Purple Brew: An Acid-Base Indicator

Next time kids say they don’t like vegetables, try out an experiment that will bring out the fun side of our leafy friends. Mom and Kiddo of  the blog What Did We Do All Day? shows us how to play with color in this demonstration that uses an acid, a base, and a vegetable. She suggests keeping some of the solution in the fridge for a rainy day and allowing kids to experiment on their own.

You will need:

• purple or red cabbage
• small and large glass jars
• baking soda
• water
• vinegar
• measuring cup
• 1/4 teaspoon

What to do?

1. Chop up a cabbage and simmer on the stove for 20 minutes to make a cool purple liquid (kids, please let a grown-up do this)
2. After the purple brew has cooled, collect some small and large jars. Place about 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp water in one jar, a small amount of vinegar in another and about 1/4 cup purple brew in a third.
3. Put some of the brew in a measuring cup and pour 1/4 tsp of the brew in each of the first small jars. What happens when you mix the purple brew with the different solutions?
4. In the jar filled with a 1/4 cup of purple brew,  pour about 1/4 cup vinegar. What happens?
5. Next, add 1/4 tsp baking soda to the same solution. What is your observation?

How does it work?

Red cabbage contains a chemical called flavin and flavin has the ability to change color based on the pH level of certain liquids. Nuetral solutions, (like water) are purple. Acid solutions, like the vinegar, turn will turn flavin red. Basic solutions, like the baking soda water, become blue.

You can check out Mom and Kiddo’s full post of this experiment HERE. Let us know what your results are when you make your own purple brew. What would happen if you tried different vegetables? What would happen if you used cream of tartar, lemon juice, salt, lemonade, or other materials from your kitchen pantry? Can you make your own litmus paper and test the pH of the solution?

Eggshell Geode Crystals

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This project comes to us from Melissa Howard who is a Mom, Blogger, and photographer. This project nicely demonstrates how real-life geodes are formed in igneous and sedimentary rock. It also demonstrates super-saturated solutions and shows a nice variety of crystal shapes and formations.

YOU WILL NEED:

• clean eggshells
• water
• a variety of soluble solids: table salt, rock salt, sugar, baking soda, Epsom salts, sea salt, borax, or cream of tartar
• small heat proof containers (coffee cups work well)
• spoons
• food coloring
• egg cartons and wax paper or mini-muffin tins

WHAT TO DO:

1. Crack the eggs for this project as close to the narrow end as possible. This preserves more egg to use as a container for the solution.
2. Clean the eggshells using hot water. The hot water cooks the lining and allows you to pull the skin (egg membrane) out of the inside of the egg using your fingers. Make sure to remove all the egg membrane, if any membrane stays inside the shell it is possible that your eggshell will grow mold and your crystals will turn black.
3. Use an egg carton lined with waxed paper or mini-muffin tins to hold the eggs upright.
4. Use a saucepan to heat the water to boiling. .
5. Pour half a cup to a cup of water into your heatproof container. If you poured half a cup of water into the container, add about a ¼ cup of solid to the water. Stir it until it dissolves. Likewise if you used a cup of water, add about ½ a cup of solid to the water. You wanted to add about half again the volume of the water as a solid to the mixture. When the initial amount of solid is dissolved continue adding small amounts of the solid until the water is super-saturated. Super-saturated simply means the water has absorbed all it is able to absorb and any solid you add will not dissolve.
6. Add food coloring.
7. Carefully pour your solution into the eggshell, filling it as full as possible without over-flowing it or causing it to tip.

Find a safe place to put your shells while the water evaporates. Crystals will form inside the eggshells as the water evaporates.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Dissolving the crystals in hot water created what is called a “super-saturated solution.” This basically means that the salts took advantage of the energy of the hot water to help them dissolve until there was no more space between molecules in the solution. As the solution cooled, the water lost its energy and the crystals are forced from the solution to become a solid again. Since this happens slowly along with the evaporation, the crystals have time to grow larger than they were when the experiment started. Natural geodes in rock are form in much the same way as mineralized water seeps into air pockets in rock. This is also how rock candy crystals are formed.

