The Science Wondershop

Celebrate National Read Across America Day With Oobleck

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 01:16:00 +0000

Dr. Seuss is considered by many to be one of the most successful children's books writers of all time. He published his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, in 1937. Between that time and his death in 1991, he published more than 40 books and sold half a billion copes. Because of his profound influence on children and their love of reading, the National Education Association has adopted Dr. Seuss' birthday, March 2, as National Read Across America Day.

One of my favorite science investigations builds on one of the good doctor's fantastic books...Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949). The book (the sequel to The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins), follows the adventures of Bartholomew Cubbins, royal page in the kingdom of Didd, as he attempts to clean up the mess created by King Derwin when the king orders his royal magicians to cause an extremely sticky green substance known as Oobleck to rain from the sky. The story is great. But making Oobleck...that's amazing! In today's Science Wondershop, we'll teach the secret behind making your own Oobleck with some simple materials you can find right in your home. I must warn you, however, making Oobleck is an educational and extremely messy experience!

Here’s What You Need

Corn Starch
A Bowl
Water
Food coloring (optional)

How's that for a list of materials. It can't get much simpler than corn starch and water.

Here’s What You Do

In your bowl, slowly add the water to the corn starch (you may want to color the water green...for added effect). You want a mixture that is about 1 part water and 2 parts cornstarch. Stop when the corn starch/water mixture is thick and gooey. Remember, you're making Oobleck...not gravy.

That's it. One step. Pretty simple, huh? Now it is time to explore the properties of this really interesting material. As you explore the Oobleck, think about these questions:

Can you pour Oobleck?
What happens when you hold it in your hand?
What happens if you poke it with your finger (quickly or slowly)?
Can you roll it into a ball?
Is it a solid or a liquid?
What happens if you smack the top of the Oobleck with your hand?

Clean Up: Oobleck will clog pipes so don’t pour it in the sink! If you have a dumpster or large trash can, dispose of it there. If it gets on the floor or carpet, don't worry. Once it dries, it vacuums or sweeps up easily. You can also save containers of Oobleck by covering them with plastic wrap and putting them in the refrigerator.

The Science Behind Oobleck

Is Oobleck a solid or a liquid? Maybe it is a solid and a liquid. Impossible. It can't be both. The truth...Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid. Most of the fluids we know are Newtonian fluids, but non-Newtonian fluids are a weird but interesting group of fluids. When a force (e.g. sqeezing, stirring, slapping) is applied to a non-Newtonian fluid, the viscosity (resistance to flow) of the fluid increases. In simple terms, any force you exert on a non-Newtonian fluid will make the fluid behave more like a solid. The more force you exert, the harder the fluid becomes. Strange but true! Other types of non-Newtonian fluids include quicksand, ketchup, and blood.

Wondershop Fast Facts: Dr. Seuss

Here are some interesting things you might not know about Dr. Seuss:

His real name was Theodore Seuss Geisel - Seuss being his mother's maiden name. He started using it as a pseudonym at university. He added the Dr later, as a joke, because his father had always wanted him to get a doctorate and become a professor.

Between 1937 and 1991, when he died aged 87, he published more than 40 books, which have sold half a billion copies between them - more even than J K Rowling's Harry Potter books. He nearly burned his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, after it was turned down by 27 publishers.

One of his most popular books, Green Eggs and Ham, was the result of a bet that he could not write a book using only 50 words.

Source: BBC News (news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3523393.stm)

This Year, Charm Your Valentine With Science

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:28:00 +0000

You've done chocolate. You've done cards. You've even done the candlelit dinner. Now, you find yourself searching for something really special to really charm your valentine this year. How about a little science? That's right...with a little preparation, some simple materials, and some science know-how you will have your special someone swooning. At the very least, they'll be impressed. This year, send them a secret message that can only be revealed with a little...heat!

Here's What You Need

A Frixion Pen (blue or black works best)
A regular ball point pen (the same color as your Frixion Pen)
A Valentine's Day card, a notecard, or something else to write you message on
A candle, lighter, or toaster

Here's What You Do
Use the regular ball point pen to write your secret Valentines Day message on your card. Remember, this will only be read by your sweetheart, so don't worry about being too mushy. Really pour on the sap!

Use the regular pen to write your secret Valentines Day message

Now, use the Frixion Pen to disguise your secret message. The object is to make the message impossible to read. Turn the letters into symbols. Write new letters or words. Draw flowers, trees, birds, and little stick people. Get creative! Remember, you are sending a secret message. The object is to hide your message with the Frixion Pen.

Use the Frixion Pen to disguise your letters and words

When you give your card to your special someone, they will probably be uncertain about what they see. Take advantage of this moment of utter confusion. Wave the card over a heat source such as a candle, lighter, or toaster. Anything that was written with the Frixion pen will quickly disappear when the writing is expose to heat. All that will remain is the message you wrote with the regular ball point pen! Now smile and soak up all that good Valentines Day lovin'!

Heat will cause the Frixion pen ink to disappear

The Science Behind the Disappearing Ink
The Frixion Pen is not like other erasable pens. The ink in these pens is sensitive to changes in temperature. At temperatures between 15°F and 140°F, the ink will appear black or blue on the paper. However, as the temperature goes above 140°F the ink becomes clear. Holding your card over the open flame pushed the temperature past that 140°F mark. Likewise, if you want the pigment to reappear you need to cool the ink down to a temperature lower than 15°F. Stick your card in the freezer for a while and the symbols you created should reappear!
Because it responds to changes in temperature, the ink in the Frixion Pen is known as thermochromatic ink. It can be formulated to change colors at different temperatures. These types of pigments have been around for quite a while. In fact, they are responsible for the color changes in things like mood rings and heat sensitive labels.

Happy Valentines Day from the Science Wondershop

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Here's a little Valentines Day science for you. Concentrate on the text in the center of the image - You're Cool (focus in...don’t blur your vision!). After a little while, the hearts will disappear! Don't believe it? Try it. Another side effect is that the missing rotating heart will turn blue. Pretty amazing, huh? This animation was created by Mr. Scott Henderson!

How Does This Work
The hearts disappear due to an effect know as retinal fatigue. The retina is the part of the eye that is sensitive to light. It acts like a camera. Images that come through the lens of the eye are focused on the retina. The retina turns the image into a signal that it sends to the brain. Objects like these hearts, which are moving constantly in a repetitive motion, are basically ignored by the brain after a little while. This causes them to disappear from view.

Now let's explore whey you see the blue heart. An afterimage is a visual impression of an image that remains in the retina of the eye after the initial image is removed. The afterimage always has colors that are complementary to those of the original image.In this case the after image is a blue heart!

