water rising to the surface or even an earthquake causing the
sand to be agitated. You are likely to find quicksand around riverbanks, lake
shorelines, marshes, beaches, near underground springs or any place where
an uprising of water oversaturates and agitates the sand.

The next time you are standing barefoot on the beach, think about the
properties of quicksand. Normally, the grains of wet sand are compressed
together tightly and this firm ground easily supports your weight. The friction
between grains of wet sand is strong enough to make it easy to build sand
castles. However, when the sand on the beach is flooded with an excess
amount of water, the agitated sand particles begin to move, separate, and
quickly wash away right out from under your feet!
This activity is a great example of how to use a model to study something
that most of us will never see in person. While the cornstarch and water
mixture is not real quicksand, its behavior is strikingly similar. The use of
these kinds of models are an important part of a scientist’s research into the
areas of the unknown.

Additional Info
Escaping from Quicksand
According to The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, escaping from
quicksand is easier than you might think. Stepping into quicksand is like
stepping in a pond of goo. Your weight causes you to sink. A person’s natural
instinct is to thrash around in an attempt to get out. In fact, this is the worst
thing you could do because you only succeed in forcing yourself down farther
in the quicksand pit. The best thing to do is to move slowly to bring yourself
to the surface, lie back, and try to float on your back. According to the
experts, you’ll be able to use your arms to slowly paddle to safety.

Idea #11: Pop Rocks Science (Chemistry)

Pop Rocks are known as the exploding candy, and if you ate Pop Rocks as a
kid, you probably remember the legend... if you eat Pop Rocks and then
drink a soda, you'll explode. The Food and Drug Administration even set-up a
telephone hot-line to assure anxious parents that the popping candy would
not cause children to explode. While you can mark this one up as urban
legend (in other words, it's not true), there is some interesting science
behind the world famous popping candy.

Materials
You'll need to find a supply of Pop Rocks for these experiments. The
exploding candy might be a little difficult to find. You'll also need some soda,
a balloon, and a narrow mouth jar.

The Crush Test - Pop Rocks don't have to be mixed with a

liquid to pop. Try crushing a few big pieces on the table
using the back of a spoon and you'll hear the loud POP!
Remember, the popping sound you hear comes from
bursting the high pressure bubble of carbon dioxide. Crush
a Pop Rock in your teeth and you'll hear the same cool
popping sound of the gas escaping.

How Much Carbon Dioxide Gas is in a Packet of Pop

Rocks? - You'll have to waste a whole package of Pop
Rocks for this experiment (or you can just learn from our
results). Start by pouring an entire package of Pop Rocks
into an empty balloon (a 9" balloon works well). You'll also
need a 12 or 16 ounce bottle of your favorite soda. Open
the bottle of soda and attach the balloon, but do not let the
Pop Rocks fall into the soda just yet. After the balloon is
attached, you can lift up on the balloon to allow all of the
Pop Rocks to fall into the soda. Predict how big the balloon
will get when the Pop Rocks mix with the soda. You might
be surprised by what you see. The balloon does not inflate
much at all. Why?

How does it work?

How are Pop Rocks made?
According to information from the manufacturer, Pop Rocks
start like any other hard candy by combining sugar, lactose
(milk sugar), corn syrup and flavoring. These ingredients
are heated to the boiling point and the hot sugar mixture is
mixed with carbon dioxide gas under high pressure (about
600 pounds per square inch). The process causes tiny high
pressure bubbles of carbon dioxide gas to form in the
candy.

When the hot candy mixtures cools and the pressure of the
gas is released, the hard candy shatters into tiny pieces of carbonated
candy. If you look carefully at the candy under a magnifying glass, you'll see
the tiny bubbles - each containing a small amount of carbon dioxide gas
under high pressure (600 PSI). When the candy melts in your mouth, the 600
PSI bubbles of gas are released with a loud popping sound. Very cool!

In the experiment with the balloon, mixing Pop Rocks with soda is a physical
reaction - not a chemical reaction. The soda dissolves the candy and releases
the small bubble of carbon dioxide gas from the Pop Rock. Believe it or not,
most of the carbon dioxide in the balloon came from the soda. Dropping Pop
Rocks into soda causes some of the carbon dioxide from the soda to escape.
That's the real reason why the balloon inflates.

