0:50
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Science Experiment - Balloon Skewer - All Languages
Some things in this world just don\'t mix - dogs and cats, oil and water, needles and balloons. Everyone knows that a balloon\'s worst fear is a sharp object...even a sharpened, wooden cooking...
Some things in this world just don\'t mix - dogs and cats, oil and water, needles and balloons. Everyone knows that a balloon\'s worst fear is a sharp object...even a sharpened, wooden cooking skewer. With a little scientific knowledge about polymers you\'ll be able to perform a seemingly impossible task... pierce a balloon with a wooden skewer without popping it. Suddenly piercing takes on a whole new meaning!
How Does it Work?
The secret is to uncover the portion of the balloon where the latex molecules are under the least amount of stress or strain.
If you could see the rubber that makes up a balloon on a microscopic level, you would see many long strands or chains of molecules. These long strands of molecules are called polymers, and the elasticity of these polymer chains causes rubber to stretch. Blowing up the balloon stretches these strands of polymer chains. Even before drawing the dots on the balloon, you probably noticed that the middle of the balloon stretches more than either end. You wisely chose to pierce the balloon at a point where the polymer molecules were stretched out the least. The long strands of molecules stretched around the skewer and kept the air inside the balloon from rushing out. It’s easy to accidentally tear the rubber if you use a dull skewer or forget to coat the end of the skewer with vegetable oil. When you remove the skewer, you feel the air leaking out through the holes where the polymer strands were pushed apart. Eventually the balloon deflates… but it never pops.
Oh, just to prove your point, try pushing the skewer through the middle part of an inflated balloon. Well, at least you went out with a bang!
More...
Description:
Some things in this world just don\'t mix - dogs and cats, oil and water, needles and balloons. Everyone knows that a balloon\'s worst fear is a sharp object...even a sharpened, wooden cooking skewer. With a little scientific knowledge about polymers you\'ll be able to perform a seemingly impossible task... pierce a balloon with a wooden skewer without popping it. Suddenly piercing takes on a whole new meaning!
How Does it Work?
The secret is to uncover the portion of the balloon where the latex molecules are under the least amount of stress or strain.
If you could see the rubber that makes up a balloon on a microscopic level, you would see many long strands or chains of molecules. These long strands of molecules are called polymers, and the elasticity of these polymer chains causes rubber to stretch. Blowing up the balloon stretches these strands of polymer chains. Even before drawing the dots on the balloon, you probably noticed that the middle of the balloon stretches more than either end. You wisely chose to pierce the balloon at a point where the polymer molecules were stretched out the least. The long strands of molecules stretched around the skewer and kept the air inside the balloon from rushing out. It’s easy to accidentally tear the rubber if you use a dull skewer or forget to coat the end of the skewer with vegetable oil. When you remove the skewer, you feel the air leaking out through the holes where the polymer strands were pushed apart. Eventually the balloon deflates… but it never pops.
Oh, just to prove your point, try pushing the skewer through the middle part of an inflated balloon. Well, at least you went out with a bang!
1:16
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Science Experiment - Sharpie Pen Color Science - All Languages
It\'s a brand new tie dye technique without the mess... and the results are amazing! This experiment combines chemistry and art to create a design that is sure to get lots of attention
It\'s a brand new tie dye technique without the mess... and the results are amazing! This experiment combines chemistry and art to create a design that is sure to get lots of attention
1:08
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Science Experiment - Fruit-Power Battery - All Languages
Voltaic batteries of all shapes and sizes are objects that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. You probably use batteries to power your cell phone, iPod, or any number of wireless...
Voltaic batteries of all shapes and sizes are objects that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. You probably use batteries to power your cell phone, iPod, or any number of wireless gadgets. But did you know that you can actually use chemical energy stored within a lemon to power a small LED light? It\'s true, and we\'ll show you exactly how in the Fruit-Power Battery experiment. How does it work? Batteries are comprised of two different metals suspended in an acidic solution. With the Fruit-Power Battery, the two metals are zinc and copper. The zinc is in the galvanization of the nail, and the penny is actually copper-plated zinc. The acid comes from the citric acid inside the lemon. The two metal components are electrodes, the parts of a battery where electrical current enters and leaves the battery. With a zinc and copper set-up, the current will flow out of the penny and into the nail. The electricity also passes through the acidic solution inside the lemon. Once the Fruit-Power Battery is connected to the LED, you create a complete circuit. As the electrical current passes through the LED, it lights the LED, and passes back through all of the lemons.
More...
Description:
Voltaic batteries of all shapes and sizes are objects that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. You probably use batteries to power your cell phone, iPod, or any number of wireless gadgets. But did you know that you can actually use chemical energy stored within a lemon to power a small LED light? It\'s true, and we\'ll show you exactly how in the Fruit-Power Battery experiment. How does it work? Batteries are comprised of two different metals suspended in an acidic solution. With the Fruit-Power Battery, the two metals are zinc and copper. The zinc is in the galvanization of the nail, and the penny is actually copper-plated zinc. The acid comes from the citric acid inside the lemon. The two metal components are electrodes, the parts of a battery where electrical current enters and leaves the battery. With a zinc and copper set-up, the current will flow out of the penny and into the nail. The electricity also passes through the acidic solution inside the lemon. Once the Fruit-Power Battery is connected to the LED, you create a complete circuit. As the electrical current passes through the LED, it lights the LED, and passes back through all of the lemons.