By studying visual illusions, and the ways in which the brain controls what we perceive, scientists learn more about sensory perception, about the brain, and about vision.

Looks Like an Early Spring...According to the Groundhog

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:17:00 +0000

It’s February 2nd! You know what that means…Groundhog Day! If you are not familiar with this particular observance, this is how the whole thing works. Early in the morning on Februay 2nd, people gather around the burrow of a Marmota monax; a large rodent also known as the whistle pig, eastern marmot, southern marmot, monk, woodchuck, or groundhog. It is believed that if the groundhog sees its shadow when it climbs out of the burrow, there will be six more weeks of cold, wintery weather. On the other hand, if it doesn’t see its shadow, the warmth of spring will arrive soon. Here’s an additional little nugget to impress your friends with today: Groundhog Day is a cross-quarter day. That means it fall halfway between the Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox.

There are a number of cities that host their own Groundhog Day celebrations…complete with their own groundhogs. Here are some of the results from this year:

Punxsutawney Phil (Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania): Early Spring
Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin): Early Spring
Wiarton Willie (Wiarton, Ontario): Early Spring
French Creek Freddie (French Creek, West Virginia): Early Spring
General Beauregard Lee (Lilburn, Georgia): Six more weeks of winter
Chuckles (Manchester, Connecticut): Six more weeks of winter
Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, New York): Early Spring
Gus (Athens, GA): Early Spring
Buckeye Chuck (Marion, Ohio): Early Spring
Sir Walter Wally (Raleigh, North Carolina): Six more weeks of winter
Grady the Groundhog (Chimney Rock, North Carolina): Six more weeks of winter
Staten Island Chuck (Staten Island, New York): Early Spring
Woody (Howell, Michigan): Early Spring

Is there any science behind this whole Groundhog Day thing?
I did a bit of research and this is what I found out. Historically, people have observed animal behavior for clues to changes in the weather. For example, geese flying south is a sign of the coming of fall for many people living in the United States. The reappearance of hibernating or inactive animals is a sign of winter’s end. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, they selected the groundhog as their seasonal forecaster.

There may also be a meteorological explanation for groundhog day. It is thought that the observance may have roots in a weather phenomenon described in the Scottish poem below:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There’ll be two winters in the year.

The idea behind this poem can be found in cultures around the world. In the poem, Candlemas Day refers to February 2nd…Groundhog Day. Farmers in ancient Europe noticed that bright, clear winter days are often very cold. We now know that this is caused by high pressure systems. Areas of high pressure pull cold air down from the north. They also sweep away any clouds that might have provided insulation. Consequently, a bright winter day (one on which a groundhog may see a shadow) may be an indication of more cold days to come.

Of course, none of this is sound evidence that groundhog can actually predict the coming of spring. Instead, Groundhog Day can be seen as a celebration of the role of scientific observation and prediction in our world. Every day, we make observations about the world around us, attempt to make meaning of those observations, and create predictions about the way things will happen in the future. Groundhog Day is wonderful example of this. Over the course of time, we have combined our observations of animal behavior and weather to create a system for predicting spring. Does it work? Well, that is a question I will leave to you and your children to explore.

Explore the Science of the Brain at Your Seat

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:27:00 +0000

Here's a little science "exercise" that you can do sitting right where you are.
Try this: lift your right foot off the floor and begin to make clockwise circles with it above the ground. Don't stop. Now, while doing this, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand. Check out your right foot. Did it change direction?

How Does This Work?
The reason that this is tough (not impossible) to do is because of the way your brain works. Our brains are responsible for send signals to our muscles to make our bodies move. However, the brain doesn't send a signal to a single muscle in the body. Instead, the brain sends a signal from a cluster of cells to a general group of muscles on the same side of the body. For example, if the brain wants to move the right arm, it doesn't just switch on muscles to move the right arm. Instead, it switches on muscles that control the the right arm and the right leg. So basically, your brain is making it easier for your leg to do the same thing that your arm is doing. This makes things like walking and running easier for us to do. The brain can control a group of muscles instead of focusing on the movement of each and every little muscle of the body (which would take a lot more concentration and effort).

In this little experiment, you ask your right arm to do one thing and your right leg to do something else. This is challenging (but not impossible) for the brain to do. The brain basically has to send a signal from one group of cells to control the arm and send a signal from a another group of cells to control the leg. This is not the way the brain usually works, so it takes some practice. However, people with great control of their bodies (e.g. martial artist like Jackie Chan) use training to make this type of movement possible.

Now, here is something really interesting. You don't even have to move your hand. Try the experiment again. This time just think about drawing the number 6 in the air. Your foot will still change directions. For even more fun, try drawing the number 8. Redraw the number over and over in a continuous motion and your foot will keep switching back and forth.

Isn't the brain amazing?

Happy 2013 From The Science Wondershop

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Happy New Year! 2012 really seemed to fly by. It was great year - full of wonder and surprises! Now, it is time to look forward to see what 2013 has in store for us. From new comets to hybrid eclipses to new spacecraft, 2013 looks like it is going to be a great year for science. Here at the Science Wondershop, we thought we would help get you started by giving you some dates and events that you might want to keep on your calendar. You probably can’t do it all, but we are sure that you will find something on the list that you and your children might find interesting.

JANUARY
January 1-2: Earth at Perihelion
January 2: National Science Fiction Day (Isaac Asimov’s Birthday)
January 3: Quadrantids Meteor Shower
January 5: National Bird Day
January 9-12: The Association for Science Teacher Education International Conference (Charleston, SC)
January 20: Penguin Awareness Day
January 27: Full Wolf Moon (also known as the Old Moon)

FEBRUARY (National Hearth Month)
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 12: Darwin Day
February 14–18: The American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting (Boston, MA)
February 15: Near Earth Asteroid 2012DA14 passes within 21,000 miles of Earth (note: the moon is 240,000 miles away)
February 17-23: National Engineers Week
February 25: Full Snow Moon (also know as the Full Hunger Moon)
February 27: International Polar Bear Day

MARCH (National Nutrition Month)

March 10-24: PANSTARRS Comet passing Earth (estimated best viewing time)
March 11-17: Brain Awareness Week
March 14: Pi Day
March 17-23: National Bubble Week
March 22: World Water Day
March 27: Full Worm Moon (also known as Full Crow Moon or Full Crust Moon)
March 20: International Earth Day
March 20: Vernal Equinox