You can visit Melissa’s great blog and see more pictures HERE.

Lemon Chemistry: An Acid-Base Experiment

Kari Wilcher runs a great blog. She was looking to teach her pre-school children about the Scientific Method while trying out some kitchen chemistry at the same time. Her plan was to show a dramatic acid-base reaction using lemons, baking soda, and a little dish soap. She writes:

“I firmly believe that children are never too young to be exposed to the scientific method and should follow it. I have found that the scientific method is very easy for them to understand, and follow, when presented to them in a simple way. I like to use a rebus (picture) to help my non-readers understand the directions. I also use these “big” words: data, hypothesis, prediction, and observation. We, including Momma, wear goggles (from the dollar store) and a lab coat (a.k.a. dad’s white button up shirt) because we are real scientists doing real science experiments…and it just makes us cool.”

You will need:

• Fresh Lemons
• A knife
• A small measuring cup & measuring spoon
• Baking Soda
• Liquid dish soap
• A clear cup for the reaction

What to do:

1. Roll the lemons on the counter like dough. This releases the juice inside the lemon.
2. Cut the lemon in half (adults only, please) and carefully squeeze out the juice into a small measuring cup. Note how much juice was created from each lemon and put the juice aside.
3. Into the empty glass place 1 Tablespoon of baking soda.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap to the baking soda. Stir these up a bit.
5. Pour the lemon juice into the cup and stir. Now watch the lemon suds erupt!

How does it work?
This is a classic example of an acid-base reaction. This is often done with vinegar and baking soda, but we liked Kari’s “lemon twist.” The baking soda (a base) and the lemon juice (an acid) combine to release Carbon Dioxide gas. The liquid soap turns the bubbles into a foam that often erupts right out of the glass.

Try it out and let us know how it goes!

You can check out Kari’s full blog post of this experiment including the worksheets she created HERE.

Oobleck – The Corn Starch And Water Experiment

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This may just be the easiest, messiest, and most fun science activity I know. It is a classic, and I have gotten several requests recently to post directions. You should know that if you try this activity and  you are not smiling and messy with corn starch goo at the end, then you are definitely doing something wrong. Also keep in mind that this is not just about fun, there is some pretty amazing science going on here.

You will need:

• Cornstarch (a 16 oz. box is good for every 2-3 participants – but more is always better)
• Water
• Food coloring (we always say it’s optional, but it does make it more fun – don’t use too much or you could end up with colored hands)
• A large bowl
• A camera – you’re probably going to want to take pictures.

Everyone should roll up their sleeves and prepare for some gooey fun.

1. This is easy. Pour the cornstarch into the bowl. Don’t rush to add water – take time to feel the cornstarch. Cornstarch does not feel like any other powder. It has a texture that can be compared to that of whipped cream. The grains of cornstarch are so small that they will fill into grooves of your fingerprints and make the prints stand out.
2. After you’ve taken-in the feel of the powder, it is time to add water. (You should add the food coloring to your water before adding it to the powder.) There are no exact formulas regarding how much water to add, but it will end up being about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water per cup (235 ml) of cornstarch. The secret is to add the water slowly and mix as you add it. Don’t be shy here – dig in with your hands and really mix it up. This is usually when you notice that this is not your average liquid. Add enough water so that the mixture slowly flows on its own when mixed. The best test is to reach in and grab a handful of the mixture and see if you can roll it into a ball between your hands – if you stop rolling it and it “melts” between to fingers – success!

We’ll get the the science soon, for now just dig in and explore. Notice that the goo does not splash (or even move) if you hit it quickly. Squeeze it hard and see what happens. How long can you get the strands of goo to drip? What happens if you let the goo sit on the table for a minute and then try to pick it up? How does it feel? Hows does it move? Try bouncing a ball on the surface of the cornstarch. You get the idea – explore!