So, will you explode if you eat Pop Rocks and drink soda? No... but you might
get a pretty nice burp out of the deal.

Idea #12: Making Rock and Roll Ice Cream (Chemistry)

Legend has it that the Roman emperor, Nero, is credited as the first person
to make ice cream. Nero commanded slaves to bring snow down from the
mountains, which was then used to freeze the flavored cream mixture. The
secret was to lower the freezing point of snow in order to freeze the cream.
How? The scientific secret is SALT! Here's a scientific recipe that you can use
at home to make your own ice cream.

Materials
- 1 Large coffee can or plastic jar
- 2 quart size zipper-lock bag
- Half & Half Cream
- Crushed ice
- Salt (rock salt works great)
- Vanilla
- Sugar
- Towel (or winter gloves)

1. Fill the coffee can or large plastic jar half full with crushed ice.
2. Add about 6 tablespoons of salt to the ice. Seal the container and mix
for a few minutes by rolling the container back and forth on the floor.
Hey, you might even have to wear gloves! Why? Measure the
temperature of the mixture with a thermometer. The salt and ice
mixture gets down to about 14 degrees F (-10 degrees C)!
3. Use the quart size zipper-lock bag to mix the following ingredients:
o 1/2 cup of half & half cream
o 1 tablespoon sugar
o 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4. Seal tightly, allowing as little air to remain in the bag as possible. Too
much air left inside may force the bag open during shaking.
 5. Place the bag inside the coffee can with the ice mixture and seal and
place the lid on tightly. Here comes the fun part... find someone who
will roll the can back and forth on the floor with you. Only the people
who help get to enjoy the ice cream! Roll it everywhere... on the floor,
over the bed, under the table, on top of Uncle Bill... just keep rolling it.
Five to eight minutes is adequate time for the mixture to freeze into
ice cream. You might need to check on your ice cream concoction after
5 minutes to see if it's frozen. If not, keep rolling.
6. Remove the bag from the can and rinse it well with water. You don’t
want any salt water accidentally getting into your ice cream.
7. Use your spoon to eat the ice cream right out of the bag!

How does it work?

What does the salt do? Just like we use salt on icy roads in the winter, salt
mixed with ice in this case also causes the ice to melt. When salt comes into
contact with ice, the freezing point of the ice is lowered.
The lowering of the freezing point depends on the amount of salt added. The
more salt added, the lower the temperature will be before the salt- water
solution freezes. For example, water will normally freeze at 32 degrees F. A
10% salt solution freezes at 20 degrees F, and a 20% solution freezes at 2
degrees F.
When salt is added to the ice, some of the ice melts because the freezing
point is lowered. Always remember that heat must be absorbed by the ice for
it to melt. The heat that causes the melting comes from the surroundings
(the warmer cream mixture). By lowering the temperature at which ice is
frozen, you were able to create an environment in which the cream mixture
could freeze at a temperature below 32 degrees F into ice cream.

Idea #13: Marshmallow Masher (Earth Science/ Physics)

You won't believe your eyes! Explore the powerful properties of air as you
put marshmallows to the pressure test.

Safety Notes: This demonstration requires adult supervision! Use only

plastic soda bottles that are in good condition for this experiment. Wear
safety glasses just in case something breaks. Don’t get carried away with the
pumping. Do not over pressurize any container using the pressurizing pump.
Too much pressure will result in the breakage of the pump. Do not pump
more than 40 strokes (pumps) into the 16 oz. bottle. Apply only enough
pressure to allow you to see the shrinking effects. Never leave a soda bottle
in the pressurized state. After observing the effects of compression, always
release the pressure.

Materials
- Small marshmallows
- Pressuring Pump
- Plastic soda bottle - 16 ounce size

Fill the bottle about half full with marshmallows, and screw on the special
pressurizing pump. Begin pumping to increase the pressure within the bottle.
As you increase the pressure inside the bottle, notice how the marshmallows
seem to become wrinkled and shrink. Do not pump more than 40 times!
Release the pressure by unscrewing the cap, but don't take your eyes off the
marshmallows. Let's just say the rapid decompression is well worth all of the
effort of pumping!

How does it work?