APRIL (Earth Month)
April 6-9: National Association for Research in Science Teaching National Conference (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico)
April 7: World Health Day
April 11-April 14: National Science Teachers Association National Conference (San Antonio, TX)
April 14-20: National Environmental Education (EE) Week
April 20: National Astronomy Day
April 21-22: Lyrids Meteor Shower
April 22: Earth Day (US)

April 25: National DNA Day
April 25: Full Pink Moon (also known as Full Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, or Fish Moon) - Partial Lunar Eclipse

MAY (Clean Air Month)
May 5-6: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
May 6-12: National Physical Education and Sport Week
May 9: Annular Solar Eclipse (seen from Australia, eastern Papua new Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Gilbert Islands)
May 11: International Migratory Bird Day
May 12-17: Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Phoenix, AZ)
May 20: Annular Solar Eclipse
May 22: International Day for Biological Diversity
May 25: Full Flower Moon (also known as Full Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon) - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

JUNE (Home Safety Month)
June 2-8: National Sun Safety Week
June 5: World Environment Day
June 8: World Oceans Day
June 24-30: RoboCup World Cup (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)
June 21: Summer Solstice
June 23: Full Strawberry Moon - Supermoon - Largest Full Moon of 2013

JULY (UV Safety Month)
July 5: Earth at Aphelion
July 22: Full Buck Moon (also known as Full Thunder Moon or Hay Moon)

AUGUST (Children Eye Health and Safety Month)
August 11-12: Perseids Meteor Shower
August 21: Full Sturgeon Moon (also known as the Full Green Corn Moon and Grain Moon)

SEPTEMBER

September 19: Full Harvest Moon (also known as the Full Corn Moon)
September 22: Autumnal Equinox
September 24-27: IdeaFestival
September 29: World Heart Day

OCTOBER (National Energy Awareness Month)
October 4-10: World Space Week
October 6-12: National Metric Week
October 7-13: World Rainforest Week
October 9: Juno Spacecraft's closest approach to Earth
October 12: International Observe the Moon Night
October 13–19: Earth Science Week
October 18: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
October 19: Hunter's Full Moon (also know as the Full Blood Moon)
October 20: Orionids Meteor Shower
October 20-26: National Chemistry Week
October 23: National Mole Day

NOVEMBER (National Healthy Skin Month)
November 2-4: World Championship Punkin Chunkin
November 3: Hybrid Solar Eclipse (seen in North America and Central Africa)
November 17-18: Leonid Meteor Shower
November 20: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day
November 17: Full Beaver Moon (also known as the Full Frosty Moon)

DECEMBER
December 1–7: National Handwashing Awareness Week
December 10: Nobel Prize Ceremony (Stockholm Concert Hall, Sweden)
December 13-14: Geminids Meteor Shower
December 17: Long Nights' Full Moon
December 21: Winter Solstice
December 26: C/2012 S1 (ICON) Comet passing Earth
December 30: National Bicarbonate of Soda Day

These are just a few of the exciting science events going on this year. As we discover more, we will be sure to let you know here or on the Wondershop Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/sciencewondershop)

Give the Gift of Wonder: Glass Bubble Terrarium

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: Glass Bubble Terrarium

Plants are a natural and cost effective solution for bringing the serenity of the outdoors into your home. Most people have the typical potted houseplant. Now, you could follow the crowd and pick up a begonia, some soil and a plastic container. On the other hand, you can push the envelope of indoor gardening with the more free form look of the Roost Recycled Wall Hanging Glass Bubble Terrarium.

Each terrarium is blown, without a mold, from 50% recycled glass. As a result, each bubble terrarium has unique dimples, flow and grit marks, and rippling. This makes this a one of a kind gift for the plant lover in your life. Just think, moss can grow from trees - or from the wall in your living room . Note: Plants are not included.

Where Can I Get Some

Habitat Design Store

Give the Gift of Wonder: Discovery Kids Macro Microscope

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: Discovery Kids Macro Microscope

The child-friendly Macro Microscope gives curious minds a chance to see the world in a new way. View samples at 40x to 400x magnification when you choose the micro or macro setting. The Macro Microscope includes five vials filled with specimen, blank slides for your own experiments, and five prepared slides including a real 900-year old Peruvian mummy wrap!

Hook your budding scientist on the natural world with the Macro Microscope and improve research and observation skills to boot. Who knows? You just might have a future Nobel Prize winner on your hands.

Where Can I Get Some

Discovery Kids Store

Give the Gift of Wonder: Veggie Sidewalk Chalk

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: Veggie Sidewalk Chalk

Looking for that special gift for the little artist in your life. Sidewalk chalk is always a nice idea. With it, the world becomes the canvas. Unfortunately, drawing with traditional sidewalk chalk can create a bit of a mess (lots of chalk dust). Here's a simple and scientific solution to that problem; a green product called Veggie Sidewalk Chalk!

Veggie Sidewalk Chalk gets its vibrant color from natural ingredients, like hibiscus, turmeric, paprika, and spinach held together with rice cereal and rice flower. These chalks may not be exactly nutritional, but they're safe to eat (and wide enough for tiny hands to hold with ease). Just think, your children may not eat their veggies, but now they can create beautiful art with them.

Where Can I Get Some

Uncommon Goods

Give the Gift of Wonder: Meteorite Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:44:00 +0000

Space Store

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Original Gyroscope

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: The Original Gyroscope
The earliest gyroscope-style instrument was written about in 1817. Electric motors in the 1860s lead to the first indefinitely spinning gyroscopes and the gyrocompass. Nowawdays, we've use the power of the gyroscope in our phones and interactive game systems (like the Wii).

The toy gyroscope hit the market in 1917 and hasn't changed much since your grandparents (or great-grandparents!) played with one. This classic toy fascinates us with its gravity defying stunts, which are easy to learn with a bit of practice. Wind the string, pull it quickly, and the Original Gyroscope will start spinning. Want it to walk a tightrope? Balance on your hand or head? Tilt at impossible angles without falling? You can do it with the power of physics!

Recommended for ages 5+

Where Can I Get One

ThinkGeek

Give the Gift of Wonder: Airzooka

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: The Airzooka
For those of you who follow the Gifts of Wonder each year, you'll recognize the Airzooka. It has made the list for the past three years! This is an honor that is much deserved by the simple but amazingly addictive little toy. It is the perfect gift for...well...pretty much anybody.

The Airzooka is a "fun gun" that blasts a harmless ball of air up to 6 meters (20 ft), while unsuspecting victims wonder why their hair is messed up or the papers on their desk have scattered! Requiring no batteries or electricity, the Airzooka operates simply by pulling and releasing a built-in elastic air launcher. And here's the best part: because it shoots air, you'll never run out of ammo (unless you happen to be on the moon!). Learn all about the science of force and motion while you play tricks on your family and friends. Airzooka even comes with a pop-up sight so you can practice your aim. You can grap one for about $17. Your friends and family will never know what gust of wind hit them!

