Bringing Science to Life

1. Bringing Science to Life Demonstrations & Experiments Please note that these demo’s are designed to be preformed by the teacher. If you would like to incorporate these into student activities please perform the experiment yourself first and then add additional safety precautions! Check MSDS sheets online for additional chemical safety information.

2. Purpose: Simulate the effects of an oil spill Materials: 1-2 long feathers, motor oil, 1 wide beaker or cup, water, soap Questions: Teachers can ask about the other affects that an oil spill has on an ecosystem. Are there any ways to prevent human caused disasters? Can students take any action in their communities. Methods: The feather is shown to the class. Be sure to show the way the barbs hold the feather together. Dip the feather into a beaker 2/3 full of water. Show that the feather still holds its integrity. Then pour ~1cm of oil on top of the water. Dip the oil into the oil/water mixture. Show that the barbs do not hold the feather together. Wash the feather with soap and water. Then show how the barbs still do not hold the feather together. Biology, Environmental Science, Oil Slick

3. Purpose: Simulate the effects of an oil spill Materials: small toys, and a bag for each group of students Methods: Take small toys that have some detail on them and place them, each in a bag. Get students into groups of three, and assign each student a role. One student will be the feeler, another student the recorder, and the third student will be the artist. The first student places his/her hand in the bag and feels around, while they are doing this they verbally describe what they are feeling. The reporter writes down the descriptions. Last, the artist draws their rendition of what the object in the bag looks like. This exercise demonstrates how scientists had to work together in order to discover atomic structure or anything that is smaller than the human eye can detect or things too large for one person to study. Students can use this demonstration to help understand the scientific process and understand why it is so important to work cooperatively. Biology, Cell Theory Discovering Atomic Structure

4. Purpose: Allows students to see an enzyme in action Materials: potato or liver, hydrogen peroxide, test tube Methods: Fill a test tube about 3cm with hydrogen peroxide, Add 1cc of macerated potato or liver, The students should see bubbling. Science behind the experiment: Because an enzyme in the potato catalyzes the breakdown of the hydrogen peroxide, producing bubbles. The hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and oxygen Biology, Enzyme Activity

5. Purpose: Understand that it is the combination of soft connective tissue and mineral matrix that allow bones to function so well in support and movement Materials: vinegar, jar, chicken or turkey bones (cleaned), Grill or HotPlate Methods: Place some of the bone in the jar and cover with vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about one week. This will remove the minerals from the bones and leave only the soft connective tissues. The remaining bones place on the grill and bake until they are blackened. The high temperature cooking will denature the soft connective tissue and leave only the mineral matrix. Or if you are daring burn the bone in front of the students, in well ventilated area. What Happens: The demonstration on bones starts with a general questioning of what bones are made of, and their function in the body. An intact bone can be used with the question/group discussion on the nature of bones. Then remove one of the demineralized bones and ask why the bone bends so much, and ask the possible causes of this flexible bone. The next step is the crumble one of the burnt bones. You can pass around the bits and ask the texture of the bits. Then ask the possible cause of this change in the bone. Biology The Nature of Bones

6. Dominance and Recessiveness • Objective: To show by analogy the difference between dominant/recessive and codominant. • Materials: 6 small and 4 larger drinking glasses or beakers, Water, Red and Yellow food coloring, Bleach • Procedure: Fill two small glasses with water colored a deep red with food coloring. Fill two more small glasses with plain water. Point out three apparently empty larger glasses. (In the third of these, there should be 1 ml of bleach, put there before class). Tell the students that the red and clear waters represent genes. Now pour some of the red solution from each of the two glasses (parent genes) into the first large glass (F1 generation). The solution is still red, showing that the phenotype for two homozygous genes is the same as that of the parents. Repeat for the two glasses of clear water, showing that the phenotypes are still the same as that of the parents. Now pour simultaneously from both the red and clear glasses into the third glass (with the bleach). The resulting solution (heterozygous) will be clear showing the trait of only one parent. Ask the class which gene was dominant. Answer: The clear water. The second experiment involves two small glasses, one with red water and the other with yellow water. When the two are poured together into an empty larger glass, the result is an orange-colored solution. This represents codominance or blending inheritance in the F1 generation. Neither of the two genes (colors) was dominant over the other.