The Fizz Keeper is like a miniature bicycle pump that forces molecules of air
into the bottle. The increased pressure, in turn, pushes on the
marshmallows. Since marshmallows are just puffy pockets of air, the
increased pressure compacts the molecules and the marshmallows shrivel
up.

Teacher Notes: Use this demonstration to discuss the effects of

atmospheric pressure. We sometimes refer to things as being “light as air,”
but the truth is that the air surrounding our planet weighs a lot, and exerts
considerable pressure on us. The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7
pounds per square inch of surface area at sea level. That’s rough the weight
of 2 gallons of milk resting on 1 square inch!
A typical regular-size marshmallow has a surface area of about 6 square
inches. So, the marshmallow has about 88 pounds of atmospheric pressure
being exerted upon it (6 square inches x 14.7 pounds per square inch =
88.2pounds). The marshmallow is really a kind of sugary material that
resembles foam rubber. It’s full of tiny bubbles of air. The air pressure inside
these tiny bubbles is roughly the same as the air pressure pushing on the
marshmallow from the outside, so the pressures are equalized and the
marshmallow retains its regular shape.

Idea #14: Bubble Gum Science (Chemistry)

Times have changed. At one time chewing gum in school got you into big
trouble. Not only did you have to spit it out but you had to write, "I will not
chew gum in school" a hundred times. Today, kids are learning how to make
gum in science class as a lesson in the chemistry of food. Get ready for a
lesson in the science of food polymers... or the secret to making the world's
best bubble gum.

Materials
The bubble gum made on-air contained a specially formulated starch-
polymer gum base, sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavoring. All
of these ingredients are included in the Bubble Gum Kit.

The difference between bubble gum and chewing gum is the gum base.
Chewing gum base is a natural gum called chicle harvested from the sap of a
tropical tree called a sopapilla tree. This kind of gum is chewy but it will not
blow a large bubble. Bubble gum base, on the other hand, is a mixture of
starches and polymers made in a laboratory and specially formulated to blow
bubbles.

Believe it or not, chewing gum is actually beneficial. It relieves boredom,

eases tension and aids in concentration -- tell your teacher that little fact! It
also helps to pull food particles from between your teeth and even freshens
breath. Okay, sometimes it freshen breath. A stick of gum containing sugar
has about 10 calories compared to sugarless gum which has only 6 calories.
Contrary to popular belief, swallowing gum will not do any harm... or so they
say.

Ancient Greeks chewed the gum of the Mastic tree. More than 1,000 years
ago the native people of Central America and North America chewed the sap
and resins found in trees. Today, the United States is the world's leading
manufacturer of gum (go figure!). With all of this fascination with bubble
gum, it only stands to reason that bubble gum was invented in 1928 by
Walter Diemer, an accountant from Philadelphia.

And now you know the rest of the bubble gum story.

Idea #15: Color Changing Milk of Magnesia (Chemistry)

Sometimes great food and heartburn go hand in hand. Many people rely on
products like Milk of Magnesia to settle their stomachs, but have you ever
wondered how those antacids really work? This highly visual demonstration
will show you exactly how Milk of Magnesia neutralizes the acids in your
stomach - using some cool color changing chemistry - and saves the day
after a great meal.

Materials
• Milk of Magnesia - almost any brand will work. Make sure the primary
ingredient is magnesium hydroxide - Mg(0H)2
• Universal Indicator - this is available from a chemical supplier. Cabbage
Juice Indicator will work in place of Universal
Indicator, but the color change is not as dramatic.
• Vinegar
• Magnetic stirring bar and stirring plate
• Experiment
• Video
• Reviews
1. Place about 100 mL of Milk of Magnesia in a 500 mL
beaker and dilute with tap water until the beaker is
about 1/2 full.
2. Add about 10 mL of Universal Indicator. (The
Universal Indicator will provide the sharp color
change you saw on TV). Remember that Universal
Indicator will turn red on the far acidic end of the
scale and dark blue on the alkaline side.
3. Use the magnetic stirrer to create a steady mix of
the liquids. If you don't have a magnetic stirrer, hire
a kid to stir it by hand. You'll see that the solution
turns a light blue indicating that it is slightly basic
due to the small amount of the Mg(OH)2.
4. While stirring the solution, add a 10-20 mL of
vinegar (it doesn't have to be precise) and observe
the rapid color change. The mixture quickly changes
red because the acid disperses throughout the
beaker.
 5. The acid neutralizes the small amount of hydroxide ion from the
Mg(0H)2 that has dissolved first, then turns the solution
acidic. However, as more of the Mg(0H)2 from the suspensions
gradually dissolves into solution, the acid is neutralized and eventually
the solution becomes basic.
6. You'll hear screams of "Do it again!"... and why not? Add more vinegar
and watch as the liquid goes from red to orange to yellow to green and
eventually settles at the bluish-purple color. In other words, the
mixture changes through the entire Universal Indicator color range!
7. In time, all of the vinegar (acid) will react with the magnesium
hydroxide and the solution will remain red. Take your well deserved
bow and collect the check.