Recommended for ages 6+

Where Can I Get One

Give the Gift of Wonder: littleBits

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Every year, the Wondershop publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we've got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Some are for adults. Some are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you'll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to enjoy the wonders of science!

Today's Gift Idea: littleBits
littleBits are like LEGOs with lights, buzzers, and batteries. littleBits (spelled lower case L, upper case B, all one word) consists of tiny electronic modules with simple, unique functions engineered to snap together with magnets. No soldering, no wiring, no programming, and no electronic knowledge is needed. Just snap and play. Each color-coded bit has a simple, unique function (light, sound, sensors, buttons, motors, etc). The modules snap together in only one way to make larger circuits. Even better, since littleBits is an open source product, there are lots of great project ideas online (just in case you run short on imagination)! littleBits are small, simple blocks that make creating cool electronics a matter of snap...snap...SNAP. The kits have won awards from NYC Makers Faire and Popular Science. It is the perfect gift for the little hacker or electronics tinkerer in your life!

Note: littleBits recently released its holiday kit (pictured above) for $49.99.

Recommended for ages 8+

Where Can I Get One

littleBits

Classic Thanksgiving Science: Hang a Spoon From Your Nose

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:30:00 +0000

It's that time of year again. That's right...it's Thanksgiving! A time for family, friends, and food! This Thanksgiving, after you've finished the turkey and stuffing, I hope that you save some room for a little science. Impress your friends and family with this classic demonstration. You don't even have to wait until dinner is over. Oh no! I encourage you to whip this one out right after the cranberry sauce. That's right, friends. You know it. You love it. Today, we will all learn the science behind hanging a spoon from you nose.

Here's What You Need:

A spoon (metal or plastic)
A nose

Here's What You Do
Hold the spoon in your hand, with the bowl up and the handle down. Place the bowl of the spoon on the end of your nose. The handle should rest against your chin or lips. Gently begin to rub the spoon downward against your nose. Exert a slight pressure as you rub. Eventually, you will feel the spoon begin to stick to your nose. Slowly...gently...let go of the spoon. The spoon should hang freely from your nose. Note: You won't be able to take a bow, so just soak in the applause and gasps of amazement from your audience.
For this method, you don't need to put anything on the spoon. When you are doing it correctly, you won't even need to hold your head back. Some Spoon-noses (as they are known in the professional community) like to prep the spoon by breathing on the bowl of the spoon or licking it. This creates a little moisture on the spoon and helps it stick to your nose. It may take a little practice, but if you are patient, you will get the hang of it (ba-dump-bump)!

The Science Behind the Hanging Spoon
There are a number of reasons that this works. Adhesion is the number one factor. When two different substances stick to each other, we call it adhesion, as in adhesive tape. Because of adhesion, the metal of the spoon sticks to your skin.

Adhesion, however, isn't the only thing involved. The shape of the spoon also helps. Your nose fits very neatly into the curve of the bowl. The Earth's gravity pulls the bowl downward. This presses the spoon against your nose and helps with adhesion. The heavier the spoon, the more it presses against your nose.
So there you have it. A little adhesion, a little gravity, and the shape of the spoon working together to bring a little science to the Thanksgiving feast! Pass the Meleagris gallopavo, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Science Behind the Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:26:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. In honor of the holiday, I have decided to include a quick post on the science behind one of the staples of any Thanksgiving feast...cranberry sauce!

Here's What You Need

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup water

Here's What You Do
Wash cranberries and pat dry. In a 2-quart saucepan combine sugar, water. If you like you can add a orange rind and juice. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries to sugar syrup, bring to a boil, and cook until cranberry skins start to break or pop, about 1 minute. Remove cranberries from the heat and pour into a 3-cup bowl or storage jars with lids to cool. Sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, or placed in airtight jars in the freezer for up to 3 months. (Leave 1/2-inch space between sauce and jar lid.)

The Science Behind the Sauce
Making homemade cranberry sauce is a lot of fun and a great way to experiment with the creation of gels. What exactly is a gel? A gel can be thought of as a liquid that acts like a solid. The gel that you are probably most familiar with is Jell-O. The jelly you put on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is also a type of gel. Cranberries and other fruits can be used to make gels and jellies because they contain a gummy substance called pectin. By boiling cranberries in water, we can extract the pectin from them and create a delicious gel known as cranberry sauce!

Wondershop Fast Fact
Research has ranked the cranberry as number one in antioxidants. A comparison of some of the most common fruits found that the little red berry — in its pure form — contained the highest quantity of disease-fighting phenols, a type of antioxidant that is believed to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.

See Through Your Hand With Science

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Here's What You Need

A cardboard paper towel tube or toilet paper tube (you can also use a rolled-up sheet of paper)

Here's What You Do
Grab the cardboard tube and hold it up to your eye (like you were looking through a telescope). Now, place your free hand next to the tube with the palm open and facing you (it should be touching the side of the tube). Keep both eyes open and slowly move your free hand back and forth along the side of tube. With one eye look through the tube and with the other at your hand. After a while, you should perceive what appears to be a large hole through your hand. Pretty cool, huh?

The Science Behind the Hole in Your Hand
Similar to other primates, our brains are designed to work with binocular vision. The word binocular comes from the Latin words bini (meaning double) and oculus (meaning eye). In other words, our brain knows how to utilize information it receives from two eyes. For example, when most people look at an object, they are seeing it with two eyes and consequently, from two slightly different perspectives. When these two signals reach the brain, they are merged into one image. The brain also assumes that the picture from each eye is of the same thing. The Hole in the Hand demonstration illustrates this. In the activity, the two eyes see very different things. However, the brain merges the two images into one and gives the illusion that there is a hole in your hand.

Binocular vision has some other great benefits. For example, organism with two eyes will still have the ability to see if one eye is damaged. Binocular vision also helps us to judge distances accurately. Here's a little experiment for you to try. Place an eye patch or blindfold over one of your eyes. Now, grab a buddy and a ball and head outside for a friendly game of catch. Try catching and throwing the ball with one eye. Do you notice anything? Is it harder or easier? Try shooting baskets or hitting a baseball. You will quickly realize that having two eyes definitely comes in hand-y!

The Paperclip Float Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:33:00 +0000

Here is a great little science activity that you can use to fool your friends and family. All you need is a glass of water, a paperclip, and a slip of paper. With these simple materials and a little science know-how, you can make the impossible...possible. Today, you will learn the secrets and science behind The Paperclip Float Challenge!

