Category Archives: Chemistry
Growing Crystals
We’ve been growing crystals. The kids couldn’t believe how fast their dissolved Borax particulates reformed as crystals. They were done overnight. We examined the crystals with magnifying glasses so they could see the specific shapes formed. The crazy kids in … Continue reading
The Chemistry of Blood
Our bodies are chemical factories. Everything you do from breathing and eating to moving and thinking involves chemical reactions. Take blood for example. There’s the reaction where oxygen is bound to the red blood cells through the aid of hemoglobin, … Continue reading
Carbon Creatures Chemistry
To make carbon creatures you need: 1 t. baking soda 4 t. powdered sugar a splash of alcohol (isopropyl, ethanol, or lighter fluid all work equally well) matches or a lighter a metal dish Mix the baking soda and powdered sugar. Pour … Continue reading
Salt Crystals
About.com has a boatload of chemistry experiments that are perfect for home. Click through and check some of them out. One of the experiments is to make salt and vinegar crystals. Many crystals are formed from ionically attracted elements, also known as … Continue reading
Smoke Bombs
This is a way cool experiment to wow the kids and neighbors. It really should be called smoke and fire bombs. Mix 1/2 c. saltpetre (found at some drug stores, call around to see who has it) with 1/2 c. … Continue reading
Growing Crystals
We’ve been growing crystals. The kids couldn’t believe how fast their dissolved Borax particulates reformed as crystals. They were done overnight. We examined the crystals with magnifying glasses so they could see the specific shapes formed. The crazy kids in … Continue reading
Dissolving Ink Experiment
Try this cool experiment:Get two mason jars and fill one with water and the other with rubbing alcohol. Using a waterproof (permanent) marker, write 2 of the same message – each on a sheet of tough paper (or fabric). Gently … Continue reading
Snowflakes
Snowflakes are made up very high in the atmosphere. Way up there in the clouds, water is vapor, not even drops. It’s so tiny that until several molecules can get together the water can’t even freeze into flakes. To get … Continue reading
Secrets of the Universe in a Candle
Michael Faraday Michael Faraday had very little scientific training and wasn’t particularly good at math, but still he was one of the most brilliant and influential scientists the world has ever known. He had the kind of mind that questioned and sought … Continue reading
Boyle’s Law
This experiment is both chemistry and physics. Sciences sometimes overlap . . . they usually overlap. For example when you study living organisms you have to take into account the chemistry happening inside the body. And the chemistry is in turn governed by the laws … Continue reading
Chemistry: Non-Metals
Non-metals do not conduct electricity, do not conduct heat, are not hard or shiny and are usually a gas in their pure form. The exception is carbon, which does conduct heat and electricity in some forms and which has the ability to … Continue reading
Chemistry: Metals
There are two types of elements in the world: metals and non-metals (at least according to the way humans classify things, which is somewhat arbitrary). Most things in the world fall under the category of metals. Here is a color-coded periodic table … Continue reading
The Science of Firecrackers
Fireworks were invented by the Chinese over a thousand years ago. Now we get to see them at all kinds of holiday celebrations throughout the world. There are a lot of different types and they work a little bit differently. … Continue reading
Make A Bouncy Ball
Want to try this cool experiment? Create your own bouncy ball. It’s pretty cool. First, heat 1/2 cup of milk in a little pan on the stove until lumps form. Pour off the liquid really slowly. Now put the leftover … Continue reading
Properties of Matter
Different types of matter have different properties. For example water freezes at 0 deg C or 32 deg F, but oil does not. They have different properties and it is those properties that makes them useful for a variety of … Continue reading
Reversible Reactions
Most reactions once done are done. You can’t take apart a cake you baked and get back out the flour, the eggs, the oil, the sugar, the baking powder and so on. But some reactions are reversible. You can change … Continue reading
Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidation originally meant that oxygen atoms were added to an element or compound, but since then scientists have expanded the definition. Now oxidation refers to any time a negative charge is taken from a molecule. Reduction is the opposite of … Continue reading
The Chemistry of Water
A water molecule, is made of three atoms, two hydrogen’s and an oxygen. Water has some unique characteristics that make it vital for life. The hydrogen’s carry a positive charge and the oxygen a negative charge, which causes the different … Continue reading
The Periodic Table
Making the periodic table of the elements fun. Hmmm . . . that’s a tough one. Start with a period table placemat that has photos of the actual chemicals on it. (Check out the Elementeo game on this site as … Continue reading
Chemistry 6: Bases and the Laundry
The opposite of an acid is a base. A base has a pH lower than 7. pH is the number of Hydrogen ions (an ion is a charged atom, it has an extra electron or one electron fewer) that come … Continue reading
Chemistry 5: Acids
Acid is a chemical term that means a substance with a pH higher than 7. pH is determined by the number of Hydrogen ions formed when a chemical is disolved in water, the more H ions, the higher the acidity. … Continue reading
Chem 4: Catalysts and Enzymes
Catalysts are chemicals that speed up a reaction or make it go, but are not used up int he reaction. Enzymes are catalysts in living things. Try some experiments using different catalysts. Experiment 1: Pour some soda pop into a … Continue reading