Spin Art - Is Black Really Black - All languages
What color is black? Some people answer with a simple \\\"black,\\\" while others respond with something like \\\"black is the absence of all color.\\\" If you have ever run out...
What color is black? Some people answer with a simple \\\"black,\\\" while others respond with something like \\\"black is the absence of all color.\\\" If you have ever run out of black paint or your black pen ran dry, you probably know how to make the color black. Mix a little blue with red and yellow and green and orange and purple and you finally make the color black. Do the people who make black pens mix different colors to make black? Using a technique called chromatography, let\\\'s find out exactly what makes up the color in that black pen.
More...
Description:
What color is black? Some people answer with a simple \\\"black,\\\" while others respond with something like \\\"black is the absence of all color.\\\" If you have ever run out of black paint or your black pen ran dry, you probably know how to make the color black. Mix a little blue with red and yellow and green and orange and purple and you finally make the color black. Do the people who make black pens mix different colors to make black? Using a technique called chromatography, let\\\'s find out exactly what makes up the color in that black pen.
1:28
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Science Experiment - Boo Bubbles - Dry Ice Science - English
Bubbles are cool, but bubbles filled with fog are even cooler. Get excited for some dry ice fun with this do-it-yourself Boo Bubble generator!
How does it work?
Dry ice is frozen carbon...
Bubbles are cool, but bubbles filled with fog are even cooler. Get excited for some dry ice fun with this do-it-yourself Boo Bubble generator!
How does it work?
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When you drop pieces of dry ice into water, you get a wicked-cool combination of carbon dioxide gas and water vapor that bubbles out of the water. The creation of gas inside the two liter bottle quickly becomes too much volume for the two liter bottle to contain and the dry ice smoke flows over. By capping the two liter bottle with a funnel, the smoke builds pressure as it is forced into a more confined area. This pressure pushes the smoke through the tube, creating a flow of smoke that fills the bubbles.
Steve Spangler combined the idea of filling bubbles with dry ice fog with his Bouncing Bubble activity to create a Bouncing Boo Bubble. While blowing bubbles indoors, you might have noticed the occasional bubble that fell to the carpet but didn’t pop. Regular bubbles burst when they come in contact with just about anything. Why? A bubble’s worst enemies are oil and dirt. Boo Bubbles will bounce off of a surface if it is free of oil or dirt particles that would normally break down the soap film. They break when they hit the ground, but they don\'t break if they land on a softer fabric like gloves or a towel.
More...
Description:
Bubbles are cool, but bubbles filled with fog are even cooler. Get excited for some dry ice fun with this do-it-yourself Boo Bubble generator!
How does it work?
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When you drop pieces of dry ice into water, you get a wicked-cool combination of carbon dioxide gas and water vapor that bubbles out of the water. The creation of gas inside the two liter bottle quickly becomes too much volume for the two liter bottle to contain and the dry ice smoke flows over. By capping the two liter bottle with a funnel, the smoke builds pressure as it is forced into a more confined area. This pressure pushes the smoke through the tube, creating a flow of smoke that fills the bubbles.
Steve Spangler combined the idea of filling bubbles with dry ice fog with his Bouncing Bubble activity to create a Bouncing Boo Bubble. While blowing bubbles indoors, you might have noticed the occasional bubble that fell to the carpet but didn’t pop. Regular bubbles burst when they come in contact with just about anything. Why? A bubble’s worst enemies are oil and dirt. Boo Bubbles will bounce off of a surface if it is free of oil or dirt particles that would normally break down the soap film. They break when they hit the ground, but they don\'t break if they land on a softer fabric like gloves or a towel.
3:14
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Folding Egg - Cool Science Experiment - English
The Folding Egg activity is actually an extension of the classic Rubber Egg experiment with a really fun twist. Just imagine the look on your friends\' faces when you show them an egg and then...
The Folding Egg activity is actually an extension of the classic Rubber Egg experiment with a really fun twist. Just imagine the look on your friends\' faces when you show them an egg and then proceed to fold it in half several times until it forms a small white ball! Wait... it gets better. Just bounce the \"folded egg\" between your hands and the egg reappear.
How does it work?
The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks down the calcium carbonate in the eggshell, and the bubbles that form on the surface of the egg are carbon dioxide gas. Eventually the hard shell of the egg disappears entirely and all that remains is the egg membrane. Because you have already blown out the contents of the egg, the membrane is just full of air. You can fold it up and the air will sneak out the tiny hole in the membrane you used to blow out the egg. The membrane will compress down into practically nothing. As you gently shake the \"folded egg,\" the air will re-enter the membrane, expanding back into its original shape and volume.
More...
Description:
The Folding Egg activity is actually an extension of the classic Rubber Egg experiment with a really fun twist. Just imagine the look on your friends\' faces when you show them an egg and then proceed to fold it in half several times until it forms a small white ball! Wait... it gets better. Just bounce the \"folded egg\" between your hands and the egg reappear.