Here's What You Need

Metal aaperclip
Cup of water
A paper napkin

Here's What You Do

Give your friend the paperclip and challenge her to make it float in the water. Try not to laugh to hard as they try again and again and again to get the metal paperclip to float. After a few tries, she will most likely decide that it is impossible to float the paperclip in the water. Here is your chance to blind her with science.

The secret to the floating paperclip is a tiny piece of paper.

Grab the paper napkin and tear off a square slightly larger than the paperclip. Place the paperclip on the square of paper and very gently rest the paper on the surface of the water. The paper will absorb water and soon sink to the bottom of the cup, but the paperclip will remain on top of the water! At this point, you may turn to your friend (whose mouth is still open in amazement), wink, and whisper, "it's all about the science, baby."

It's all about the science, baby

The Science Behind the Paperclip Float Challenge
Why didn't the paperclip sink when you placed it on top of the water. Well, it the answer has to do with cohesion. Cohesion describes the tendency of individual water molecules to stick to each other. It's as if the water molecules are holding hands with one another. Cohesion is also the reason that water falls a drop.
Because of cohesion, the molecules on the surface of the water stick together and act like skin. This is called surface tension. The surface tension of water is pretty strong. In fact, because of surface tension, insects called water striders can actually walk on the top of water.

Cohesive forces are pretty strong, but they aren't unbreakable. Most of the time, the dense paperclip would simply break the surface tension of the water and sink to the bottom of the cup. In this demonstration, we use the paper napkin to slowly and gently lower the paperclip on to the surface of the water. A scientist would argue that the paperclip is not floating on the water. It is actually sitting on top of the water.
If you are doing this with your children, you may want to experiment with some other questions:

How many paperclips can you float at once?
Does the size of the paperclip matter?
Does this work with other liquids also (e.g. milk, distilled water)?
Can you change the strength of the surface tension of the water by adding things to it (e.g. salt, soap)?

As usual, let us know what you discover!

Explore Sun Safety With UV Beads

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:20:00 +0000

If your family is anything like mine, summer means it is time to get out and play in the sunshine! Of course, playing in the sun means taking precautions against things like sunburn. Even on a cloudy day, the sun can cause serious damage to your skin. Most people assume that if you can’t see the sun, you don’t need to worry about protecting yourself. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. In fact, the visible light that comes from the sun isn’t responsible for sunburn. Instead, it is an invisible form of light called ultraviolet (UV) light. In this little exploration, you will learn how to use a very special type of plastic bead to detect UV light.

Here’s What You Need

UV beads (you can find them at Steve Spangler Science, Arbor Scientific, or other online science supply vendors)
Plastic or leather cord
Sun screen (optional)
Plastic sandwich bags (optional)
Permanent marker (optional)

Here’s What You Do

Do the first part of the activity inside and away from any sunlight (e.g. stay away from windows). Take the white UV beads out of the bag and expose them to light in your home. Most of the light inside our homes is fluorescent or incandescent light…not UV. Did your beads change in any way?

Now, take your beads outside and expose them to the sun. Do you notice anything? The white UV beads will change color depending on the pigment in the bead. The color change is not permanent. When you head back inside and away from the sunlight, the beads will become white again. In fact, the beads will change color about 50,000 times before they stop responding to UV light!

You can use the plastic or leather cord to create a necklace or bracelet of UV beads. Now, you will have a way to quickly detect UV light and remind you to wear your sunscreen. Jewelry the practical, fun, and educational…you have to love that!

You can also use the UV beads to test different brands of sunscreen. If you’re like me, you probably have a few different brands hanging out under the bathroom sink. Try to find some with different Sun Protection Factors (SPF) ratings. Now, grab your plastic sandwich bags. You will need one bag for each of the sunscreens you want to test. You will also need an extra bag to use as a control (something to compare to your other bags). While inside, place some UV beads in each of the bags. Rub a different sunscreen on the outside of each of the bags. Use the permanent marker to label each bag. Make sure you also prepare a bag of beads with no sunscreen on the bag. Now, it is time to experiment!

Take your sunscreen-covered bags and your no-sunscreen bag outside and lay them in them on the ground in the sun. Do you notice any difference between the bags? Are the colors darker in some bags? Make a note of which bags have the darkest colors. You might notice a connection between the color of the beads and SPF rating on the sunscreen. Sunscreens with a higher SPF rating block more UV light energy. The beads in these bags should be lighter than those in the other bags. Of course, all the beads should be lighter than those in the unprotected bag. It just goes to show that some sunscreen is better than no sunscreen at all.

Note: You can also use this experiment to test different bands of sunscreen. However, if you want to test different brands make sure they all have the same SPF rating.

The Science Behind the Beads

The UV beads used in this activity were created using a special pigment that responds to UV light energy. UV light cannot be detected with our eyes. In fact, our eyes can only detect a certain type of light energy called visible light. Other animals, however, can see UV light. For example: Butterflies can use ultraviolet markers to select a mate. Reindeer rely on ultraviolet light to find the lichen they like to eat. Bees use UV light to hone in on UV markings of certain flowers like the Black-eyed Susan. While we cannot see UV light, it is there whenever the sun is in the sky. That includes cloudy days, rainy days, and winter days!

Just like visible light, there are different types of ultraviolet light. Short wave ultraviolet light is used to identify fluorescent rocks and kill bacteria. You are probably more familiar with long wave ultraviolet light. In fact, you have probably used them in your home around Halloween. That’s right. Long wave ultraviolet light is the type of light that is created by black lights (those cool lights that make your clothes and decorations glow)!

Many people love to play in the sunshine. However, when your skin is exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time it changes. The UV light energy can beak the chemical bonds in your skin causing it to wrinkle and lose flexibility. Too much of this type of exposure can also lead to skin cancer. Sunscreens are designed to block UV light. They act as a barrier between the dangerous and invisible UV light and your skin. As a result, it is important to select the right sunscreen and reapply it continuously if you are going to be spending a lot of time outside. There you have it; some of the science behind UV light. Have fun in the sun this summer, wear your UV bead bracelet, and use your sunscreen!

Homemade Black Snake Fireworks

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 15:12:00 +0000

I've gotten lots of request to post some science activities related to the fourth of July and more specifically...FIREWORKS! Many of you wanted to know the science behind fireworks and if it is possible to create fireworks at home. In response to those requests...here is a great way to create some of those intriguing Black Snake fireworks that you see every year around this time. This activity requires the use of fire and some flammable liquids, so adult supervision and safety precautions are a must (make sure you have a fire extinguisher or water nearby)!

