Kids soak up knowledge and information like a sponge. Try out these simple experiments with your kids and get them interested in science.
The Volcano
What you need:
- Plastic cup/s
- Water
- 3-4 Tbs of baking soda at least
- 1 tsp of dish soap
- Food coloring (or washable paint if you want to avoid staining)
- 1 cup (236ml) of Vinegar
Step 1: Fill the plastic cup/s with about 2/3 of water
Step 2: Add in the baking soda, dish soap and a little bit of food coloring and stir.
Step 3: Pour in the vinegar and watch the magic happen.
The science: The bubbles that erupt are filled with carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is a gas that forms when the vinegar reacts with the baking soda.
Oil vs Water
What you need:
- glass or bottle
- water
- cooking oil
- dishwashing liquid
Step 1: Pour water into the glass
Step 2: Pour in the cooking oil and note the oil separate from the water.
Step 3: pour in the dishwashing liquid and stir. Watch what happens after that.
The Science: Water molecules have a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other end. Since the opposite ends of the molecule have different charges, it is called a polar molecule. The molecules in the oil are more evenly spaced out, and therefore do not have charges on the opposite ends of the molecule. These are called non-polar molecules. Since the water and oil molecules are different types, they do not mix. When the dishwashing liquid is added, it causes the bonds between the molecules to change, and allows the liquids to mix.
Walking Water
What you need:
- at least 3 empty glasses
- water
- food coloring
- paper towels
Step 1: Fill 2 glasses about 3/4 full
Step 2: Drop some food coloring into the water. Each a different color.
Step 3: Place the empty cup in the middle of the 2 water glasses.
Step 4: Stick one end of the paper towel into the colored water and the other end into the empty glass and slowly watch the magic happen.
The science: Thanks to capillary action the water “walks” up the paper towels into the empty jar. The middle jar fills up with water until the water levels of all the jars are equal. If you use primary color water, it can also become a fun color mixing session.