How does it work?

Milk of magnesia is a liquid used as an antacid and, sometimes, a laxative.
Also known as magnesium hydroxide or Mg(OH)2, the solution is taken
orally. The original concentrated formula was concocted by a man named
Charles Henry Phillips in 1880, and sold under the brand Phillips' Milk of
Magnesia. Today, the rights to the name "milk of magnesia" appear to be
owned by Bayer Corporation and, interestingly, "Phillips' Milk of Magnesia" is
owned by Sterling Drug.

Milk of magnesia is an alkaline suspension, meaning that it undergoes a

neutralizing reaction when encountering anything acidic. This makes it an
effective combatant of excess stomach acid when taken internally. Too much
hydrochloric acid (HCl) excreted by the parietal cells in the stomach can lead
to indigestion, heartburn and stomach ulcers. Milk of magnesia in the form of
an antacid is dosed from 500 mg-1.5 mg (0.02-0.05 oz) and readily enters
the stomach, where the hydroxide ions in milk of magnesia combine with the
hydrogen ions in HCl to calm overactivity in the stomach.

Idea #16: Pinch and Mix - Color (Chemistry)

Is it?... Can it be?... Why YES! There is an entirely new medium for mixing
colors! Teachers world wide have been blending primary colors into
secondary colors using every medium possible since the dawn of time! They
have had their students mixing and mashing everything from paints to play
dough. But now it’s time for something different! It’s Squishy. It’s Gooey. It’s
Pinch and Mix! When this colored goo is blended it resembles stained glass!
This activity is sure to leave young and old alike pinching and blending to
create unique fab-goo-lous art!
Materials
Check out our Pinch and Mix kit that includes 1-liter bottles of Pinch and Mix
goo in three colors and 30 zipper-lock bags. You will also want to have some
paper towel handy... just in case... and the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll
Walsh.

1. Squirt 1-2 tablespoons of each color goo into the

zipper-lock bag. Aim for one color in each bottom
corner and the third color in the bottom middle of the
bag.
2. Take care to gently squeeze as much air out of the
bag as possible before sealing it. Then pinch and mix
the goo to your heart’s content.
3. Now, watch as the colors begin to blend from primary
to secondary colors! The blue and yellow are becoming green, the red
and yellow are turning orange and the red and blue are blending into
purple! Soon your bag will take on a soft, stained-glass effect.

But... anyone who has spent time with a child knows that
they are not going to gently pinch the colors together
slowly and revel in the beauty... NO they are going to grab
that bag and after a nano-second of gently mixing will
squeeze and squish that bag of goo! Wait! Before you fuss
that the activity is ruined, stop and hold that bag of
squished up gel to the light. LOOK! The colors have created
gorgeous swirling patterns! This activity offers a new twist
to a time-tested experiment and is also great for strengthening the fine
motor skills of small fingers.

Now Try This...

Dust off that old overhead projector to set up your own color mixing theater
and bring a whole new level of WOW to the activity! Pinch and Mix the bags
of goo while they are laying flat on the projector surface. Watch as you mix
the goo for a brilliant show of color and light. No overhead projector... no
problem! For a similar effect, try holding your bag of goo up against the
window while you blend.

Now that you have mixed and mixed and mixed, you are wondering what to
do with a bag full of dreary-colored goo. The answer is.... take the activity to
the next level! Lay the bag of goo flat on the table. Smooth the goo evenly
inside the bag. Now, use your finger as a writing tool and practice forming
letters and numbers! No need for erasers with this writing tool, just smooth
the goo inside the bag and begin again!

How does it work?