Here's What You Need

Sand
A high-percentage alcohol (ethanol) - I use grain alcohol (e.g. Everclear)
Powdered sugar (sucrose)
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
A grill lighter or long match
Aluminum foil or a foil pie plate

Here's What you Do

First, let's start by making our baking soda and sugar mixture. In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp of powder sugar with 1 tbsp of baking soda. Once you have those two ingredients mixed well, place the bowl to the side. We will use in later. Create a mound of sand in the middle of the foil/pie plate. Use your finger to make an indentation in the middle of the mound of sand. This is where you will pour your alcohol and the other ingredients.

Use your finger to make a small indentation in your mound of sand.

Measure 3 tsp of alcohol and carefully pour it into the indentation. Now, let's add the baking soda and sugar mixture. There are a couple of ways that you can do this. Each way will give you a different kinds of snake(s). First, you can sprinkle 1 tsp of the baking soda and sugar mixture into the indentation in the sand mound. Another method is to pack 1 tsp baking soda and sugar mixture into the measuring spoon. This will create a little spoon shaped tablet that you can drop into the indentation in the sand mound. In either case, don't pack the mixture down into the indentation.


This is what your setup should look like. Now, we are ready to light it!

Have an adult use a long match or a grill lighter to ignite the alcohol. The flame will initially be very hard to see (the alcohol burns blue). However, you will know it is lit when you see the baking soda and sugar mixture begin to blacken as it burns. You might also smell something very familiar - roasted marshmallows (that's the sugar burning)! It will take a while before the snakes really start to grow, so be patient. After a while, you will see the baking soda and sugar mixture start to bubble. Slowly, the black snakes will start to grow from the sand! Make sure the flame is out before you attempt to touch or pick up the snake. When you've done it once, grad some more baking soda and sugar and do it again. Just make sure you mix your sand and reform you sand mound after each attempt. You will get different types of snakes each time!

You'll get a different kind of snake each time you do the activity

The Science Behind the Black Snakes

When baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) gets hot, it produces a gas - carbon dioxide. This is the same gas that gives soda its fizz. In addition to carbon dioxide, the baking soda also creates water vapor and sodium carbonate. When the sugar (sucrose) is heated, it also creates carbon dioxide and water vapor. All that carbon dioxide has to go somewhere. It bubbles up and out of the mixture. However, as it does this, it pushes the carbonate up and out of the sand. That's where the black snake(s) comes from! The snake is basically layer upon layer of that element we know and love - carbon!

Summer Science: Making Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:30:00 +0000

It's time for some ice cream! Wait...wait...no need to pull out the industrial-sized, hand-cranked monster from the 1940's. You don't even need to make that trip to the grocery store. With some ingredients and supplies that you have right in your home, you can make your very own ice cream. Of course, it helps if you know a little science. That's what I'm here for! Forget Ben and Jerry's! So long Häagen-Dazs! Hasta la vista Baskin-Robbins! Say hello to my little friend...Ziploc Bag Ice Cream!

Here's What You Need

1 cup of Half & Half
6 tablespoons rock salt
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice
2 Ziploc freezer bags (two different sizes, 1 gallon size and 1 quart size)

Here's What You Do

Fill the larger (gallon size) Ziploc back 3/4 full with ice. Sprinkle the rock salt over the ice, seal the bag (very important), and put it to the side. We will use this a little later.
Put the Half & Half, the vanilla, and the sugar in the smaller (quart size) bag. If you want to add a couple of special mix-ins (like chocolate chips), place them in the bag also. Squeeze out the excess air, seal the bag (once again...very important), and shake it around to mix the ingredients. Believe it or not...this liquid mixture will become solid ice cream!
Open the large bag of ice and place the small bag inside. Seal the large bag (still very important). Now, it's time to churn the ice cream. Gently turn, flip, and knead the bag. The goal is to turn the liquid ice cream mixture into solid ice cream. That's the science part! The trick is to make the mixture very cold. Trust me...it's going to get very cold! In order to avoid frozen fingers, I suggest you wrap the plastic bag in a towel and take turns churning the ice cream with a partner. Make it a whole family activity!
The time it takes to turn your ice cream mixture into a solid depends on how well you churn. In my experience, it takes about 10 - 20 minutes of churning to produce good ice cream. When you think your ice cream has hardened, open the large bag and remove your bag of ice cream. If it is ready, your bag will be stiff. If you didn't churn long enough, you might notice liquid inside the bag (more like ice cream soup then ice cream). If this happens just stick it back in the ice, seal the bag, and churn a bit more. If your ice cream is ready, use a cloth to wipe any salt water or rock salt off the small bag (especially around the opening). You don't want salt water in your ice cream.
Grab a spoon, open the small bag, and dig in!

The Science Behind the Ice Cream
Who knew science was so de-li-cious?! Let's talk about some of the science behind the ice cream. You started this adventure in science with a mixture of Half & Half, sugar, and vanilla; a liquid. After all of the flip, kneading, and turning, you ended up with ice cream; a solid. If you didn't eat your ice cream fast enough, you might have noticed that some of it began to melt (solid becoming a liquid). Scientists call this shift from solid to liquid or liquid to solid a change of state. Changes of state are happening all around us all of the time. Liquid water changes into solid ice to make snow. Liquid gasoline turns into gaseous gasoline to power our cars. There are plenty of others.

Why couldn't we just use ice to freeze the ice cream? What's up with the rock salt?! Well, that's really a question of temperature. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to freeze the ice cream, we needed temperatures lower than 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That's where the salt comes in. Salt lowers the freezing point of water. In other words, salt water freezes at a lower temperature that fresh water does. Remember, water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Well, a 10% salt solution freezes at 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and a 20% solution freezes at 2 degrees Fahrenheit. That's why people sprinkle salt on icy sidewalks, steps, and streets. The salt lowers the freezing point of the water and causes the ice to melt.

In order for a solid to become a liquid, it must absorb energy. For a liquid to become a solid it must give away energy. Scientists call this energy heat. In this activity, the liquid ice cream mixture gave up heat energy. That energy was absorbed by the ice as it melted. By adding salt to the ice, you lowered the temperature inside the bag. In fact, the mixture of rock salt and ice gets as cold as about 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius)! That's real cold! Just right for making ice cream!

Help NASA Learn More About the Clouds

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Looking for something interesting to do with you children this summer? Why not help NASA scientists understand the connections between clouds and the Earth's climate? On the NASA website, they state:

It is the clouds, in part, that affect the overall temperature and energy balance of the Earth. The more we know about clouds, the more we will know about our Earth as a system!