7. Purpose: Understand and conceptualize how disease can rapidly spread through a population in epidemic form. Materials: Clear cups (# in class), Distilled Water, I% NAOH, phenolphthalein, pipette for indicator Follow Up Questions: How does this demonstration show the impact of disease carriers and the dormancy of certain diseases? How can epidemics effect society How can a society’s values and culture effect epidemics? Methods: A population is started by each student acquiring a 1/4cup of distilled water (already filled). One person is infected; their cup contains the 1% NAOH. Sexual contact is determined by combining the solutions into one cup. After the cups are mixed, each partner takes 1/2 the solution back. Each person will leave the contact with the same amount of fluid. Only a few contacts are needed (3) for the point to be made. The teacher is encouraged to do the experiment several times with differing contact numbers. When done, everyone will add 3 drops of indicator. If your cup turns pink, you have been infected. Biology Spread of Disease

8. Purpose: Show how volume and air pressure play a role in the inflation and deflation of the the lungs (breathing) Materials: plastic cup, 1 small balloon, 1 large balloon, straw, silly putty, rubber band Methods: Cut a hole the size of a straw in the bottom of the plastic cup. Cut the straw in half and insert into the hole in the cup about half way. Slip the small balloon over the end of the straw within the plastic cup. Put a rubber band around the end of the balloon to hold it snug to the straw. Cut the large balloon in half and stretch the tied end around the open end of the cup. Mold an ample amount of silly putty around the straw to seal all holes around the plastic cup. To make work, pull down on the balloon attached to the bottom of the cup and watch the inner balloon fill with air. Return the bottom balloon to original position and watch the inner balloon deflate Science behind the demo: The large balloon in this demonstration is used as the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is pushed downward, it creates a pressure gradient. The volume increases in the lung cavity (cup) causing less pressure in the cavity compared to the atmospheric pressure. This gradient causes air to rush in through the straw (trachea) and inflate the lung (small balloon). When the diaphragm returns to its original position the opposite happens. Volume decreases in the lung cavity causing more pressure in the lung than there is outside (atmospheric pressure). Finally, air rushes out of the lung (exhalation) and deflates the lung. Biology Balloon Lung

9. Purpose: Demonstrate the process of cellular respiration Materials: bromthymol blue, straw, beaker Methods: Blow through a straw into a bromthymol blue solution. Bromthymol blue is an acid/base indicator that is slightly basic and has a blue color. As you blow into the solution, CO2 (from your breath) makes the solution slightly acidic. This turns the solution a light yellow. This is proof that our bodies do, indeed, produce CO2 via cellular respiration. Biology Cellular Respiration

10. Purpose: Demonstrate properties of living and nonliving organisms Materials: distilled water, petri dish and super glue Methods: In this demo, a "critter" is created with super glue and distilled water in a petri dish. The dish is placed on the overhead so the students can see this "critter" move around the dish. A good conversation is then generated to discuss what is characteristic of living and nonliving things. I would use this demo towards the beginning of the year to help the students to understand the study of biology. Biology Living or Nonliving

11. Purpose: Define ecosystem boundaries Materials: two colors of paint, white poster board Methods: Two colors of paint and white poster board work well to demonstrate the overlap of ecosystems. Primary pigments (red, yellow, blue) work best, because when blended together they make easily recognizable colors. Paint the two colors near each other without letting them touch. These two colors represent two ecosystems. Then, while the paint is still wet, show how when the two ecosystems (colors) begin to overlap, they blend together in the real world and on the page. Biology Ecosystem Boundaries

12. Biology Capillary Action • Purpose: to show how capillary action allows plants to “drink” • Materials: celery stalks (fresh with leaves), food color, 2 clear jars or beakers, water • Procedure: Fill both containers half full of water. Place one celery stalk in one container and another celery stalk in the other container. Place about 10 drops of one food color in one of the containers and 10 drops of another color in the other container. Allow the stalks to sit overnight. Make observations. • Science behind the demo: Plants obtain water from their roots. In order for the water to reach the top of the plant, a force known as capillary action takes place to allow the water to travel upwards. After sitting overnight, each stalk should be changed to a different color as the water travels up the stalks.

13. Purpose:To demonstrate how cell size is dictated by maimum surface area for reactions to occur. Materials:2 film cannisters, 1 tablet of Alka Seltzer, stop watch, water Methods:Place enough water into the 2 film canisters so that they are about half full, Take 1 Alka Seltzer tablet and cut it in half. Leave one half of the tablet solid (not crushed) and crush the other half into small pieces. Ask the students to make a prediction as to what they believe will happen when the two examples are placed into the cannisters. Why? Have one student be in charge of timing this experiment with the stop watch. Place both halves of the tablet into separate cannisters and replace the lids. Time how long it takes for each half to blow the top off of the film cannisters. Were the students correct? Discuss why or why not. Science behind the demo…This demonstration highlights how cell size is dictated by a maximum suface area for reactions to occur. When done correctly, the cannister with the crushed Alka Seltzer should blow first because of a greater surface area. Biology The Cell Membrane & Surface Area

14. Purpose: This activity simulates the transmission of infectious agents and is great to use with the entire class. Materials: clear plastic cups or beakers, saltwater, fresh water and a small amount of silver nitrate solution Methods: In advance, speak to two students. Ask one not to interact (mix) with anyone and ask the other to interact with as many people as possible. The one student whom you have asked to interact will begin with a half a glass of clear saltwater while the rest of the of the students will receive the same amount of fresh water in their cups. Ask the students to interact with other students by pouring their water into the other persons glass and then having the other person pour half the liquid back into their glass. After a few minutes stop the interactions. Drop one drop of the silver nitrate solution into each cup and explain that if it turns cloudy then they had become infected. Many interesting avenues can be taken with this activity. If students keep track of whom they interacted with and in which order, the class can actually determine who was the original infected person. This is similar to how health officials try and trace the progress of an infectious disease. Biology Transmission of Infections