Not only does this Pinch and Mix activity help drive home the idea of primary
colors blending into secondary colors, it offers so much more! It gives
children that needed time to wonder, discover and explore.

As soon as their bag becomes all one color the children are guaranteed to
want to do it again! This time, predict what color your bag will be when you
are finished mixing. Will it be brown, black, gray...? Why is it different each
time?

The answer is in the balance of colors added to the bag. If you add more red
and yellow than blue, your bag will become a shade of brown. If you use
more blue than yellow and red and your bag will end up a shade of black.

So, how does this apply to real life you ask? Where is color mixing found
other than an artists studio? The answers are right outside your window!
What happens when the sun appears during a rain storm...a rainbow!

Idea #17: Instant Freeze - Soda Ice

It might have happened to you... You put a bottle of soda in the freezer for a
few minutes just to get it ice cold. When you take the soda out of the freezer,
it's still a liquid (nothing unusual has happened just yet). However, the
second you twist off the cap, the soda instantly freezes! The process is
amazing to watch... but it's a real bummer if you were thirsty (because it's
tough to suck ice out of the bottle). This is a great illustration of how carbon
dioxide can lower the freezing point of water. Get some ice, some salt and
some plastic bottles of soda water and try this very cool science demo.

Materials
• Seltzer water - flavored or plain in plastic bottles. Do not use glass
bottles as the liquid may accidentally freeze in the bottle, causing it to
explode.
• Large bucket
• Ice
• Rock salt
• Thermometer

1. The demonstration works best if you place the unopened bottles of

soda in the refrigerator for a few hours before attempting the activity.
2. Start by filling the bucket or container 3/4 full with ice.
3. Cover the ice with a thin layer of rock salt.
4. Place the cooled bottles of soda in the ice-salt mixture.
 5. Place the thermometer in the ice mixture - position the thermometer
as close to one of the bottles as possible to get the most accurate
reading of the bottle temperature.
6. Watch the thermometer closely. The temperature of the soda needs to
get down to about 17oF (that's -8oC) for approximately 10 minutes. If
the soda gets any colder, the liquid will freeze prematurely.
7. Once the soda has been at the appropriate temperature for 10
minutes, gently remove the bottle from the ice-salt mixture and open
the bottle. Ice crystals should immediately form at the top of the bottle
and quickly make their way down to the bottle, creating an instant
freeze.

Again, never use glass bottles for this demonstration as the soda may
accidentally freeze, causing the bottle to explode.

How does it work?

We offer two explanations for this phenomenon - be sure to read the second
one!

Explanation #1
When soda is produced, large quantities of additives (like sugar and
flavoring) and carbon dioxide bubbles are pumped into water to create
bubbly, sugary soda pop. These additives are called solutes and when
solutes are added to a liquid such as water, the freezing point of the water
decreases. By lowering the freezing point, the soda has to reach a much
colder temperature to freeze than water. However, the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the soda is only maintained as long as the bottle is kept
sealed. As soon as the soda is opened, and you hear that “whoosh” of fizz
(carbon dioxide) rushing out of the bottle, the concentration of solutes in the
water goes down, and the freezing point goes up. Now, without all that extra
carbon dioxide, the soda will freeze much quicker.

Another Explanation?
Well, that's the explanation that many science teachers have used over the
years. But Joe Franek from the Department of Chemistry at the University of
Minnesota, offers another explanation...
"The more likely explanation is that you have a supercooled solution that is
simply waiting for something to allow it to begin freezing. Opening the bottle
allows carbon dioxide bubbles to form and these bubbles provide a place for
the nucleation of the ice crystals to begin occurring. You can test this
explanation by tapping the chilled bottle without opening it. You should
manage to get some bubble formation from the tapping and you should see
the freezing occur."
We think Joe Franek is pretty smart since we've noticed that some of the
bottles will freeze without opening the caps. Hmmm? Joe Franek hit the nail
on the head! Opening the caps and releasing the bubbles is just one way to
allow the freezing to begin. Taping or giggling the bottle will also release a
few bubbles - just enough for ice crystals to begin to form.
Thanks to Joe Franek and the Chemistry Department at the University of
Minnesota for their help.