Just think...you can brag to all of your friends that you and your kids are part of an elite groups of scientists working on a nationwide environmental science project!

I'm sure you're wondering how you can help NASA. After all, don't they have satellites, space stations, and lots and lots of really powerful computers? True. What they don't have, however, are accurate ways to quickly identify clouds around the world. Satellites are great, but they often have a tough time distinguishing clouds from other white surfaces like snow or ice covered ground. NASA needs you and your eyes. NASA is in the process of recruiting people around the country to collect data about the clouds they see in the sky above their communities. They will use your observations to help them validate satellite data and create a better picture of clouds in the atmosphere

NASA's idea isn't new. In fact, there are all types of projects that use everyday people to collect data. There known as Citizen Science projects. They harness the power of the internet and large groups of people to move scientific understanding forward. Citizen Science has helped us chart stars in the night sky (Galaxy Zoo), understand the natural world (The Great Sunflower Project), and solve puzzles (FoldIt). Now, you can get involved with citizen science with NASA's Rover or S'COOL project.

To get more information about the project, learn how to get involved, or register, visit NASA’s S’COOL Roving Observation website. If you are are teacher or a homeschooler and you want to do scheduled observations from your home or school, you can also visit the CERES S’COOL Project website. As usual, let us know about your experiences! We love to hear about all the great science you are doing!

Hanging Out with Amateur Astronomers: The Transit of Venus

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:18:00 +0000

Did you miss it? It won’t happen again for another 105 years; December 2117 to be exact. What exactly am I talking about? Why the Transit of Venus, of course. On June 5, 2012, Venus, the second planet in the solar system, traveled between the Earth and Sun. The alignment of these three celestial bodies allows anyone with a little ingenuity and a clear sky to see a clear view of Venus silhouetted against the sun. The Atlanta Astronomy Club and Stone Mountain Park organized a public viewing event and more than 100 people gathered on top of Stone Mountain to witness the transit. The Science Wondershop teamed up with Macaroni Kids Decatur to check out this rarest of predictable astronomical events.

More then 100 people gathered at Stone Mountain to see Venus cross the Sun.

Astronomy has always been and continues to be one of my children’s favorite areas of science. There’s just something about the planets, moons, and stars floating around in outer space that inspires lots of curiosity and questions. When Macaroni Kids Decatur and Stone Mountain Park invited us to participate in the viewing of the Transit of Venus, my wife and I packed up the kids and made our way to the top of the Stone Mountain to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

My daughter uses Solar Glasses to look up at the sun.

Venus began its trip across the sun at 6:03 PM. Similar to a solar eclipse, it was impossible and dangerous to attempt to see Venus without special equipment. The Atlanta Astronomy Club provided lots of options for safely viewing the transit. People like Astronomy Club member, Marie Lotte, brought specialized telescopes with solar filters, dedicated solarscopes, solar binoculars, welders glasses, and lots and lots of solar sunglasses. Using any of these pieces of equipment, people on top of Stone Mountain could watch Venus, a tiny black dot, move slowly across the face of the sun.

A telescope equipped with an oil filter and sheet of projection film created this image.

The Transit of Venus happens on a 243 year cycle. The last time it happened was 8 years ago. It will occur again in 105 years. Besides being rare and beautiful, the event has historical significance to the astronomy community. Early astronomers used the Transit of Venus to estimate the size of the sun and the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Today, scientist track similar spectacles in an attempt to understand the size of our solar system and other worlds. Yesterday, however, our world paused for a moment, looked up, and witnessed a truly fascinating lesson in the beauty of our world. As a dad, husband, and science guy, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a breezy, summer evening with my family.

Recycling Paper With Science

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

This week, I thought you might want to explore a little science related to the conservation and environmental science. Grab your kids, some old newspaper, and a pair of used pantyhose. It’s time to make some recycled paper!

Here’s What You Need

a food processor or an old blender
an old wire hanger
an old pair of panty hose
newspaper or other paper, torn into 2-inch squares
white glue (e.g. Elmer’s glue)
Tablespoon
Large flat bottom container (a little wider that the sheet of paper you want to make)
Water
food coloring or brown/red onion peels (optional)

Here’s What You Do

First, let’s make the frame for our sheet of recycled paper. Stretch the hanger and bend it into a rectangle/square shape. Take one leg of the panty hose and stretch it carefully over the hanger frame. Make sure it is tight and flat. When you are done, you should have something that resembles a tennis racket!

Next, let’s make our pulp mixture. Put a handful of the torn newspaper and some water into the food processor or blender. Blend the mixture on high until it becomes mushy. Keep adding paper and water until you have a big gray blob of mush. You may have to add a little more water to keep things moving smoothly. Keep the food processor on until all the bits of paper have disappeared. If you want to add a little color to your paper, add a handful of brown or red onion skin (not the onion itself, just the papery outer skin) or a few drops of food coloring.

Add about 4 inches of room temperature water to your flat bottom container. Scoop out about your blog of mush and mix it into the water. Add 2 tablespoons of white glue into water and mush mixture. Now, carefully mix it with your hands.

Time to make some paper! Carefully, place your pantyhose covered hanger on the bottom of the flat bottom container filled with the water and mush mixture. Make sure you have plenty of the mush floating around above the hanger. Now, slowly lift the hanger out of the water. Make sure you keep in horizontal as you lift it. The slower you lift the thicker your paper will be. After you lift the hanger completely out of the water, hold it over the container to let the excess water drain out for about a minute. You should see a thin layer of the gray mush covering the pantyhose on the hanger. Don’t touch it! It is very fragile at this point.

Lay the mush covered hanger flat in the sun or in a window sill. It will take a while to dry. Depending on the temperature and the amount of sun, your paper could take anywhere from a couple of hours to an entire day to dry. Keep checking it from time to time. When it looks like it is completely dry, you can carefully peel your sheet of paper off of the pantyhose. Congratulations, you just made your first piece of recycled paper!

The Science Behind The Paper

Recycling is the process of taking a used item and breaking them down to create a new product. In this activity, you took newspaper, broke it down, and made a new sheet of recycled paper. Paper is made from a natural material called cellulose. This special material is found in the cell wall of many plant cells. Long ago, people figured out how to get the cellulose out of wood and use it to make paper. Often, paper is made from pine trees. One pine tree produces about 8,000 sheets of paper. However, it is estimated that we use about 71 trillion tons of paper each year. That’s a lot of paper and a lot of trees. In order to conserve the number of trees used in making paper, some people have figured out how to recover the cellulose needed to make paper from used paper. Today, about one third of the paper we use is recycled or contains recycled cellulose.