15. Enzyme-substrate activity • Purpose: to demonstrate the effects of only one substrate for every enzyme • Materials: water, hydrogen peroxide, 2 clear jars or beakers, raw liver, knife to cut liver • Procedure: Fill one jar/beaker with an inch of water and the other container with about 3 inches of hydrogen peroxide. Cut a 1 inch cube of liver and place it in the water. Make observations. Cut a 1 inch cube of liver again and place it in the hydrogen peroxide. Make observations. • Science behind the demo: The liver in the water should not have any reactions. The liver in the hydrogen peroxide should have caused an off white foam to appear. This reaction demonstrates the break down of hydrogen peroxide. The enzyme catalase in liver will break down the substrate hydrogen peroxide.

16. Purpose: Understand the importance of Cerebrospinal fluid to the human brain. Materials: unbroken raw eggs, a clear plastic or glass container that will hold approximately 2-3 cups of liquid with a lid that will not leak when the container is shaken with liquid in it (a jar or Tupperware), a pitcher with tap water in it Methods: Have available a number of unbroken raw eggs, the container with lid, and a pitcher with water in it. Explain to the students that the egg is representative of the human brain, the container with the lid is representative of the skull, and the water is representative of the cerebrospinal fluid which surrounds the human brain. Place one unbroken raw egg carefully into the container. Pour the water from the pitcher into the container. Be careful not to break the egg. Fill the container to the brim with water (This is important! You do not want air bubbles after you put the lid on) Ask the students to note how the egg rises as you pour in water. And how it seems to be lighter when supported by the water. Place the lid on the container and seal it. Make sure the lid is secure. Shake the container with the egg and water in it. Ask your students to note how the egg fared from the shaking. Biology Cerebrospinal Fluid

17. Science behind the experiment: In an adult human skull there is at any one time 125-150 ml of cerebrospinal fluid and 150-180 mm water pressure. Four hundred to 500 ml of cerebrospinal fluid are produced daily since the fluid constantly leaves the brain with waste products. The cerebrospinal fluid of the human brain has four purposes; To distribute hormones to the appropriate part of the brain, to wash the brain and excrete the waste products, to buoy the brain up, and lastly to protect the brain. This demonstration deals mainly with the last two purposes, buoying the brain and protection. Step 5 illustrates the buoying effect. The human brain weighs 1300 g, however with the support of the cerebrospinal fluid its weight is reduced to 50 g. The next purpose demonstrated is the protection that cerebrospinal gives the brain as represented by the water and egg. This is especially effective if option A. is also demonstrated. However, the cerebrospinal fluid cushions our brains through our daily movements, even such rough times as riding a roller coaster or jumping up and down. If a violent hit or thrash occurs the cerebrospinal fluid will offer no protection and the brain will hit the skull and result in a concussion. A concussion bruises the brain and a large enough bruise or bruises can cause death or serious brain damage. Thus it makes sense to protect our head in risky situations by wearing a helmet which adds another layer of cushioning. Other topics to discuss: shaken baby syndrome, hydrocephalus Biology Cerebrospinal Fluid Continued…

18. Materials: teabag(s), matches, saucer/plate, water/wet towel (for safety) Procedure: 1) Empty contents of teabag. 2)Open bag up so that it can stand upright on the plate. 3)Light the bag and allow it to burn down. What happens: When the tea bag is being burned, the heat is being released which creates a narrow column of warm rising air. This is a miniature thermal current. When the bag burns down enough, it becomes light enough to be lifted up by the thermal current. Biology Teabag Thermal

19. Materials: Can of Soda, Glass container, Salt, Teaspoon, basin to catch fizz Procedure: 1) Pour soda into glass without producing much fizz. 2) Pour about a teaspoon of salt into the pop. 3) Observe What happens: There is already a lot of gas dissolved in the sugar water of pop. Salt is more soluble in water than the gas is so when the salt is added the water can't hold so much stuff dissolved in it so the gas escapes causing fizzing. ~Temperature and pressure also determine the solubility of gas in water. ex. pressure change of divers and fish Biology Sodapop and Salt

20. Introduction:This demonstration shows just how sharp different sensations are and how our nerves react to those sensations. The brain uses a process called habituation to keep itself from overloading. Sharp sensations get the brains attention but everyday sensations do not get the brains attention. Materials: Deck of Cards, Pair of Socks Procedure: Wear shorts or roll up your pants, Take off shoes and socks, Spend a few minutes building a card house, Put back on the socks with your eyes closed, and try to locate the tips of your socks by pointing at them Keep your socks on and build the house again for awhile Now try to point to the tips of your socks Discussion: The first time that you put on the socks on it is a new sensation for your brain so it noticed the difference. The second time that you pointed to the socks your nerves were used to the sensation of the socks on. Thus, it was harder to locate the tips of the socks. Biology Nerve Demo

