[paul.fr]

not sure if this is the right section for this topic, but here goes.

We all love the kitchen science part of the show, but what are your favourite kitchen science experiments? Either those featured on the show / podcast, or ones you have done yourself?

Why not post them here, and let us all enjoy the wonder of experimentation.

Just post the items you need, and how to conduct the experiment. Like the kitchen science on the show, please do not post what the final result is. That way we will not lose some of the enjoyment of conducting the experiment.

If a member is unsure of his/her results they could always pm the poster.


OK, here is a simple on to start thins off. I have already posted this somewhere, and there was some doubt as to whether it worked. so why not try for yourself and then post one of your own:

What you need

2 cups
about 15 copper coins
salt
a nail
and vinegar

What you do

place your copper coins in your cup and cover them with salt. Then pour in some of your vinegar, to about 1cm above the top coin.

leave for half to one hour, then drain the solution in to the other cup. At this point you will have shiny copper coins, but that is not the whole experiment.

With just the solution in the second cup, drop your nail in to it and wait another half to one hour.

What happens to the nail?

topic link

Why does vinegar make copper coins all pink and shiny? http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=6240.0

[neilep]

What a wonderful idea Paul.

I will try this experiment and let you know the results in due course.

C'mon everybody...YAYYYYYYYYY !!


I love doing the old playing with cornstarch thing.



What you need

Cornstarch
Bowl
Water
Sense of fun




What you do.

Pour a cup or two (or more) of cornstarch into a bowl and add water till it becomes  quite gloopy...add the water a little at a time !!


When all is done, settle it in the bowl and you can handle it very easily nice and slow...it's sticky and slimy !

But what happens when you apply a sharp smack to the solution with the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand ?

topic link

quicksand http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=7379.0
a question for all you smart types http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=4767.0

[Karen W.]

We call It gack at the preschool it is really cool to play in even for adults like me... Really I am not an adult just a big kid!

[daveshorts]

The copper one is cool, thanks paul, it might just end up on the show

[paul.fr]

The copper one is cool, thanks paul, it might just end up on the show

Thanks Dave.

On a previous podcast Chris was giving away a mud powered clock. Now i have no idea how that works, but it did remind me of another experiment.

What you need

A Lemon
A piece of copper wire, about 2 inches long
A paper clip
Yout Tongue

What you do

Push the piece of copper wire about half an inch in to one end of the lemon, then gently straighten out the paper clip and push it in to the lemon about one onch away from where you have stuck the copper wire.

Now stick you tongue on to both the free ends of the copper wire and the paper clip.

What happens?

topic link

Could we power cars and lorries with fruit-generated electricity? http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=7344.0

[neilep]

Dem bones dem bone dem dry bones !!..laa dee daa dee daa !

What you Need

1 : Some well cleaned chicken bones with no stuff on them..just nice clean bones .

2: A week !

What You Do

Stick em in a jar and fill with white vinegar...leave for a week.
take em out...

What has happened to the bones ?

[paul.fr]

What you need

A fat/chunky felt tip pen
A woolen cloth or jumer
A plate
Salt and Papper


What you do

Sprinkle some salt an pepper on to the plate. Then get your woolen cloth or jumper and rub it very hard along your felt tip pen for about 1 minute.

stop rubbing, discard the cloth/jumper and move the pen slowly over the plate.

What happens?

[Karen W.]

MY Guess depending on "What kind of a plate,ie paper plastic or glass, on corelle or other metalic plate," I expect to see static electricity, but that depends on the plate So tell me what Kind of plate so I can do this??

Wait a moment I just thought of something. It may just act like a magnet eh... Hummmmm I have to go try it!LOL Driving me crazy!

[paul.fr]

MY Guess depending on "What kind of a plate,ie paper plastic or glass, on corelle or other metalic plate," I expect to see static electricity, but that depends on the plate So tell me what Kind of plate so I can do this??

Hi Karen,

just an ordinary dinner or side plate will do.

[paul.fr]

What you need

A balloon
Your head
The kitchen sink!


What you do

Firstly, blow up the balloon. Then turn your cold tap on..just a little so you get a nice staedy thin stream of water going into the sink.

Then rub the balloon on your head or a wooly jumper for a minute or two.

now slowly move the balloon closer to the stream of water..but don't get too close as to wet your ballooon.

What happens to the water?

[paul.fr]

Strictly for adults only

What you need


An empty cola can
A cooker/stove
Oven gloves
Water
Your kitchen sink


What you do

First, fill your sink with cold water. Then after drinking the cola fill the can with cold water and heat in on your cooker/stove.