Idea #18: Naked Egg Experiment (Chemistry)

This experiment answers the age-old question, "Which came first, the rubber
egg or the rubber chicken?" It's easy to make a rubber egg if you understand
the chemistry of removing the eggshell with vinegar. What you're left with is
a totally embarrassed naked egg and a cool piece of science.

Materials
• Raw egg
• Graduated cylinder or tall glass
• Vinegar
• Patience

1. Place the egg in a graduated cylinder or tall glass and cover the egg
with vinegar.
2. Look closely at the egg. Do you see any bubbles forming on the shell?
Leave the egg in the vinegar for a full 24 hours.
3. Change the vinegar on the second day. Carefully pour the old vinegar
down the drain and cover the egg with fresh vinegar. Place the glass
with the vinegar and egg in a safe place for a week - that's right, 7
days! Don't disturb the egg but pay close attention to the bubbles
forming on the surface of the shell (or what's left of it).
4. One week later, pour off the vinegar and carefully rinse the egg with
water. The egg looks translucent because the outside shell is gone!
The only thing that remains is the delicate membrane of the egg.
You've successfully made an egg without a shell. Okay, you didn't
really make the egg - the chicken made the egg - you just stripped
away the chemical that gives the egg its strength.

Do organic or free-range eggs have an eggshell that is stronger or weaker

than generic eggs? Conduct your own test on several different kinds of eggs
all at the same time to observe any differences in the time required for the
vinegar to dissolve the shell.
Try using concentrated vinegar instead of traditional vinegar. Does it make a
difference? If you want to cut down on the time it takes for the eggshell to
disappear, try using either 1 M hydrochloric acid or 3 M hydrochloric acid. Be
careful - this is really strong stuff!

(Note: The acid version of the Naked Egg experiment is only

recommended for teachers and other scientists.)
How does it work?
Let's start with the bubbles you saw forming on the shell. The bubbles are
carbon dioxide gas. Vinegar is an acid called acetic acid - CH3COOH - and
white vinegar from the grocery store is usually about 5% acetic acid and
95% water. Egg shells are made up of calcium carbonate. The vinegar reacts
with the calcium carbonate by breaking the chemical into its calcium and
carbonate parts (in simplest terms). The calcium part floats around in the
solution while the carbonate part reacts to form the carbon dioxide bubbles
that you see.
Some of the vinegar will also sneak through, or permeate, the egg's
membrane and cause the egg to get a little bigger. This flow of a liquid from
one solution through a semi-permeable membrane and into another less
concentrated solution is called osmosis. That's why the egg is even more
delicate if you handle it. If you shake the egg, you can see the yolk sloshing
around in the egg white. If the membrane breaks, the egg's insides will spill
out into the vinegar. Yes, you've made a pickled egg! Allowing the egg to
react with the carbon dioxide in the air will cause the egg to harden again.
Amazing!

Idea #19: Amazing Egg Experiments (Physics)

Squeeze an egg as hard as you can without breaking it. Learn how to tell a
raw egg from a hardboiled egg without cracking the shell. Perform the
amazing floating egg trick. It's Egg Olympics in your very own kitchen!

Materials
• Eggs
• Salt
• Water
• Two tall containers to conduct the float and sink test
• Cellophane
• Rubber band

Warning: Always wash your hands well with soap and water after handling
raw eggs. Some raw eggs contain salmonella bacteria that can make you
really sick!

Squeeze an Egg Without Breaking It

Eggs are amazingly strong despite their reputation for being so fragile. Place
an egg in the palm of your hand. Close your hand so that your fingers are
completely wrapped around the egg. Squeeze the egg by applying even
pressure all around the shell. To everyone's amazement (mostly your own)
the egg will not break. If you're a little nervous about the outcome, try
sealing the raw egg in a zipper-lock bag before putting the squeeze on it, or
hold the egg over the sink if you're in the super-brave category.
Now hold the egg between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze the top
and bottom of the egg. Are you covered in egg yolk? Why not?
Finally, hold the egg in the palm of your hand. Press only on one side of the
shell. Do not squeeze the egg - just press on the side. Uh oh. Why do you
think that happened?