In this activity, you used the blender or food processor to separate the newspaper into individual strands of cellulose. When you placed the blob of mush in the water, these fibers began to float around. If you would have tried to make paper with this mixture, it would have result in brittle paper because the cellulose fibers aren’t really great about sticking to each other without a little help. That’s why we added a little glue to the mix. It helps the individual fibers of cellulose to stick to each other and makes the final piece of paper much stronger!

Use Science to Make a Naked Egg

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:30:00 +0000

You've fried them. You've scramble them. You've boiled them. Chances are that you even painted and hunted for them. The question is...have you ever striped one? That's right, in this activity, you will create your very own naked egg!

Here's What You Need

Cup or jar large enough to hold the egg
Vinegar
Egg

Here's What You Do
Gently place the eggs in the cup/jar. Pour enough vinegar into the cup/jar to cover the egg. Take a couple of minutes to observe what happens to the egg as it sits in the vinegar. You might notice bubbles forming on the outside of the egg. We'll talk about that a bit later. For now, place the cup/jar somewhere out of the way and let it sit for about 24 hours.

You will see bubbles forming on the egg shortly after pouring in the vinegar.

After 24 hours, carefully remove the egg from the vinegar. You might need a large spoon. Make sure you are very careful. The egg will be very fragile at this point. Pour the vinegar out of the cup/jar. Gently place the egg back in the cup/jar, cover it with fresh vinegar, and put it somewhere safe for another 24 hours.

Use your hand or a spoon to carefully remove the egg from the vinegar. Rinse them with water. You should now have an egg without a shell! You will notice that the eggs shell is gone. Instead, a thin membrane is all that is left surrounding the egg white and yolk. It is translucent and flexes when you squeeze it! Congratulations! You have successfully created a naked egg!

Once the shell is gone, you will be able to squeeze the egg easily between your fingers.

The Science Behind the Naked Egg

Of course, there is a lot of science behind the naked egg. For example, when you poured the vinegar over the egg, you probably noticed that tiny bubbles formed on the outside of the egg. Those bubbles are actually the result of a chemical reaction between the vinegar and the shell. Vinegar is an acid. Scientists call it acetic acid (CH3COOH). The vinegar you buy in the grocery store is about 95% water and 5% acetic acid. Egg shells are made up of calcium carbonate (used to make chalk at one time). When the vinegar comes in contact with the egg shell, it begins to break down the calcium carbonate into calcium and carbonate. The calcium floats around in the vinegar. The carbonate part reacts to form carbon dioxide gas. That's what's inside the tiny bubbles you see forming on the side of the egg. If you allow the egg to sit in the open air, the membrane will react with the carbon dioxide floating in the air and begin to harden again.

You might also notice that your egg seems to swell as it sits in the vinegar. This is because some of the liquid vinegar is actually moving into the egg through the shell membrane. Because things can move through the membrane of the egg, scientists would describe the membrane as permeable. They also describe the movement of a liquid from one solution through a permeable membrane and into another less concentrated solution as osmosis. Osmosis is very important to both plants and animals. For example, in our bodies, osmosis helps our kidneys recover water from our waste. If you break the membrane of your naked egg, you will notice that the yolk is floating in vinegar solution. In a way, you have pickled the egg!

Science Fun with Dry Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:06:00 +0000

In this simple investigation, you'll learn some of the science behind a very cool substance known simply as dry ice. In the process, you'll learn a little chemistry and some great science lingo. Can you say...sublimation?

Here's What You Need:

Large plastic bowl, plastic cup, or graduated cylinder
Warm water
Dry Ice (you can usually find it at the grocery store or some ice cream shops ~$1/lb)
Liquid soap
Heavy duty gloves or tongs (for handling the dry ice)
Hammer or mallet (for breaking the dry ice)
Ice chest or cooler (for storing dry ice)

Safety & Dry Ice: Dry ice must be handled carefully and with adult supervision. Because it is extremely cold (-109.3°F or -78.5°C), it can easily cause server damage to your skin if it is handled in incorrectly. Avoid touching dry ice with unprotected skin. Never swallow dry ice or place it in your mouth.

Here's What You Do

Fill the bowl, cup, or graduated cylinder with warm water (a bit more than half way). Use the mallet or hammer to break the dry ice into pieces that will fit easily into the container. Using the tongs or gloves, carefully place a few pieces of dry ice into the warm water. Immediately, the water should start to churn and bubble! You may also notice a smoky cloud forming on the top of the container and eventually spilling over the side. This cloud is safe to touch and feel. Just remember to avoid touching the dry ice directly. After a while, the bubbling and smoking will slow down a bit. Simply, poor out a bit of the water (cooled by the dry ice) and replace it with some warm water.

Now, let's ramp things up a bit. While the water is churning and bubbling, add a few drops of liquid soap and watch what happens! After a few seconds, you should see some fog filled bubbles rising out of the water. Once again, these are perfectly safe to play with. Grab a handful of the bubbles and squeeze them in your hand. Notice anything? They are full of the smoky clouds that you observed when you dropped the dry ice in the warm water.

The Science Behind Dry Ice

Dry is actually the solid form of carbon dioxide. Usually, when we talk about carbon dioxide, we talk about it as a gas; the one that we exhale during respiration and plant use for photosynthesis. About 0.035% of the air around us is made up of carbon dioxide (most of our air is made up of nitrogen - 79%). Dry ice acts very differently than water based ice. For example, under normal atmospheric conditions dry ice does not melt (that's why we call it dry ice). Instead solid dry ice turns directly into carbon dioxide gas through a process called sublimation.

Try this. Grab two plates. Place a piece of dry ice on one plate and a piece of water based ice on the other plate. Now, wait. After an hour, you'll notice that the dry ice seems to have disappeared and there is a puddle of water where the water based ice was. However, the dry ice didn't disappear. Instead, it changed into a gas (one that is invisible to the naked eye).

We make dry ice by placing gaseous carbon dioxide under intense pressure (about 870 pounds per square inch) at a very low temperature. This will turn carbon dioxide gas into liquid carbon dioxide. The liquid carbon dioxide is then pushed through an expansion valve and into a pressure chamber. The change in pressure causes the temperature to drop and the liquid carbon dioxide changes quickly to a solid...dry ice!

Wondershop Fast Fact

Dry ice is great for keeping things cool. In fact, one pound of dry ice cools three times better than a pound of water based ice. Often people will use a mixture of dry ice and water based ice to keep things cool while they are shipped.