21. Introduction: Food chains and webs are a part of every ecosystem. In this demonstration it shows how food webs and chains get tangled together and how they depend on each other. This will also show how the organisms depend on each other. Materials: Scissors, 50 1m lengths of string, 50 arrow cut outs, Animal and plant cut outs with holes punched Procedure: Give the students a ziplock bag of the plants and animals, a string and arrows take an organism out of the bag and create a food chain by linking the organisms together. Once the food chain is made let them put the arrows to follow the flow of the chain. Join the different chains together to make a web by putting the same organisms together and make new links. Hold the web tight by each student. Cut off a top predator to show the students what happen to the links. The rest of the food web will stay intact. Then cut a primary producers are removed. Cut the links as the primary consumers die off all the others will die off. Biology Food Webs & Chains

22. Materials small to medium cardboard box, small bag of sugar, small water bottle, red and blue balloons, lamp, pictures of a chloroplast and a mitochondria. Method Stand the box on end with the bottom facing the students. Put all of the materials inside of it. Ask the students what the chloroplasts need to start photosynthesis. As they are named, pull out each on and place it next to the box. Then show how the water, carbon dioxide-red balloon, and light energy from the sun go into the chloroplasts/chlorophyll. Then, ask what the end products are. As they are named, pull out the sugar and the oxygen-blue balloon. For respiration, follow the reverse process. Biology Photosynthesis and Respiration

23. Purpose: To demonstrate the effects of air pressure differences on an aluminum can Materials: A clean pop can (not a large mouthed can like Mountain Dew) ** the best can for this is a Squirt pop can or a can made of thin aluminum., One Tablespoon of water, Hot plate, Clear pan filled with cold tap water, Hot pad, gloves, or tongs Methods: Place one tablespoon of water in the empty pop can. Put the pop can directly on the hot plate. Allow the water to come to a boil (steam should be rising from the mouth of the can). Don’t boil for too long or the paint on the can will begin to melt. Once the water has boiled for about 15 to 30 seconds (listen for a popping sound), quickly turn the can upside down into the pan of cold water using a hot pad or tongs. The can should collapse with a "pop" sound due to the difference in pressures. The pressure difference is due to the steam from the boiling water pushing the air out of the can. When the can is put upside down into the cool water, the steam condenses which quickly decreases the pressure within the can. The air pressure on the exterior of the can will now be greater than that within the can and the can will collapse. Earth Science, Biology The Collapsing Can

24. Earth Science, Biology Floating Paper Clip • Objective: To show surface tension. • Materials: 1 paper clip, container of water, and bottle of dish soap. • Procedure: Take a clear container and fill it with water. Carefully take the paper clip and place it in the water so that it floats. It may take a few tries to get the paper clip level enough that it will float. Discuss why the paper clip is floating with the class. Then add a drop of dish soap and watch the paper clip fall to the bottom of the container. • Explanation: This experiment is an example of the surface tension of water. The attraction of the water molecules creates almost a skin like surface. Adding the soap then disrupts the attraction of the water molecules and makes the paper clip fall.

25. Purpose: To demonstrate the process by which impact craters are formed, and the morphology of the structures. Materials: large tray, white flour, objects to drop into the flour Questions: How is this experiment similar to how a real crater forms? How is the flour like statagraphic layers on Earth? What happened to the stratrigraphy when it was impacted? What does this tell us about finding ancient craters? Methods: · Fill a large tray with about 1/2" of white flour. Cover that layer with a thin layer of brown flour, just enough to cover the white layer. Cover the brown layer with just enough flour to hide it. Provide students with several different objects to drop into the flour. They don't need to be round. Students can measure the mass of the objects and calculate the Kinetic Energy of the impacts. Have students drop the objects from various heights to create craters. Earth Science Impact Craters

26. Purpose: This activity represents the limitations of the earth's natural resources Materials: chocolate chip cookie, toothpicks Methods: A chocolate chip cookie will represent an area of Earth that is rich in minerals (chocolate chips). Have the students take a cookie and "mine" the chips with toothpicks. Have the students note that different cookies have different amounts of minerals and resources. The amount of minerals may vary. When students have removed all the resources from their cookies, ask them to try and put the cookie back together so that it can be an area full of abundance again for future generations. Earth Science Chocolate Chip Mining

27. Purpose:This experiment shows how water is a good absorber of heat. When heated, the rubber of the first balloon becomes hot and very soon it can not resist the pressure of the air inside the balloon. The second balloon does not blow up because water absorbs most of the heat away from the plastic of the balloon. Therefore, the balloon does not break. Materials: Two Balloons, Matches, Water Methods:Inflate one of the balloons and tie it shut. Take the other balloon and fill it with about a 1/4 cup of water, then inflate the balloon. Take the first balloon and light a match underneath it. The balloon will blow up. Take the second balloon with water in it and light a match under that balloon. This balloon should not explode. Earth Science The Fireproof Balloon