The egg's unique shape gives it tremendous strength, despite its fragility.
Eggs are similar in shape to a 3-dimensional arch, one of the strongest
architectural forms. The egg is strongest at the top and the bottom (or at the
highest point of the arch). That's why the egg doesn't break when you add
pressure to both ends. The curved form of the shell also distributes pressure
evenly all over the shell rather than concentrating it at any one point. By
completely surrounding the egg with your hand, the pressure you apply by
squeezing is distributed evenly all over the egg. However, eggs do not stand
up well to uneven forces which is why they crack easily on the side of a bowl
(or why it cracked when you just pushed on one side). Be careful not to wear
a ring while performing our squeezing act. The uneven pressure of the ring
against the shell will result in an amusing display of flying egg yolk for your
audience members. This also explains how a hen can sit on an egg and not
break it, but a tiny little chick can break through the eggshell - the weight of
the hen is evenly distributed over the egg, while the pecking of the chick is
an uneven force directed at just one spot on the egg.

Hardboiled or Raw?
Can't remember which egg is which? The answer is only a spin away. Simply
spin the egg and pay close attention to how well it spins. If the egg spins
well, it's hardboiled. However, if the egg wobbles and spins slowly, it's raw. A
hardboiled egg is solid inside whereas a raw egg is fluid. When you spin the
raw egg, its center of gravity changes as the fluid inside the egg moves
around. This results in the wobbling motion you noticed in the raw egg. As
soon as the raw egg starts spinning, touch it briefly with your finger just long
enough to stop it. When you take your finger away, the egg will continue to
spin for just a quick second. This is due to the inertia of the fluid inside the
egg. When the hardboiled egg is spun, the solid center immediately moves
with the shell, causing little resistance to the spinning motion.

The Floating Egg

It's so simple and amazing. A raw egg will float in very salty water but will
sink in plain tap water. Why? Salt water is more dense than regular water.
You'll need to make a very saturated salt solution by dissolving roughly 4
tablespoons of salt in about 2 cups of water. Use pickling or Kosher salt to
make a clear salt solution. Table salt may be used, but the solution will be
somewhat cloudy due to the additives used to make the salt free-flowing.
Fill a glass half full with the salt water. Slowly add plain water by pouring it
down the sides of the glass, being careful not to mix the two liquids. Gently
drop the egg into the water and watch as it sinks through the plain water,
only to abruptly stop when it hits the salt water. The egg floats on the top
layer of the salt water.

The Rising Egg

Fill the bottom 1/5 of a tall glass with salt. Add just enough water to make a
wet salt layer. Carefully lower an egg down on top of the wet layer of salt.
Slowly add more water by pouring it down the sides of the glass so as not to
disturb the bottom layer of water. Cover the top of the glass with cellophane
and a rubber band. Notice how the egg rests on the layer of undissolved salt
on the bottom of the glass.
Be sure to put the glass in a place where no one will be able to disturb it.
Observe for weeks. That's right, weeks. Months even! Over the course of the
next several weeks, the bottom layer of salt will begin to dissolve in the
water above it. As the salt dissolves, the egg will rise off the bottom and float
on the layer of salt water. As more time passes, the salt level continues to
drop and the egg continues to rise. Be sure to put the glass in a place where
no one will be able to disturb it. Record the egg's progress by marking on the
outside of the glass using a felt tip marker.
You might wish to substitute a golf ball in place of the egg to avoid the decay
of the egg's shell over time. The "golf ball" idea was originally published by
Bob Becker, a great chemistry teacher from St. Louis, Missouri.

Idea #20: Cloud in a Bottle (Earth Science)

Have you ever wondered how clouds form? Moist air rises in the atmosphere,
cools, and water droplets form into clouds. Making your own cloud is a
popular experiment in many science books, but it can be a little tricky.
Sometimes the results are a little hard to see, but practice always makes
perfect.

Materials
• 1-liter clear plastic bottle with cap
• Foot pump with rubber stopper attached
• Water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Safety glasses

Adult supervision is required!

