Objective:
This experiment makes glass go completely invisible.
Materials:
- Baby oil
- Large clear glass bowl
- Clear glass cup small enough to fit into the bowl
Experimental Procedure
- Fill the bowl with baby oil until the oil has a depth of slightly less than the height of the cup.
- Place the cup into the baby oil taking care not to allow oil to pour over into it. You can still see that the cup is in there, right?
- Now slowly pour baby oil into the cup. Observe the cup gradually disappearing as it fills with baby oil.
Objective
In this milk experiment, we will find out whether whole milk spoils at the same rate as two percent and skim milk.
Materials
- Whole vitamin D milk (the milk should have identical expiration dates)
- 2% milk
- Skim milk
- 3 drinking glasses
- Magnifying glass
Experimental Procedure
- Pour the whole milk, 2% milk, and skim milk in 3 separate glasses. Label each one so you will know what kind of milk in in each.
- Set these glasses in the open air at room temperature.
- Observe what happens daily.
- In about three days, you should notice an unpleasant smell. Observe which glass the smell is coming from.
- Pour out the milk.
Objective:
This project explores the effectiveness of various cleaning solutions in cleaning tarnished and oxidized coins.
Materials:
- Six pennies (tarnished or oxidized)
- Six nickels (tarnished or oxidized)
- Six dimes (tarnished or oxidized)
- Six quarters (tarnished or oxidized)
- One cup dish liquid
- One cup lemon juice
- One cup orange juice
- One cup water
- One cup cola
- One cup baking soda paste (Mix baking soda with water for a paste consistency.)
- 24 cups
- Six plastic spoons
- Six toothbrushes
- Newspaper or art cloth (to cover the table)
- Latex gloves (optional)
Experimental Procedure
- Fill four cups each one quarter full with each of the six cleaning solutions suggested (4 with lemon juice, 4 with orange juice, 4 with cola, 4 with water, 4 with baking soda paste and 4 with dish liquid). Label the cups.
- Carefully record each coin’s condition prior to placing it into its cup.
- Place one of each type of coin into each solution.
- Let all coins soak overnight.
- Using the plastic spoons and latex gloves, scoop each coin out of its cup and place it on the covered table. Take care to label and keep track of which coin came from which solution.
- Examine the coins and record what you see before you start using the toothbrushes.
- Use the toothbrushes to clean the coins, rinse with water, re-examine the coins, and record your observations.
- Address the research questions.
objective
Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate?
Materials:
- Water
- Orange juice
- Alcohol
- Nail polish remover
- Four beakers with measures
- Pen and paper for notes
Procedure
- Pour the same amount of liquid into each beaker. Note the amounts.
- Set the beakers in a dry location at room temperature.
- Monitor the levels of the liquids for 1 week and note any differences.
Objective:
Discover how long it takes to stain egg shells with coffee, tea, and cola.
Materials:
- Eggs, hollowed out following these instructions.
- Coffee
- Tea
- Cola
- Three large plastic containers
Experimental Procedure
- Fill three separate large containers with coffee, tea, and cola.
- Put at least one hollowed-out eggshell into each container.
- Every day, fish them out and observe the progress of discoloration.
- Take some photos of gradual changes. On the day when you really start to notice discoloration, note that day.
- Record your results and compare the effects of the three liquids.
Problem
During the electrolysis of water, which electrolyte conducts electricity the best?
Materials
- Distilled water
- Tap water
- 2 silver-colored thumb tacks
- 9V battery
- Small, clear plastic container (a plastic to-go sauce container from a restaurant would work great)
- 2 test tubes
- Stopwatch
- Baking soda
- Table salt
- Lemon
- Dishwashing detergent
Procedure
- Insert the thumb tacks into the bottom of the plastic container so that the points push up into the container. Space them so that they’re the same distance apart as the two terminals of the 9V battery. Be careful not to prick yourself!
- Place the plastic container with the thumb tacks over the terminals of the battery. If the cup is too large to balance on the battery, find something to stack it on: between two books, a stack of post-its, etc.