28. Purpose: To demonstrate similar procedures used by the Viking spacecraft when it looked for life on Mars in 1976. Materials: cups, sand, soil, sugar, alkaseltzer tablet, dry yeast, hot tap water Questions: How is this experiment like the one the Viking performed? Which of the cups contained life? How long did it take for one of the samples to show that life existed? Methods: Fill three cups about 1/4 full of sand, or sandy soil. · Add 1/2 tsp. of sugar to each of the cups. · In one cup, place a crushed alka-seltzer tablet. · In one other cup, pour 5-ml of dry yeast. · Add hot tap water to each of the cups. 9 Monitor results Earth Science Looking for Life on Mars

29. Purpose: Common materials are used to simulate glacial movement Materials: 1 oz. shampoo concentrate, 2 index cards (one 4x6, one 3x5), 5 numbered circles of paper from paper punch, tape Methods: Prepare a V-shaped valley by folding a 4x6 index card lengthwise and taping it to a 3x5 card. Add additional tape where the two cards meet so that any material placed in the V will not flow through the crack. Holding the trough so that the open end is up and the closed end forms a pocket, squeeze about 1 oz. of shampoo concentrate into the trough. Number the five small circles of paper 1 through 5. Hold the trough so that no movement of the concentrate occurs while you line up the five paper circles in order across the concentrate near the 3x5 card. If you dampen a finger, it will pick up the circles. As the shampoo concentrate is allowed to slowly flow down the valley, you can record the position of the circles every 30 seconds. This demo shows how a glacier moves through a valley. The dots can be considered the markers and then the end moraine product. By tracking the movement we can then observe the fluid motion of the glaciers in a valley. Earth Science Glacial Movement

30. Purpose: To show displacement of pressure because of heat. Materials: Clear container, water, food coloring or other dye, candle, match, jar big enough to cover candle Science behind the demo: The heat from the candle causes the particles to move quicker in the jar than on the outside. This results in a decrease in the pressure inside the jar. With the decrease in pressure, the pressure exerted on the water from outside the jar pushes the water up into the jar. Methods: Either melt the candle into the container or place on a candle holder. Add dye to the water to make it colorful and easy to see. (This can be done before class to save time.) Add the water to the container with the candle. Light the candle and allow it to burn. Cover the candle with the jar. The jar must reach the bottom of the container without coming in contact with the candle. Condensation will form on the jar as the candle slowly extinguishes. After the flame goes out, the water in the container will slowly move up the inside of the jar. Earth Science Making Water Rise

31. Purpose: To show how clouds are formed Materials: Pop bottle with cap, Water, Matches Science behind the demo: Squeezing the bottle forces the air particles together increasing air pressure and temperature (slightly). As the air expands back to its original volume lowering the pressure and temperature, the air can condense. The smoke particles from the match are necessary as they provide the material for the water to condense on. The cloud formed inside the bottle is the condensation. Methods: Fill a pop bottle about half full with water. Ask questions regarding the pressure and temperature of the room and inside the bottle with the cap off. Light three or four matches and blow them out. Quickly place them in the bottle and tightly seal the cap on top. Ask the same question as earlier. Squeeze the bottle. It may take a couple of times before anything occurs, but a cloud will appear with the squeezing of the bottle. The cloud will disappear and reappear with subsequent squeezes. Earth Science Cloud in a Jar

32. Purpose: This is a good demonstration to do when starting a lesson on tornadoes. Another ideas is to have the students create one of their own. Materials: 1 mayonnaise jar, 1 spoonful vinegar, 1 spoonful Ivory soap, Water, light food coloring Methods: Mix the vinegar and Ivory soap in the jar. Then add water to fill the jar. Add in a drop of food coloring and your tornado in a jar is complete. Shake the jar horizontally and a funnel cloud will appear. Earth Science Tornado in a Jar

33. Purpose: Demonstrate the concept of different types of faults and how they movie Materials: 4 different colors of modeling clay Methods: With your hands flatten four different colored pieces of modeling clay into flat pancakes about.5 to 1 cm thick. Put them on top of each other to make a stack of different colored layers. These layers represent the layers of the earth's crust. Make a line across the top of the clay to represent a road on the surface of the earth. Cut the stack in half. Pick up the two halves of clay. Move one half up. Keep the other half down. That is one way faults move. It is called a dip slip fault. This is what people normally think of as a fault. Now align the two halves of clay on a table top. Move the two halves past each other horizontally. This is another way faults move and it is called a strike slip fault. This is the way the famous San Andreas fault in California moves. Earth Science Moving Faults