1. Put on your safety glasses and start by pouring just enough warm
water in the bottle to cover the bottom.
2. Swirl the water around and then put the rubber stopper in the bottle.
 3. Start by pumping the foot pump five times. You will notice that as you
start to pump, the rubber stopper will want to pop right out. Hold it in
the bottle tightly, being very careful not to let it fly out of the bottle.
4. After five pumps, pull the stopper out of the bottle. You'll likely see a
very faint "poof" of a cloud. There wasn't enough pressure in the bottle
to make a good cloud, but now you are starting to get the feel of the
foot pump.
5. Repeat the experiment again, but instead of five pumps, pump the foot
pump ten times. You'll notice that the more you pump, the harder it is
to keep the stopper in the bottle. Just remember to hold it in there
tightly. When you are done pumping, pull out the stopper. You should
see a slightly more visible cloud this time.
6. Now that you have a good feel for how the experiment works, fill the
bottom of the bottle again and pump the foot pump 15-20 times. You
want to put about 9 kg (20 lbs) of pressure in the bottle.
7. When you remove the rubber stopper, you should see a good cloud.

Okay, so you've mastered the technique and you're ready for an even better
cloud? Make sure you are still wearing your safety glasses. Place just a few
drops of rubbing alcohol in the bottom of the 1-liter bottle. Swirl the alcohol
around in the bottle, making sure to coat the sides. Then put the rubber
stopper in the bottle. Follow steps 3-7 above to make a more visible (and
more impressive) cloud.
How does it work?
Even though we don't see them, water molecules are in the air all around us.
These airborne water molecules are called water vapor. When the molecules
are bouncing around in the atmosphere, they don't normally stick together.

Pumping the bottle forces the molecules to squeeze together or compress.

Releasing the pressure allows the air to expand, and in doing so, the
temperature of the air becomes cooler. This cooling process allows the
molecules to stick together - or condense - more easily, forming tiny
droplets. Clouds are nothing more than groups of tiny water droplets!
The reason the rubbing alcohol forms a more visible cloud is because alcohol
evaporates more quickly than water. Alcohol molecules have weaker bonds
than water molecules, so they let go of each other more easily. Since there
are more evaporated alcohol molecules in the bottle, there are also more
molecules able to condense. This is why you can see the alcohol cloud more
clearly than the water cloud.
Clouds on Earth form when warm air rises and its pressure is reduced. The
air expands and cools, and clouds form as the temperature drops below the
dew point. Invisible particles in the air in the form of pollution, smoke, dust
or even tiny particles of dirt help form a nucleus on which the water
molecules can attach.
Idea #21: Pinoy Henyo (Integrated Science)

Idea #22: Guess Who (Integrated Science)

Idea #23: Environmental Campaign (Nature)

Idea #24: Sundial Making (Applied Science)

Idea #25: Poster Making; Theme: Nutrition (Biology)

Idea #26: Tornado in a Bottle (Earth Science)

Idea #27: Ice Cream Making (Chemistry)

Idea #28: Planting (Nature/ Biology)

Idea #29: Card Making (Nature)

Idea #30: Christmas and Farewell Parties (Monthly

Themes)

Idea #31: Scientist Got Talent (Monthly Theme)

Idea #32: Science Based Magic Trick Compilation

(Integrated Science)

Idea #33: Taste Test (Biology)

LALALALA:

Maria Ivyña Santos: pinoy henyo po na bout science

aila rojales: guess who, pics ng mga scientists..lol

Maria Ivyña Santos: ung about sa pop rock experiment po

Maria Ivyña Santos:
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/poprocks
asd
aly punzalan: kuya,pwede ba yung simple science magic tricks? kaso medyo
corny e
aly punzalan:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistrymagic/tp/sciencemagictricks.htmMa
ria
asd
Ivyña Santos: i2 po ung link
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/how-to-make-a-folding-
eggasd

aly punzalan: adopt a tree?

Maria Ivyña Santos: kuya ser meon pa pong link

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000024
asd
aly punzalan: environmental campaigns about saving mother earth

Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000088
asd
aila rojales: sir ser, baka pd po ito.
http://www.hightechscience.org/activities.htm TIC

Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000106
asd
Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000148
asd
Melchin Tapan:
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/school_science_fair_project.html TIC

Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000133

Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/color-changing-milk-of-
magnesia

aly punzalan: http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/environmental-

science-fair-projects-for-high-school.html TIC

Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/pinch-and-mix-color-
mixing

aly punzalan:
http://www.juliantrubin.com/fairprojects/environment/recycling.html TIC
Maria Ivyña Santos: i2 pa po
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/instant-freeze-soda-ice

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/egg-science nanjan po
lhat ng experiments about sa eggs po...

aly punzalan: http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/ TIC