Super Science

Resources

for this

Adventure

Learn About the Adventure

Complete at least four of the following and explain what you learned.

  1. Make static electricity by rubbing a balloon or a plastic or rubber comb against another material, such as a fleece blanket or wool sweater. Explain what you learned.

  2. Conduct one other static electricity investigation. Explain what you learned.

  3. Do a sink-or-float investigation. Explain what you learned.

  4. Do a color-morphing investigation. Explain what you learned.

  5. Do a color-layering investigation. Explain what you learned.

Static Electricity Experiments

Materials:

☐ Balloon, one per

☐ Empty aluminum soda can, one per

☐ table salt

☐ ground pepper

Activities:

  1. Rub a balloon on your shirt, then use it to make your hair stand on end.

  2. Soda Can Races: Designate a starting and ending line. Every child gets an empty aluminum soda can and their balloon (from before). Using only static electricity they have to move their can from the starting line to the finish line.

  3. Separating Salt & Pepper - mix the salt and pepper on a plate/ paper towel. Rub the balloon against your shirt then hover it over the mixture. It will pick up only the pepper.

Sink-or-Float #1

Materials:

☐ Large glass of water,

☐ 10 items from around your house - different weights, different materials


Directions: Use the guide below and a large glass or bucket of water. Make a prediction before you put the item in the water and record what happened after you drop it in! We have filled in suggested items but feel free to substitute them with items you have on hand.

Sink-or-Float #2

Materials:

☐ 3 glasses of water,

☐ egg,

☐ 2-4 Tbsp. sugar,

☐ 2-4 Tbsp. salt


Directions: This sink or float investigation introduces the concept of variables and controls. A variable is when one thing in an experiment changes. Controls are the things that do not change - you need this so you can compare the results accurately.


  1. SET UP: Get three cups and fill them half full of water.

    1. The first cup leave alone - this is our control.

    2. Into the second cup mix some sugar. Add it a tablespoon at a time and mix until it dissolves. Stop when the water no longer dissolves the sugar.

    3. Into the third cup mix some salt. Add it a tablespoon at a time and mix until it dissolves. Stop when the water no longer dissolves the salt.


  1. ASK: Do you think sugar or salt will affect whether the egg floats or sinks?


  1. EXPERIMENT & OBSERVE: First drop the egg in the glass with only water. What happened?

    1. Next put the egg in the glass with salt. What happens?

    2. Finally, put the egg in the glass with sugar. What happens?


What’s Going On?

By adding salt to the water until it can no longer accept any more you are supersaturating it and changing its density. The egg was more dense than the water. As such it sank. After saturating the water with another compound you have changed its density and now the water is more dense than the egg. More dense things sink.

Color Morphing

Materials: ☐ foam plate, ☐ warm water, ☐ Skittles


Directions:

  1. Position the Skittles around the outside of the plate in any pattern you desire.

  2. Carefully pour warm water in the center of the plate until the Skittles ar about half submerged

  3. Wait and observe what happens to the colors

Color Layering

Materials:

☐ ½ c. Water,

☐ ½-1 c. oil, clear cup,

☐ food coloring,

☐ alka-seltzer tablet


Directions:

  1. Pour water and oil into a glass. Allow to separate completely.

  2. Add 10-20 drops of food coloring. Allow to settle for about 30 seconds.

  3. Slide an alka-seltzer tab into the oil and allow to sink.

  4. Sit back and watch!

More Science Fun