30 minutes later…

So now goo is everywhere and you’re thinking you should probably start cleaning. Actual clean up of the goo is a snap. A bucket of warm water will quickly get it off your hands. It will brush off of clothes when it dries, and it is easily cleaned off surfaces with a wet rag. Important: Make sure you do not dump the goo down the drain – it can get caught in the drain trap and take the joy out of your day of science. Dump it in the trash, or even mix it into soil in the garden.

Cornstarch grains under the microscope

Now for the science…
Our cornstarch goo (sometimes referred to as “oobleck” from the Dr. Suess book) is what scientists call a “Non-Newtonian” liquid. Basically, Sir Issac Newton stated individual liquids flow at consistent, predictable rates. As you likely discovered, cornstarch goo does NOT follow those rules – it can act almost like a solid, and them flow like a liquid. Technically speaking, the goo is a SUSPENSION, meaning that the grains of starch are not dissolved, they are just suspended and spread out in the water. If you let the goo sit for an while, the cornstarch would settle to the bottom of the bowl.

So why does this concoction act the way it does? Most of it has to do with pressure. The size, shape, and makeup of the cornstarch grains causes the cornstarch to “lock-up” and hold its shape when pressure is applied to it. People have filled small pools with oobleck and they are able to walk across the surface of it (as long as they move quickly.) As soon as they stop walking, they begin to sink.

I hope you get to try this out. Let us know how your day with non-newtonian liquids went. Comment here, or, even better, send us pictures to comment@sciencebob.com . Have fun exploring!

-Science Bob

Experiment While Making A Bouncy Ball

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Amy Huntley is a former science teacher and Mom that runs a great blog where she shares activities that she has done with her family. This exploration of polymers and bouncing balls  caught our eye and we were happy that Amy would share it with us. We’ve adapted it just a bit. The fun part is experimenting, and it is easy to make several of these and change up the recipe and check results. Note that this will not make a bouncy ball like you get at the grocery store, but ours bounced over a foot high and the ball has quite a unique feel to it.

You will need:

• Borax (found in laundry section)
• warm water
• corn starch
• glue (clear glue makes a see transparent ball and white glue makes an opaque ball)
• 2 small mixing cups
• a stirring stick (plastic spoon)
• food coloring (optional)

Procedure:

1. Label one cup ‘Borax Solution’ and the other cup ‘Ball Mixture’.
2. Pour 4 ounces (120ml) of warm water into the cup labeled ‘Borax Solution’ and 1 teaspoon of the borax powder into the cup. Stir the mixture to dissolve the borax.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon of glue into the cup labeled ‘Ball Mixture’. Add 3-4 drops of food coloring, if desired.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the borax solution you just made and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the glue. Do not stir.
5. Allow the ingredients to interact on their own for 10-15 seconds and then stir them together to fully mix.
6. Once the mixture becomes impossible to stir, take it out of the cup and start molding the ball with your hands. The ball will start out sticky and messy, but will solidify as you knead it. Once the ball is less sticky, continue rolling between your hands until it is smooth and round!

Amy adds:

“My boys loved making these “bouncy” balls. They are not super bouncy like the plastic super balls that became popular when I was a kid, but they are pretty bouncy and fun to play with. We discovered that on the carpet, they have a lot more bounce then they do on the kitchen floor. ”

These are also “temporary” bouncing balls and will lose their elasticity within a few days as they dry. Keeping your bouncy ball in a sealed bag will increase its bouncy lifespan.

The original “Super Balls” got their amazing bounce ability from compressed rubber under thousands of pounds of pressure.

How does it work?
This activity demonstrates an interesting chemical reaction, primarily between the borax and the glue. The borax acts as a “cross-linker” to the polymer molecules in the glue – basically it creates chains of molecules that stay together when you pick them up. The cornstarch helps to bind the molecules together so that they hold their shape better.