When the water in the can is boiling, using your oven gloves, take the can and turn it upside down allowing the water to escape and put it in the cold water in your sink.

What happens?

Try repeating the experiment, with a fresh can, this time keeping most of the hot water in the can.

What if anything do you notice different to the first time?

[Karen W.]

What you need

A balloon
Your head
The kitchen sink!


What you do

Firstly, blow up the balloon. Then turn your cold tap on..just a little so you get a nice staedy thin stream of water going into the sink.

Then rub the balloon on your head or a wooly jumper for a minute or two.

now slowly move the balloon closer to the stream of water..but don't get too close as to wet your ballooon.

What happens to the water?

Perhaps it will become charged with electricity.. Have to try this one too!

[paul.fr]

Perhaps it will become charged with electricity.. Have to try this one too!

Karen, make sure the mater is a slow steady continuous stream. not a fast flow of water, as you move the "charged " balloon closer to the stream of water watch the water not the balloon.

[neilep]

Magic Crystals !!

This is fun way to make crystal formations.

What You Need.

2 tbsp epsom salts
 1/2 cup water

What You Do.

Line a flat dish or the lid from a large jar with black Sugar paper (construction paper) squishing it securely onto the bottom. Dissolve the epsom salts in the water and pour a thin layer of this solution into the paper-lined dish. Now, leave it alone to allow the water to evaporate, undisturbed. This might take a day or so, depending on temperature and humidity. There should now be a beautiful formation of crystals visible on the paper.

Brilliant !!

[Karen W.]

Cool My kiddos will love that one!!! YAYYYY These will be cool at school Thanks Paul and Neil... YAYYYYYYYY!!!

[paul.fr]

Here is one you can eat afterwards.....yummy.


What you need

carbonated soda, i prefer ice cream soda...
ice cream
two glasses


What you do

Put a scoop of ice cream into one glass. Pour some of the soda into the other.

now add some soda to the glass with the ice cream. Try to add the same amount of soda that you put into the other glass.
 
What happens?

Next, add a scoop of ice cream to the glass with the soda.

What happens this time?

once finished you can eat the contents of your glasses....lovely

[paul.fr]

Ever wondered, or been asked how a thermos flask works?

Ok, this is not so much an experiment, as a how to make...but you can use it to experiment with!

What you need

Two clear jars with screw on lids, one big enough for the other to sit inside.
A cork
Kitchen foil
Sticky tape


What you do

Wrap and tape securely two layers of the kitchen foli around the smaller jar, with the shiny side facing inwards. Pour some warm water in to the jar and screw the lid on.

Put the cork in the bottom of the larger jar, and stand the smaller jar on top of it and screw the lid on. You now have your own home made thermos flask.


Your turn Neil  [], come on Karen, you must have something to contribute. No matter how big or small, let us in on the things you do with the kiddies.

[paul.fr]

Clouds


What you need

a clear two liter drink bottle with its lid
water
paper
a match or lighter


What you do

Remove the label/s from the bottle.

Standing the empty bottle upright, put about 1 inch of water in it. Screw the lid on and give it a good shake.

Cut a long thin strip of paper. thin enough so that it easily fits into the mouth of the bottle. Remove the lid from the bottleand carefully use the match or lighter to set the end of the paper strip on fire.

Give it a second to burn and then blow out the flame. When it is out you will see smoke rising from the burned paper.

Quickly stick the end of the paper into the bottle, so that a little smoke gets inside. Remove the paper and screw the lid on to the bottle.

Quickly out the burning paper and  squeeze the bottle very hard and quickly release it.

What do you see?

Now squeeze the bottle hard again, this time squeeze and release a couple of times in quick sucsesion.

Now what do you see

Repeat the squeezing and releasing until you get bored!

[ROBERT]

If you place a cup of black coffee close to your washing machine
while it is spin-drying you will see a series of patterns like this one.

Use cold coffee to avoid burns.
Only fill the cup 2/3rds full, not to the brim as shown here, to avoid spillage.
You may need to hold the cup down, or fix it with blue-tak, to stop it moving.

[paul.fr]

Nice pretty patterns, thanks Robert.

here is one for you to do with the kiddies at school, Karen.

Pretty mushroom pictures

What you need

A large mushroom
A black piece of card, bigger than the mushroom
A bowl, big enough to span the mushroom

What you do

Cut off the stalk, and put the mushroom face down on the centre of the card. Cover with the bowl and leave for a few days.
Note: some mushroon spores are not white, so you may need to use a different coloured piece of card depending on the colour of your mushrrom spores.