34. Purpose: Show the effects of Glacier Melt Materials: A small cup or yogurt container piece of board, to make an incline, Sand hammer and nail, Small rocks or pebbles thick rubber band, Water watch, Freezer What Happens: As the glacier melts rock and sand deposits will fall off in clumps, some will slide down the board, while other separate bits and pieces will form along the board surface in strange patterns, much like moraine or glacial matter. Advanced Prep: Place a one-inch layer of sand and gravel in the cup, followed by a few inches of water. Place it in the freezer. When frozen solid, repeat the process, adding sand and gravel, and some water. Then freeze. The cup should be filled to the top. Next, carefully hammer a nail partway into the middle of one end of the board. Place that end against something immovable to form an incline or slant. Methods: With the board flat- Spray the area below the glacier location and put some fine sand (I suggest bird gravel and grit). The sand will provide a surface for the water runoff to form an alluvial fan. If darker dirt was used in making the glacier you will observe the glacial runoff pattern against the lighter sand. It is best to do this outside or over a sink/dip-pan. Remove your model glacier from the freezer. Warm the sides of the container under warm tap water just enough to get your model glacier to slide out when tapped. With the rock/and-side down, place the glacier at the top of the incline and fasten the rubber band around its middle and around the nail. Now place your board at a slight incline, and brace to prevent board slippage. How long will it take your glacier to melt, move and leave rock and sand deposits? Time it Earth Science, Glacier Melt

35. Purpose: Model the concept of viscosity Materials: plastic baggies, and a variety of materials such as rubbing alcohol, corn syrup, water, vegetable oil etc. Methods: Liquids of different viscosities are sealed inside clear of plastic bottles along with a couple of dark marbles. When turned upside down the students can clearly see the difference in viscosities by the rate of decent of the marbles. Some possible liquids might be: water, vegetable oil, rubbing alcohol, and corn syrup. Earth Science Viscosity

36. Earth Science Falling Paper • Objective: To show air resistance and how that effects how things fall. • Materials: Notebook (or computer paper) and a book that is about the same size as the paper. • Procedure: Take one sheet of paper and crumple into a ball. Take the paper and crumpled paper, hold them side by side and drop them. Discuss why the paper didn’t fall the same. Then put the paper on top of the book and drop them again. Discuss why they then both fall the same. • Explanation: Air resistance is the reason the paper floated to the ground. When you add the book underneath the paper, the book blocks the air resistance.

37. Earth Science Underwater Volcano • Topic: Density This demonstration illustrates the concept of density. Because the hot water at the bottom of the jar is less dense that the surrounding cold water, it rises to the surface of the cold water and appears to be an underwater volcano. • Materials: One liter beaker, One small Erlenmeyer Flask (that fits completely inside the beaker), Cold water (cooled with ice and let melt), Hot water with dark food coloring, Foil, Pencil, Piece of string • Procedure: Fill the liter beaker with melted ice water (cold). Fill the Erlenmeyer flask with hot water and add food coloring to the water. While the flask is hot put foil over the top.Tie the string around the top of the flask leaving enough of a tail to be able to lower the flask into the beaker. Place the flask, using the string, at the bottom of the beaker. When the flask is sitting on the bottom, use the pencil to poke a hole in the top of the foil. Make this hole as big as the pencil so the liquid can get through. The hot water will then rise to the surface as if it were smoke from a smokestack. • Explanation: An liquid with less density will layer on top of a more dense liquid. It gives the appearance of floating above the more dense liquid. Hot water is less dense than cold water so when submerged in cold water it will rise to the top of the more dense material. Other applications: weather, air conditioners, hot air balloons.

38. Purpose: This demonstration is to show how different textures of soil can hold different amounts of water. Soil texture directly affects what can grow on top of it. Materials: 2-3 different soil textures (dry), Pots for each soil texture (with holes in bottom, Water, 1 liter flask Questions: Teachers can ask about the relation of surface area to texture. What do students think can grow on each of the soils? What type of soil is in their areas? Discussion can also lead to the affects of "Fat Clays" such as betonite on the foundations of houses Methods: Each soil is put into a separate pot and lightly packed down. Water is slowly poured over each of the soils. When the water runs through the bottom, stop immediately. Measure the amount of water that was added to each sample. Earth & Environmental Science, Field Capacity

39. Purpose: To demonstrate the differences of air pressure on the system (this could be used in a lesson explaining how lungs work). Materials: Large egg (hard boiled),Large mouthed jar (an Oceanspray juice jar is great for this), Paper (2 or 3 tissues or lens papers work best), Matches Methods: Place a small pile of paper into the bottom of the clean jar. Twist another piece into a wick. Light the wick and as soon as it starts to burn tip the jar sideways and ignite the paper in the bottle (the hotter the fire, the better the results). Once the fire gets going (be sure not to wait too long so that it doesn’t use up all of the oxygen in the bottle), quickly place the hard boiled egg over the opening of the jar with the pointy end of the egg facing into the jar. The egg will be pushed down into the jar due to a difference in pressures. When the paper is lit within the jar, the air expands because it is heated and is pushed out of the jar. After the egg is placed on the jar, the fire goes out and the air inside the jar cools. Cooler air will condense in the bottle and the air pressure will decrease. Because the pressure inside the bottle is less than that outside of the bottle, the egg is forced in. ** For a more dramatic effect, place the bottle into a tub of ice water after the egg is placed on top. The quick cooling of the air will cause the egg to be pushed down into the bottle with more force and at a quicker speed. Earth & Environmental Science, The Egg Trick