Make it an experiment
You can turn this activity into a true experiment by adjusting the amount of borax, glue, and cornstarch to get the highest bounce. You can also experiment to discover the best way to get the bouncy ball to keep its bounce over time. Have fun!

Check out Amy’s blog by clicking HERE.

Create Bubbles & Heat With Simple Chemistry

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Sarah Toney homeschools four active boys ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 in Tennessee. She recently tried out a simple experiment to help her boys observe a cool chemical reaction.

For Sarah’s experiment you will need:

• 1 tsp (5ml) dry yeast
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) hydrogen peroxide (should be handled only by adults)
• stirring stick
• thermometer

Procedure:

1. Record the temperature of the hydrogen peroxide and place it in a small bowl.
2. Add the dry yeast to the peroxide and stir
3. Watch for changes in the mixture and the temperature

Sarah writes:
“The goal of the experiment was to observe a chemical change that produces heat. My boys got to see the different indicators that a chemical change was taking place- bubbling, fizzing and the temperature on the thermometer was going up. They were actually pretty amazed by this one. I keep listing the ways to tell if a chemical reaction has taken place….they’ve seen the bubbling, they’ve seen the gas given off…..I guess they didn’t really believe that heat could actually be created by just mixing 2 things.”

Another great part of this experiment is that the bubbles produced contain oxygen. This can be demonstrated by lighting and blowing out a wood match or splint. When the smoking match is brought near the bubbles, it re-ignites from the oxygen.

How does it work?
Hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. Than means it is water with an extra oxygen. The yeast contains a chemical called catayse that releases the oxygen creating the bubbles and it also releases heat (an exothermic reaction.) This is a simple version of our Fantastic Foamy Fountain experiment. The instructions for that experiment can be found HERE.

You can make this a true experiment by adjusting the amount of yeast and peroxide to try to get the greatest increase in temperature. You can also dissolve the yeast in water before adding it to the peroxide to see if that has an effect.

Visit Sarah’s blog post HERE.

Make A Static Powered Dancing Ghost

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Today we were playing around with some balloons (which we often do when things get slow) and we had an idea to add a Halloween twist to a familiar static experiment. It is really quite a lot of fun and super simple. For this bit of spooky science you will need:

• A piece of tissue paper
• A balloon
• Scissors
• A head of hair
• Spooky Music (optional)

1. First cut out a ghost shape in the tissue as shown about 1.5 inches (4 cm) long and add some eyes with a marker. If you are using 2-ply tissues, peel apart the 2 layers to get the tissue as thin as possible. Cut out a few ghosts for more fun and place them on a flat surface.
2. Blow up the balloon and tie it. Then rub it really fast through your hair for about 10 seconds. This will add a static charge.

3. Slowly bring the balloon near the ghost, and the ghost will begin to rise toward the balloon. (Our ghost “arms” actually reached toward the balloon as we got it near.) If the balloon is charged enough, the ghost will rise and float right up to the balloon, even when it is several inches away. With a little practice, you can get the ghost to rise, float, and even dance around.

How’s it work?
When you rub the balloon through your hair, invisible electrons (with a negative charge) build up on the surface of the balloon. The electrons have the power to pull very light objects (with a positive charge) toward them – in this case, the tissue ghost!

Try it out and let us know how it goes.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HALLOWEEN SCIENCE IDEAS.

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Halloween Science Experiments & Ideas!

Need ideas for your Halloween party, or just some all-around Halloween fun? Here’s a few great ideas to get you started.