- Slowly fill the container with distilled water. If the tacks move, go ahead and use this opportunity to fix them before you proceed. Will distilled water conduct electricity on its own? Try it!
- Add a pinch of baking soda.
- Hold two test tubes above each push pin to collect the gas being formed. Record your observations. What happens? Does one tube have more gas than the other? What gases do you think are forming?
- Discard the solution, and repeat the procedure with a different combination:
- Distilled water and lemon juice
- Distilled water and table salt
- Distilled water and dish detergent
- Distilled water (no additive)
- Tap water (Does tap water work? If so, why?)
Results
Distilled water will not conduct current, while tap water will conduct a small current. The solution with baking soda will facilitate a good amount of electrolysis. The solution with table salt will facilitate electrolysis the best.
Objective:
Determine whether plants will grow if they are watered with various liquids.
Material
- Seeds (green bean seeds work well because they grow quickly and are hardy.)
- 5 Containers
- A marker
- Potting soil
- Milk
- Juice
- Cola
- Sports Drink
- Water
- A measuring cup
Procedure
- Label the containers, “Water/Control,” “Milk,” “Juice,” “Cola,” and “Sports Drink.”
- Fill the containers with potting soil.
- Plant three seeds in each of the pots as directed on the back of the seed package.
- Measure out ½ cup of water and give it to the plants in the “Water/Control” container.
- Measure out ½ cup of milk and give it to the plants in the “Milk” container.
- Measure out ½ cup of juice and give it to the plants in the “Juice” container.
- Measure out ½ cup of cola and give it to the plants in the “Cola” container.
- Measure out ½ cup of sports drink and give it to the plants in the “Sports Drink” container.
- Place the plants in a warm, sunny place outdoors or in a window.
- Repeat steps 4-8 every other day.
- Record the growth of the plants on a chart such as the one below.
Problem
How can hydropower be used to lift an object?
Materials
- 2-liter plastic soda bottle
- Ruler
- Marker
- Craft knife (have an adult help you use it)
- Scissors
- 2 corks
- 1 wooden barbeque skewer
- Sewing thread (16 inches)
- Small objects to lift (small fishing sinker, an eraser)
- Sink
- Duct Tape
- Large Funnel
- Paper clips
Procedure
- Using your marker and ruler, measure and mark a few dots 6 cm up from the bottom of the bottle. Connect your dots and have an adult help you cut off the bottom using the craft knife.
- Measure an 8cm section from the cut part of the bottle. Cut out this section so that you have a cylindrical section of plastic.
- Cut four 2 cm-wide strips from the 8cm section with your scissors. Cut these strips in half so you are left with eight curved strips that measure 4 cm by 2 cm.
- Draw 8 evenly spaced lines lengthwise on the cork, and make slits along each line with your hobby knife. Making sure that the plastic pieces all curve in the same direction, slide each 4 cm by 2 cm plastic piece into its own slit. Why do you think it’s important that the strips all curve in the same direction?
- Unfold two paperclips and flex one end of each to create a small loop. These paperclips will act as supports for the water wheel’s axle.
- Affix your supports on opposite sides of your plastic funnel using your duct tape.
- Cut the skewer in half and poke each half into one side of the wheel cork. Guide each end through a loop on your paper clip support. Make sure your paper clip’s loops are loose enough to allow the wheel to turn freely.
- Insert one of the skewers into the other cork and tie thread tightly around it. Tie the loose end of the thread to a weight or other small household object.
- Place your completed water wheel under a gentle stream of water in your sink. Slowly run water over the wheel so that the plastic pieces on the cork catch the falling water and turn it into mechanical energy.
Extra: Water has potential energy due to its position above the ground. The higher above the ground the water is, the more potential energy it has. Can you convert more of this potential energy into mechanical energy? Try making several water wheels and daisy-chaining them together! When water exits one water wheel, it can pass through another, and so on.
Results
The wheel spins and produces enough mechanical energy to elevate small items tied to the end of the thread.
No comments:
Post a Comment