40. Purpose: To demonstrate air pressure by observing the properties of gases in the air when heated Materials: 8-inch balloons, 1-500 ml Florence Flask, Tongs (or gloves) for holding the flask Hot Plate, Water, Graduated Cylinder Methods: 1 . Place 10 mL of water into the 500 mL flask and heat the water until almost all of it is boiled off. 2. Remove the flask from the heat and place a balloon over the top of the flask as soon as the water stops boiling. 3 Place the flask into a container of cool water. 4. Observe the results. The flask should be cool enough to handle so that students can observe the balloon is filled, but the opening at the top of the balloon is still not tied. 5. Ask the students how to get the balloon out of the flask (reheat the flask). 6. Materials may be reused. Science Behind the Demo: Heating the water in the flask causes the molecules to spread out so that eventually the water becomes water vapor. When the water is no longer heated, these water vapor molecules condense and return to their liquid condition, leaving an area void of any molecules. This lack of molecules creates a vacuum which is immediately filled by air from the outside of the flask., thus filling the balloon inside the flask. Earth & Environmental Science, Blowing Up a Balloon In a Flask

41. Purpose: It show that the matter involved has characteristic properties and that the reaction taking place are a result or the composition and structure. They will also see how the energy of the system can be changed into heat. Materials: Thermometer, A jar and lid, A Steel wool Pad, Vinegar Methods: Put the thermometer inside the jar and put the lid on it. Wait five minutes. Remove the thermometer from the jar. Record the temperature. Pour the vinegar over the steel wool and let set for one minute. Squeeze out the excess vinegar. Then place the steel wool over the bulb of the thermometer and place back into the jar, put on the lid. Wait 5 minutes. Now take the temperature. Science behind the reaction: This is a classic example of oxidation. The steel wool is being oxidized by the vinegar. This reaction gives off energy in the form of heat. Chemistry Exothermic Reaction

42. In a beaker combine 50 mL of 95% ethyl alcohol, a few drops of thymolphthalein indicator, and just enough sodium hydroxide solution (a few drops of 1M NaOH) to produce a deep blue color. Put the solution in a squirt bottle and enjoy! When squirted on a piece of cloth the blue ink will gradually disappear. The reason the ink disappears is because the sodium hydroxide in the solution is a base. As carbon dioxide from the air dissolves into the solution it forms an acid which reacts with the base to form a more neutral solution. The indicator is blue when in a basic solution with a high pH but it loses its color when the pH drops below about 9.5 as the CO2 makes the solution more and more acidic. Chemistry Disappearing Ink

43. Materials: 3 Potatoes, Low voltage LED, A piece of copper (this can be found in the plumbing section of a hardware store), A piece of zinc (many bolts are made out of zinc), Banana clips Procedure: Put the piece of copper and the piece of zinc in a potato about one inch from each other. Do this to two other potatoes. Take the zinc electrode from the first potato and connect it to the copper electrode on the second potato. Take the zinc electrode from the second potato and connect it to the copper electrode on the third potato. Then take the zinc electrode from the third potato and connect it to one side of the led light. Then take the copper electrode from the first potato and attach it to the other side of the LED. This should cause the light to light up, if it doesn’t, try switching the sides of the light each side of the battery is attached to. Explanation: The copper serves as the cathode and the zinc serves as an anode. At the anode, zinc is oxidized and at the cathode, hydrogen ions are reduced to make hydrogen gas. The electrons required to cause this oxidation and reduction travel through the wires, and through the light to do this, causing the light to light up. Three potatoes are needed for this demonstration in series in order to light up a light, because a potato on its own does not cause the light to light up. Chemistry Potato Battery

44. Purpose: Students need for it to be proven to them the concept of conservation of mass. The Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter cannot be created nor destroyed. And if you start with a specific amount of mass, the mass might change forms, but it will not be lost. Supplies: Analytical balance, or a balance that will not be affected by buoyancy; Carbonates soda; Balloon; Sodium bicarbonate Method: 1. Obtain the mass of unopened soda pop can 2. Obtain the mass of the sodium bicarbonate, including the mass of the balloon holding the sodium bicarbonate 3. Place the unopened can in the analytical balance, and open. The challenge is to be able to maintain the mass contained in the soda including the gas put the sodium bicarbonate in the in the pop can using the balloon for delivery obtain the mass following the experiment this is easier said then done because there is a tendency to lose with because of the inability to get a weight without being affected by the buoyancy. Chemistry Conservation of Mass

