121 Plus 9 Chemistry Experiments

This hydrometer experiment is designed to make a real chemist out of you. In the experiments in this book, but particularly this one, you will need to control all the variables. This means that all the materials and measurements will need to be the same. You will need to be patient here, too. It may […]

What is the effect of gravity in water? This experiment demonstrates that gravity has little effect on bodies submerged in a liquid. Things Required:Clear drinking glass1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol½ cup of water liquid cooking oilEye-dropper Directions:Pour 1/2 cup of water into the glass. Tilt the glass and very slowly pour in 1/2 cup of

A fine example to observe the attraction between molecules. Things Required:Rubber cement1 sheet of newspaperScissors (These must be strong and sharp. Do not use school scissors.)Talcum powder Directions:Lie the newspaper on a table. Evenly spread a thin, but solid covering of rubber cement over one-half of the newspaper page. Note: It is important not to

A hydrometer is an instrument that measures the density or heaviness of water compared to other solutions. You can make your own with just a few simple materials, but be patient, as it may take a few trials before you get your instrument to float properly. Things Required:A strawScissorsSmall piece of claySaltA glass 3/4 filled

Best experiment to understand the wetting effect of soap and detergent Things Required:ShampooLiquid dish soapToothpicksTalcum powder2 soup bowls Directions:Fill both bowls with water. Sprinkle a thin layer of talcum powder on the surface of the water in each bowl. Dip the end of one toothpick in the shampoo, and touch the end in the centre

Can you tie separate streams of water together? In this simple and easy experiment, you can do so with little effort. Things Required:1 Styrofoam or paper cup (no less than 6 oz)Pencil Directions:Punch four holes in the cup with the pencil. The holes are to be as close together as possible in a straight line

Enter these fantastic paper flatworms in a marathon or race and see which one wins. It’s all based on molecules. Things Required:Paper towel strips, cut about 1/2 inch wide (as many flatworms as you wish to race)A medicine dropper (if you’re racing with friends, you may want to provide a dropper for each)Water Directions:Fold the

The purpose is to demonstrate the attractive force between water molecules. Things Required:1-foot sheet of wax paperToothpickEye-dropperWater Directions:Spread the wax paper on a table. Use the eye-dropper to position three or four separate small drops of water on the paper. Wet the toothpick with water. Bring the tip of the wet pick near, but not

n this easy experiment, you will observe the movement of paper circles that seem to have a mind of their own. Things Required:Piece of notebook paperPaper hole punchSmall glass with no more than a 2-inch diameter (candle holder or an egg holder will work) eye-dropperToothpick Directions:Use the hole punch to cut three or four circles

Chemists needed a way to separate substances such as dyes and chemical mixtures into their separate parts. In this experiment, we’ll mix two different food colours and see if we can bring them back. This is a simple version of what chemists call “chromatography”. Things Required:Red and blue food colouringMedicine dropperA small container2 white napkins

A good example of surface tension. Things Required:Cup and saucerPaper clipsEye-dropper Directions:Set the cup in the saucer. Fill the cup so that it may overflow with water. Continue to add water with the eye-dropper until one drop causes the water to spill over the rim. Drop one paper clip at a time into the cup

What is anti-gravity? Find out yourself. Things Required:1 small baby food jar1 strewRed or blue food colouringClay, a piece the size of a marble Directions:Press the clay against the inside of the bottom of the jar. Fill the jar one-half full with water. Add three or four drops of food colouring to the water and

What’s the effect of gravity on weak surface? Find out in this experiment. Things Required:Rubbing alcohol1 small baby food jar1 strawRed or blue food colouringClay, a piece the size of a marble Directions:Press the clay against the inside of the bottom of the jar. Fill the jar one-half full with alcohol.Add three or four drops

Since salt and flour were so good in “All Mixed Up!” let’s bring them back. So, here they are again, friends – salt and flour! Things Required:A wide-mouth jarCoffee filterSalt and flour mixture (from the last experiment)Hot tap waterA shallow containerA rubber band Directions:Place the filter over the top of the jar and put the