GLOWING DRINKABLE BEVERAGES
Did you know that tonic water will glow under a blacklight? We didn’t either. The quinine in the tonic water glows a very cool looking blue color that we really like. If you’re not crazy about the taste of tonic water,  try making ice cubes using the tonic water and then add them to a glass of Sprite or another light colored citrus drink. Switch on the blacklight and you have the perfect Halloween beverage. After a few minutes the entire drink will start to glow. (see photo)

MAKE SOME HALLOWEEN SLIME
Slime and Halloween go together like, well, slime and Halloween. Here’s 2 ways to add a little slime to your October.
Do it yourself slime - If you’ve got a little glue and some powdered borax, you can easily mix up some slime by following the instructions HERE.

Slime Kits - If you want to make LOTS of slime as an activity, or if you have trouble finding Borax, a kit may be the way to go. We have just the slime kits you are looking for. You can find out more by clicking HERE.

EERIE GREEN PUMPKINS
All your neighbors will have Jack-O-Lanterns that glow orange, but you will impress them with a Jack-O-Lantern that glows green! Best of all, the green glow is simple and safer than traditional candles. Purchase one or two large glowing light-sticks per pumpkin at a party store or hardware store. (We like green, but there are many colors to experiment with) Activate the light stick and simply drop them into the pumpkin, or, to conceal the glow sticks, attach them to the inside of the pumpkin lid by unbending large paperclips to secure them. Place your pumpkin outside on Halloween night and admire the “Oooos” and “Ahhhhs” of Trick-Or-Treaters.

MAKE A HAUNTED, SCREAMING CUP
If you think haunted houses are scary, wait until to hear…haunted drinkware! First, check out our Chicken In A Cup experiment, but instead of pulling along the string in short bursts to sound like a chicken (it really does, trust us) pull in one continuous motion. The result is an eerie screaming cup! The only thing better than than trying the screaming cup yourself, is trying the screaming  cup with LOTS of your friends all at once.  Parents especially seem to enjoy that. The  instructions can be found HERE.

BUBBLING POTIONS AND JARS
Every mad scientist needs some bubbling potions. While dry ice may be the ultimate bubbling potion, the effect tends to be short-lived, and dry ice can be dangerous around younger Halloween party goers. The solution is a simple aquarium pump. Purchase an inexpensive aquarium pump and some tubing at your local pet store along with a line splitter (if you want more than one bubbling potion.) Set up the pump to send bubbles into various large food jars through the tubes. Add some food coloring, plastic bugs or fake body parts, and you’ve got the sights and sounds of a mad scientists lab that will last all night. For added drama, light up the jars from below using flashlights. You can also create floating eyeballs by drawing an iris and pupil onto ping-pong balls with permanent markers. Make a few that will float around by drilling two very small holes in the ping-pong balls and allowing them to fill with water until they sink. For an added glowing blacklight effect add our Glow-Bright Concentrate.

GHOST BUBBLE SPHERE
If you’ve got some dry ice, (available at some grocery stores and most ice companies) why not gather Halloween party-goers and try your hand at making a large dry ice ghost bubble? You will need:

• Medium size bowl with a rim
• Small bowl
• Liquid soap
• 20 inch by 2 inch strip of absorbent cloth (cotton or cheese-cloth work well)
• Dry Ice

Fill each bowl halfway with water. In the small bowl, add a good squirt of liquid soap (we like Dawn Concentrate) and stir it up. Dip the cloth into the soapy water to get it wet. Get the rim of the larger bowl wet with water and add the dry ice . Admire the sights and sounds of bubbling dry ice. Now the tricky part, pull the cloth strip so that it is taught and pass it across the entire rim of the medium bowl to create a soap bubble “skin” over the bowl. It may take several tries. Once you get it, the bubble will expand as gas is released and it will rise to create your own ghost bubble sphere.  After the soap gets into the water with the dry ice, you are treated to soap bubbles filled with dry ice mist! CAUTION: Never touch dry ice! It’s -109° F (-78° C) That’s really, really cold.

CLICK HERE for instructions to make a static powered dancing ghost.

