Forces
Wintry Science
Tweet Wintry Science Here’s a seasonally related temperature experiment exploring what happens when we freeze oil & water You will need: a clear plastic container, water, cooking oil food colouring (optional), use of a freezer. Instructions 1. Pour some water into the clear plastic container. You can add some blue or green food colouring [...]
Ketchup Volcano!
Tweet Ketchup Volcano! ( A longer-lasting volcano with ‘Natural Orange-Red Nontoxic Lava’ !) The acetic acid in ketchup reacts with baking soda to produce an extra-special type of lava for a chemical volcano. This non-toxic volcano recipe is sure to please! You will need: Small container (we used an empty travel-size bottle.) Volcano (You can [...]
Electromagnet – the improved version
Tweet Making an electromagnet is fun and easy. You will need A large iron nail (about 3 inches) About 3 feet of THIN COATED copper wire A fresh D size battery Some paper clips Instructions 1. Leave about 8 inches of wire loose at one end and wrap most of the rest of the [...]
Diving Ketchup!
Tweet There are many variations on this effect – we’ve covered the concept before. However this has to be the simplest to do with the best explanation. Place a ketchup packet in a bottle of water and make it rise and fall at your command, as if by magic. Of course, the magic involves some [...]
Feeling Centred!
Tweet Investigating Centre of Gravity You will need: A broom That’s it! However you could use the following optional extras if you have them: metre rule, golf club, baseball bat, hockey stick etc. Instructions 1. Spread your hands as far apart as you can along the broom. 2. Pick up the broom using only [...]
Suspended Bottle
Tweet This is another of those experiments that look like magic – but are really science of course. You will need: Coke bottle or any other plastic screw top bottle Uncooked Rice A pencil or chopstick or any other straight rod Instructions 1. Fill the bottle with uncooked rice. 2. Plunge the pencil straight [...]
The Super-Bounce!
Tweet Energy is constantly changing forms and transferring between objects. Try seeing for yourself how this works. Use two balls to transfer kinetic (or moving) energy from a big ball to a smaller one and see what happens. To revisit this classic science experiment you will need: A large, heavy ball such as a basketball [...]
Scientific Slushy!
Tweet Cool off and amaze your friends by making any soft drink or soda turn into a slushy on command. Here’s how to do this fun and refreshing supercooled science project. You will need: A soft drink A freezer Any soda or soft drink works for this. The slushy project works especially well with 16-oz [...]
What A Pickle!
Tweet Turn a gherkin into a battery! You will need: a gherkin (aka dill pickle) a pencil aluminium foil (unused) a small knife (eg penknife) 2 alligator-clip leads a piezo buzzer 12V (small 12V buzzer) Try Maplins or a similar supplier Instructions 1. Fold a sheet of foil several times to make a thick [...]
Thaumatrope Illusion
Tweet Create a thaumatrope and investigate the phenomenon of persistence of vision. You Will Need Index Cards (4”x6”) Markers Drinking Straw Transparent Tape (Optional) Small Stickers Confetti Buttons Rubber Stamps etc Instructions Fold the index card in half forming a double 4”x3” surface. Draw two pictures that, if combined, would form one picture. Draw [...]