45. Purpose: Students will be able to grasp the concept of like charges repel and opposite charges attract in this sun experiment that can be done by the instructor, individual students, or small groups. Properties of Electron and Protons are essential in the mastery of the concepts concerned with matter, and the elements that make up the matter. Supplies: Balloon(s) minimum two, Light weight string Method: Blow up both balloons and tie them. Tie the light weight string onto one of the balloons. Take the untied balloon and rub it on anything, cloths, walls, floor. Take and approach the untied balloon with the tied balloon, and if the charged are alike the balloon on the string will go away, and if the charges are opposite, the balloon on the string will be attracted to the untied balloon. (Generally a rubber balloon rubbed with a paper towel becomes + charged while an overhead acetate rubbed with a paper towel becomes – charged) Chemistry Properties of Charges

46. Purpose: show the students that interactions can produce changes in a system. Materials: Small dish, 1 or 2 candles (of different heights), Large metal bowl, Baking soda approx. 1/4 cup, Vinegar approx. 2 cups Preparation: Put the baking soda on the small dish. Place the candles on the small dish, in the baking soda. Place the small dish with the candles on it into the large metal bowl. Methods: Light the candles. Then pour the vinegar onto the baking soda, DO NOT get the candles wet. Science behind the reaction: The reaction between the baking soda and vinegar gives off Carbon dioxide. As the CO2 rises, it consumes the Oxygen and put out the fire in the shorter candle. As the heavier CO2 rises even more it will extinguish the taller candle. Chemistry Gases Produced in Chemical Reactions

47. Purpose:shows the explosive power of flammable powders under the right circumstances, which is dictated by surface area. Materials:500g coffee tin with lid (not too stiff a fit). Funnel with bottom edge flat to put flour in - can be made from plastic and paper. Single hole bung to put funnel through. Small candle. Bulb-type pipette filler. One spatula of dry flour (does not work as well if damp). Splint and matches. Methods:First, demonstrate to the students how a pile of flour (on a table) is not flammable by placing a lit match to it. Next, make a hole in the coffee tin the same size as your bung at approximately the same height as the center of the flame of the candle. Push the funnel into narrow end of the bung as far as it will go, then insert this into the hole in your coffee tin (funnel on the inside). Attach the pipette bulb to the narrow end of the funnel. This needs to make a tight seal. Put a spatula of flour (cornflour, custard powder, etc. will do very well) into the funnel, blocking the tube from the pipette bulb. Put the candle inside the coffee tin (approximately in the center). Light the candle carefully using the splint (making sure not to light the funnel). Fit the lid securely, without too much force, and then quickly give the pipette bulb a rapid squeeze. Science behind the reaction:The large surface area of the carbohydrate (flour) means that it is rapidly oxidised. There is a loud WHOOMP and the lid flies off (normally vertically) about 4 feet up. Given a large enough suspension of combustible flour or grain dust in the air, a significant explosion can occur. For example, the 1998 explosion of the DeBruce grain elevator in Wichita, Kansas which killed 7 people. Chemistry The Flour Bomb

48. Purpose: demonstrate the differences in density Materials: 2 beakers, rubbing alcohol, water Methods: Kids tend to jump to conclusions when things appear to be identical. Fill one beaker with plain water. In another beaker, place alcohol (rubbing alcohol from the drug store is fine but any other alcohol will work). The beakers will look essentially identical. Place an ice cube in each beaker. The ice will float in the water because its density (about .9 g/cm3) is less than the density of water (about 1 g/cm3). The ice will sink in the alcohol because the density of the ice is more than the density of alcohol (about .8 g/cm3). This is a great demo to introduce density because it really surprises the students and gets them to think. Chemistry Sunken Ice Cubes

49. Purpose: demonstrate the properties of mixed solutions Materials: water, dollar bill, 70% denatured rubbing alcohol Methods: This is an old chestnut that is often used in magic shows as well as chemistry demonstrations. It can be easily demonstrated that alcohol burns in air by putting a few mL in an evaporating dish and lighting it. All students know that water puts out fires. A solution of half water and half alcohol however has some interesting properties. If a dollar bill is soaked in a 50/50 solution and then ignited by a match, the dollar bill will catch fire but not burn. This is because a 50/50 mixture still has enough alcohol to burn but there is enough water in the solution to wet the bill and keep it from burning. If you only have 70% denatured rubbing alcohol available, try mixing 100 mL of the alcohol with 50 mL of water. This should be close to the correct proportions. Chemistry Non-Burning Dollar Bill

50. Purpose: This will demonstrate the behavior of a super saturated solution, and show that things are not always what they seem. Materials: hydrated sodium acetate, large flask, Methods: Gradually warm hydrated Sodium Acetate in a large flask until it dissolves into its own water of hydration before presenting the demo. To begin the demo, explain to students that the solution is super saturated Sodium Acetate. This means that the solution is at the very edge of staying a liquid (for younger students, explain that there is not any more room left in the solution for anymore molecules of Sodium Acetate, and that the solution doesn't want more molecules in with it). Then add one or two crystals of solid Sodium Acetate into the flask. The solution will rapidly solidify. Proceed to turn the flask upside-down, showing that the solution is now solid. Chemistry Super Saturated Solutions