How does it work?
The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks down the calcium carbonate in the eggshell, and the bubbles that form on the surface of the egg are carbon dioxide gas. Eventually the hard shell of the egg disappears entirely and all that remains is the egg membrane. Because you have already blown out the contents of the egg, the membrane is just full of air. You can fold it up and the air will sneak out the tiny hole in the membrane you used to blow out the egg. The membrane will compress down into practically nothing. As you gently shake the \"folded egg,\" the air will re-enter the membrane, expanding back into its original shape and volume.
1:24
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Science Experiment - Amazing 9 Layer Density Tower - All Languages
For years we have been making seven layer density columns. We challenged our team to not only add two more liquids, but add seven objects that would float at different levels. The outcome... the...
For years we have been making seven layer density columns. We challenged our team to not only add two more liquids, but add seven objects that would float at different levels. The outcome... the Amazing 9 Layer Density Tower!
More...
Description:
For years we have been making seven layer density columns. We challenged our team to not only add two more liquids, but add seven objects that would float at different levels. The outcome... the Amazing 9 Layer Density Tower!
Science Experiment - Diving Ketchup - All Languages
Cause a packet of ketchup to rise and fall on command in a bottle of water. People will think that you have the ability to move objects with your mind! Telekinesis? No, just cool science.
Cause a packet of ketchup to rise and fall on command in a bottle of water. People will think that you have the ability to move objects with your mind! Telekinesis? No, just cool science.
1:01
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1:21
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Science Experiment - Balancing Act - All Languages Other
1.Try to balance the textbook on a rolled up piece of paper. Use whatever method you want, but we\'ll bet you can\'t do it! Try rolling the paper up, making an arch... try everything.
2. Now roll...
1.Try to balance the textbook on a rolled up piece of paper. Use whatever method you want, but we\'ll bet you can\'t do it! Try rolling the paper up, making an arch... try everything.
2. Now roll the paper into a cylinder, length-wise, and wrap a rubber band around the tube to hold it in shape.
3. Now try balancing the textbook on top of the paper cylinder. Like magic, the tube can now support the entire weight of the textbook!
4. Looking at the cylinder, you might think the paper cylinder could support way more weight than just the textbook. There\'s only one way to find out! Find other items to balance on top of the text book. It\'s probably a good idea to keep the items unbreakable, because at some point, you\'ll have too much weight on there.
5. How many items were you able to get on top of the paper cylinder before it collapsed? Take all of those items to a scale and get a weight. Holy fright, that\'s a lot of weight… all balanced atop a piece of paper!
How does it work?
The average weight of a standard, flimsy, white piece of printer paper is less than 1 gram, right around .7 grams. It would make sense that something that light isn\'t able to hold the weight of a text book. Just trying to balance a textbook on top of the paper doesn\'t work… the paper just collapses! This is because the paper is unable to keep it\'s shape. It wants to return to a flat piece of parchment. With the addition of a rubber band, though, the paper can support and balance the textbook, and a whole lot more!
The secret to the paper\'s new found strength is the geometrical shape known as a cylinder. Cylinders are one of the most structurally sound, and strongest, geometrical shapes. Cylinders are able to be incredibly strong, regardless of the material they\'re made out of, because they disperse stress throughout their entire shape. If the rolled-up piece of paper were a perfect cylinder, the strength would be even stronger!
More...
Description:
1.Try to balance the textbook on a rolled up piece of paper. Use whatever method you want, but we\'ll bet you can\'t do it! Try rolling the paper up, making an arch... try everything.
2. Now roll the paper into a cylinder, length-wise, and wrap a rubber band around the tube to hold it in shape.
3. Now try balancing the textbook on top of the paper cylinder. Like magic, the tube can now support the entire weight of the textbook!
4. Looking at the cylinder, you might think the paper cylinder could support way more weight than just the textbook. There\'s only one way to find out! Find other items to balance on top of the text book. It\'s probably a good idea to keep the items unbreakable, because at some point, you\'ll have too much weight on there.
5. How many items were you able to get on top of the paper cylinder before it collapsed? Take all of those items to a scale and get a weight. Holy fright, that\'s a lot of weight… all balanced atop a piece of paper!
How does it work?
The average weight of a standard, flimsy, white piece of printer paper is less than 1 gram, right around .7 grams. It would make sense that something that light isn\'t able to hold the weight of a text book. Just trying to balance a textbook on top of the paper doesn\'t work… the paper just collapses! This is because the paper is unable to keep it\'s shape. It wants to return to a flat piece of parchment. With the addition of a rubber band, though, the paper can support and balance the textbook, and a whole lot more!
The secret to the paper\'s new found strength is the geometrical shape known as a cylinder. Cylinders are one of the most structurally sound, and strongest, geometrical shapes. Cylinders are able to be incredibly strong, regardless of the material they\'re made out of, because they disperse stress throughout their entire shape. If the rolled-up piece of paper were a perfect cylinder, the strength would be even stronger!