THE SCREAMING QUARTER EXPERIMENT

If you have some dry ice from the Ghost Bubble Sphere left over, you might want to try this fun little demonstration. Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. As it sublimates, (turns back into a gas) the carbon dioxide gas escapes around the quarter causing the quarter to vibrate and make a rather spooky shrill along with occasional humorous sounds. Always wear gloves when performing this demonstration.

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FOR  HALLOWEEN RELATED ITEMS
FROM OUR NEW STORE, CLICK HERE.

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The Lincoln High Dive – A Newton’s Law Experiment

Goat a few minutes? Here is a simple experiment that has impressed both students and adults that have tried it. It is also a great way to observe Newton’s First Law in action.

You will need:

• A Lincoln penny (or other small coin)
• A piece of card stock or stiff paper
• A film canister (baby food jar, juice bottle, other  container with a mouth that is a bit wider than a penny)
• Pencil or pen
• Scissors

1. Cut the cardstock paper into a long strip about .75 inches (2 cm) wide and form it into a hoop as shown. The paper should be stiff enough to hold the hoop shape on its own and the hoop works best when it is between 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) across.
2. For dramatic effect, fill the film canister with water and place on a level surface.
3. Place the hoop on the film canister as shown and balance the penny on the top of the hoop.
4. Time for Lincoln’s big moment! Place a pencil through the center of the hoop and in one swift motion fling the hoop off to the side. If you do this correctly, the hoop will fly out of the way, and the penny will fall straight down into the canister with a splash. 10 points for Lincoln!

This is science?
You betcha. For this demo, Newton’s first laws says, in general, that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. The energy of your movement with the pencil was passed on to the hoop, making it fly out of the way, but the hoop was moving too fast and there was not enough friction to affect the penny (at rest) on top of the hoop. The penny ended up above the film canister with nothing to hold it up. It was about then that gravity took over, and pulled the coin straight down into the waiting water. Yep, Issac Newton and Abraham Lincoln, together in the name of science.

Try it out and post here to let us know how it goes! Experiment with various hoops and objects to make it different.

Add Color To Flowers Using Science

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Many florists sell colored carnations, but I think it is more fun to make your own! And you can learn a little something about plants in the process. Best of all, you can make the flowers just about any color you want. Start off with some white carnations from your local florist. We paid about $1.oo each here in the US. (If you just want to demonstrate how plants transport water, and watch color move through leaves, you can also perform this experiment using celery.) You will also need:

Food coloring
Some small cups
Water

Decide what colors you would like the flowers to be and then add that color to your glass. You will need to add enough food coloring to create a strong color in the water, just a few drops of coloring will not have much of an effect. (Our blue looked more like black after adding enough color.)

Snip the last centimeter of your carnation steam and place the stem in the colored water. Now just wait. Over the next day you will see signs of the coloring emerge in the petals, and even in the leaves. Our experiments have shown that sometimes the color emerges within a few hours, other times it takes a day or two. You can make green flowers for St Patrick’s day, red for valentines…you get the idea.

Mulitcolor? We tried splitting the stem with a razor (adults only, for that part please) and we then placed each stem into a different color of water. Sure enough the flower became multicolored (see above)…pretty cool. We wonder if it would work with three colors. If you try it, let us know.

So how does it work??
This is the science of TRANSPIRATION. It basically means that the plant draws water up through its stem. The water is then evaporated from the leaves and flowers through openings know as stomata. As the water evaporates, it creates pressure that brings more water into the plant – similar to drinking from a straw. Some trees can transpire dozens (even hundreds) of gallons of water on a hot day. How fast a plant transpires depends on temperature, humidity, and even wind. You may want to set up an experiment that tests the transpiration rate of the flowers by placing your plant-coloring set-up in different areas (sunny & dark, windy& still, dry & humid) and see which flower ends up with the most color – more color=more transpiration.

By the way, most flower shops do not color their flowers this way. There are many different breeds of flowers that are capable of producing a wide variety of flower colors. But we still think this way is more fun. If you try this out with your kids or your class, please let us know how it went.

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