Simple Science Experiments.

Javi declared Sunday to be a science experiment day. He thoughtfully chose activities, made a list, woke up early (no surprise there!) and got to work. It felt really important to follow through with this day because of his excitement and preparation — and the fact that typically, I say “mmm, maybe tomorrow” when it comes to science experiments. But we committed and I’m so glad we did!

Here’s a peek at what he chose:

Experiment #1: Pencil And Bag

Supplies: ziploc bag filled halfway with water, sharpened pencils, food coloring (if you want!) I also had a bowl, a tray and a towel… just in case, it didn’t work. But it did!

Steps: Fill the bag with the water and then seal it tightly! Then poke the pencil through the middle of the bag so that it comes out the other side. We did a few pencils so everyone could have a turn.

Science behind it: Plastics are a polymer, which means they are made of many of the same molecules stuck together in a long chain. When you pierce the bag with the pencils, it breaks the chain, but the end molecules of the polymer chain are sticky, and make a seal around the pencil that won’t let water out.

Experiment #2: Baking Soda + Vinegar

Supplies: baking soda, vinegar, containers, a tray to catch spills, food coloring (if you want.)

Steps: First we put baking soda in the container, then added a few drops of food coloring. Then you pour your vinegar!

Science behind it: Baking soda and vinegar react chemically because one is a base and the other is an acid. Baking soda is a basic compound called sodium bicarbonate. Vinegar is a diluted solution that contains acetic acid.

Experiment #3: Fizzy Rainbow

Supplies: baking soda (lots of it!), food coloring, vinegar, lots of containers, a cookie sheet, droppers.

Steps: Put baking soda in as many containers as you want different colors (we did 6 colors.) Add a few drops of food coloring to each cup (we did red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.) Then pour out the baking soda onto a cookie sheet — it needs to have a lip — in a rainbow pattern. Then use your droppers to move the vinegar from its container and squirt it onto the baking soda. Watch it fizz!

Science behind it: The bubbles and foam you see are filled with carbon dioxide gas (CO₂) that’s being released by an acid/base reaction. Vinegar is acetic acid dissolved in water and baking soda is a base called sodium bicarbonate. The reaction makes carbonic acid which is unstable. It quickly breaks down into CO₂ and water. The gas then rapidly leaves the water creating foam and bubbles along the way.

Experiment #4: Walking Water

Supplies: water, six glasses, food coloring, paper towels.

Steps: Place the glasses into a circle (I’ve also seen it done in a straight line.) Fill glass 1, 3 and 5 with water. In glass 1, add a drop of red food coloring. In glass 3, add a drop of yellow food coloring. In glass 5, add a drop of blue food coloring. Then fold up paper towels (about 1 inch wide), and put half into one glass and the other half into the next glass. So one paper towel will be in glass 1 and glass 2. Then the next paper towel will be in glass 2 and glass 3… and so on. Then you have to wait.

Science behind it: The water appears to defy gravity, because it moves due to a process called capillary action. Water is able to move against the force of gravity because water molecules stick to each other and they stick to the fibers of the paper towel. What ends up happening is that the red from glass 1 and the yellow from glass 3 mix in glass 2 and make orange. The yellow from glass 3 and the blue from glass 5 mix in glass 4 and make green. The blue from glass 5 and the red from glass 1 mix in glass 6 and make purple.

Experiment #5: Oobleck

Supplies: 2 cups cornstarch, 1 cup water, a deep bowl, lots of patience!

Steps: Add the water to the bowl first and then slowly add the cornstarch. Mix together with your hands.

Science behind it: Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, a term for fluids that change viscosity (how easily they flow) under stress. When you run your fingers slowly through cornstarch and water, it acts like a liquid, but apply rapid force, and it solidifies, bends and even tears.

Experiment #6: Giant Fingerprint

Supplies: a balloon, black ink (we used pink and it was really hard to see!)

Steps: Stamp your fingerprint onto the deflated balloon, then inflate it.

Science behind it: This isn’t as much of an experiment as it is a great way to examine your fingerprints!

Experiment #7: Sink/Float

Supplies: Deep glass of water, 2 oranges (one with the peel and one without.)

Steps: Make some predictions of what might happen. Then drop both oranges into the water and see what happens.

Science behind it: The orange with the peel floats because the peel is porous and filled with tiny air pockets. These pockets of air help increase the buoyancy of the orange. This increase in buoyancy helps the orange become less dense than the water, so the orange will float in the water. When you remove the peel from the orange, you are making it lighter, but you are also removing those tiny air pocket floatation devices. So the orange without the peel is denser than the water and it sinks.

That’s all for now! I hope you’ve enjoyed our Sunday science experiments!