Summer is just around the corner and kids will soon
be starting their breaks from school. Making plans for thrilling summer adventures
is certainly a must, but the blazing heat can sometimes get in the way. To make
this season more enjoyable, here are five science experiments you can do at
home with kids:
1. Dancing raisins
What you need: Raisins,
Clear soda, and Clear glass
To
make raisins come to life, fill the glass with warm and clear soda and drop the
raisins in the glass. Raisins are denser than the soda which makes it possible for
them to sink, but science explains that the soda’s air bubbles formed on the
raisins’ bodies allow the fruit to float. When the bubbles disappear, the
raisins will sink from the glass, as if they are dancing in the disco!
2. Hidden message
What you need: Lemon,
Water, Paper, Cotton buds, Bowl, and Light bulb
Want
to send a secret message? Mix lemon extract with droplets of water, dip a
cotton bud in the mix that will serve as ink, and start writing your message in
a clear white paper. When the juice dries up, the writing will become invisible
like a hidden letter, and will only appear when heated above a light bulb. Due
to its organic nature, lemon juice oxidizes and becomes brown when heated.
Mixing it with water transforms it into an almost invisible substance and will
only get revealed when put in high temperature.
3. Bouncing egg
What you need: Raw egg,
White vinegar, and Bowl
Along
with sports, science can similarly make an object bounce. When an egg gets
soaked in vinegar for 72 hours, it can actually bounce from up to 20 cm above
ground when the shell is removed. Since vinegar is a weak acid, it can peel off
the shell without damaging insides of the egg. Eggs are made of calcium
carbonate that reacts when exposed to acids like vinegar, turning the egg
intact and rubbery enough to make it bounce.
4. Water cycle in a bottle
What you need: Plastic
bottle, Plastic cup, Ice cubes, and Food coloring
The
water cycle, where water evaporates and comes back as rain, can be bottled up
in one science experiment. Mix a drop of food coloring inside the plastic
bottle, fill up 1/3 of it with water, and close the cap. Turn the bottle upside
down inside a cup, place a few ice cubes on top of the bottle, and place under
a sunny location. After an hour, there will be water droplets in the upper part
of the bottle, which resembles how the water cycle works on Earth.
5. Static
electricity
What you need: Balloon
You
might be getting a new temporary hairstyle in this scientific experiment. Try
it by rubbing a balloon against your hair for a few seconds, and your hair will
follow as you pull the balloon away afterwards. This happens because of static
electricity, where negatively charged particles interact with positively
charged particles.
This roster of easy experiments can make up for an
exciting summer vacation, where young discoverers can experience the fun and
magic of science. Further explore the fascinating world of science and tune in
to Mythbusters Jr. on March 6, 9 PM on Discovery Channel.
Witness Adam Savage along with six youthful myth busters as they test
popular myths and legends using modern science.
About Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific
Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, a division of the leading global entertainment provider Discovery Communications, is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content. From survival to natural history, wonders of science to extreme jobs, motoring to travel and lifestyle, and the latest engineering marvels to live sporting events, each channel offers distinct must-watch programming to engage viewers across the region. The network’s 16brands reach 723 million cumulative subscribers in 37 countries and territories with programming customised in 14 languages and dialects.
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