Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Science is Cool!

How great was Bill Nye the Science Guy? I seriously want to archive all his episodes so my kiddos can watch them when of age. (If you don't know who Bill Nye is check him out here)





Channeling my inner Bill Nye, the kids and I engaged in some good ol' science. Well mostly science, plus a little fun too! All experiments were based around the BALLOON. I wish I had thought of taking pictures of my little scientists at work. We had so much fun today.


THE FIZZ INHALATOR

Supplies Needed:
a empty plastic bottle
1/2 cup of vinegar 
balloon
Baking soda

What to do:
Carefully pour the vinegar into the bottle. Bow the balloon up once, then let go while still grasping it. This loosens the balloon up for maximum size. Fill the balloon about half way with baking soda. (The easiest way to fill the balloon is with a funnel) Carefully, wrap the neck of the balloon around the top of the bottle WITHOUT spilling any baking soda in. Lift the balloon up, so all the baking soda enters the bottle mixing with the vinegar.

How does it work:
The baking soda and the vinegar create a chemical reaction.The two chemicals work together to create a carbon dioxide, which is a gas. Gasses need a lot of room to spread out. The carbon dioxide fills the bottle and continues spread by inflating the balloon.

STATIC ELECTRICITY CAN ROLL

Supplies needed:
empty soda can
balloon
a head full of hair :)

What to do:
Put the can on a smooth surface, like a table. Rub the balloon up and down, back and forth, fast on your head o'hair. Hold the balloon close to the can without touching it. the balloon begins to come toward the balloon.

STATIC ELECTRICITY WATER BEND

Supplies needed:
indoor facet
balloon
a head full of hair :)

What to do:
Turn on the faucet just until you have a very thin stream of water flowing. Rub the balloon up and down, back and forth, fastly on your head o'hair. Now bring the balloon close to the flowing water. Do not touch the water. The stream of water will bend towards the balloon.

STATIC ELECTRICITY TISSUE JUMP

Supplies needed:
tissue tore up as small as possible (super small)
balloon
head full of hair

What to do:
Rub the balloon up and down, back and forth, fastly on your head o'hair. Hold the balloon close to the tiny pieces of tissue. If the pieces are small enough they will jump off the table to the balloon.

How does it work for ALL static experiments:
When you rub the balloon through your hair, invisible electrons (with a negative charge) build up on the surface of the balloon. This is called static electricity, which means "non-moving electricity" The electrons have the power to pull very light objects (with a positive charge) toward them - like the soda can, water, and TINY tissue pieces.

TEXTURE BALLOONS

Mainly for my three year old, I filled four balloons with liquids. Warm noodle soup, cold water, liquid soap and ketchup (had a bottle of knock off brand, something HAVE to be name brand). Each kid hypothesized what the substance inside was. If was fun they all guess the water right but none of the others. My neighbor got close to the soap by guessing gel. We discussed size, weight, texture, look in the light, sound, the way it jiggled. . . . and what a hypothesis is.

Lastly, for a little fun, all the kids that ended up joining in on the science (6!) grabbed a side of a blanket that I placed water filled balloons on. All the giggles and squeals were contagious as they popped the balloons up in the air. 

Next science day theme....WEATHER! And lab coats, I must buy them all lab coats!

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