Cultivating Mad Science
December 3, 2005 1:25 PM Subscribe
Cultivating mad scientists?
Say you want to put together a chemistry set for a 9 year old... what could you put in there that wouldn't freak out the parents or poison the 4 year old sister?
I'm looking for fun and showy "experiments" to do.
Say you want to put together a chemistry set for a 9 year old... what could you put in there that wouldn't freak out the parents or poison the 4 year old sister?
I'm looking for fun and showy "experiments" to do.
Dont know if it is any good... But About.com has a newsletter with chemistry activities for kids.
Creative Chemistry
You could find some projects online and include the necessary items in the kit along with the printouts of the projects.
This is a fun idea. When I was a kid I had a kit but was clueless because I didnt have any idea what to with all the chemicals.
posted by nimsey lou at 1:51 PM on December 3, 2005
Creative Chemistry
You could find some projects online and include the necessary items in the kit along with the printouts of the projects.
This is a fun idea. When I was a kid I had a kit but was clueless because I didnt have any idea what to with all the chemicals.
posted by nimsey lou at 1:51 PM on December 3, 2005
Put a glass of water next to a window, watch it evaporate over a couple days. Sounds dumb because it is, but I distinctly remember being pissed off when someone stole my water only for my mom to explain that it magically disappears. 9 year olds might already understand this though.
posted by pwally at 2:16 PM on December 3, 2005
posted by pwally at 2:16 PM on December 3, 2005
When I was a child I had a shop-bought chemistry set. If I'd ingested everything in the box it wouldn't have been very good for me, but I only did experiments under the supervision of my parents or grandfather (a chemist). The set contained small quantities of various substances, basic equipment (including safety goggles!) and a little book detailing the methods and chemistry behind a number of simple experiments.
Looks like similar things are still available.
posted by Lotto at 3:01 PM on December 3, 2005
Looks like similar things are still available.
posted by Lotto at 3:01 PM on December 3, 2005
Get them a pocket spectroscope and a copy of Oliver Sacks' Uncle Tungsten. I'm more of a physics person myself, but that is an amazing book.
posted by phrontist at 3:02 PM on December 3, 2005
posted by phrontist at 3:02 PM on December 3, 2005
Grow crystals. Basic chemistry. Experiment with magnets.
I have an 8 year old mad scientist myself. He is still in the "how, what, where, what" stage and I hope he stays that way. He doesn't consider himself to be a scientist really, he want to grow up to be a fireman. What is such a joy for both of us is that absolutely everything around us can be explored and explained with science.
Because of that, we touch on every scientific subject; biology, chemistry, astronomy physics and what ever. I'm no scientist myself though, as can be seen by some of my very elementary questions here on AskMe.
So ask away with specifics, there are many scientists here who love to help even with "dumb" questions.
posted by snsranch at 3:09 PM on December 3, 2005
I have an 8 year old mad scientist myself. He is still in the "how, what, where, what" stage and I hope he stays that way. He doesn't consider himself to be a scientist really, he want to grow up to be a fireman. What is such a joy for both of us is that absolutely everything around us can be explored and explained with science.
Because of that, we touch on every scientific subject; biology, chemistry, astronomy physics and what ever. I'm no scientist myself though, as can be seen by some of my very elementary questions here on AskMe.
So ask away with specifics, there are many scientists here who love to help even with "dumb" questions.
posted by snsranch at 3:09 PM on December 3, 2005
Not necessaarily chemistry but Science Toys - sure they're trying to sell you stuff - has some interesting demos.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:15 PM on December 3, 2005
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:15 PM on December 3, 2005
I'll see your baking soda and vinegar and raise you mentos and coke
posted by Eamon at 6:48 PM on December 3, 2005
posted by Eamon at 6:48 PM on December 3, 2005
Also not chemistry but when I was a her age (30 years ago) my dad would often come back from business trips with these kits that would teach you, at a very basic/kid level how things like motors and lighting circuits and magnets and pumps worked by having you actually build them (as in, actually winding the coils of the motor -- you'd end up with something sloppy but it worked and you made it!)
Like I said they were geared towards kids and didn't need much adult-level assistance. I'll be danged if I can remember who made them but it seems like the kind of thing they would stock at a science museum gift shop or maybe the Discovery store.
When I was a little older my parents put together a chemistry set for me; they talked to one of the chem teachers at the local middle school for suggestions; you may want to go that route.
Also, let me take this opportunity to get in a plug for the kewlest store in the world: American Science and Surplus. They have tons of wicked great sciencey doodads, gadgets and junk, and although their selection of chemicals is generally low to nil they usually have good deals on lab glassware and that kind of stuff. I don't have any connection with them; this plug is because they rock. Hard.
Have a blast shopping!
posted by Opposite George at 6:54 PM on December 3, 2005
Like I said they were geared towards kids and didn't need much adult-level assistance. I'll be danged if I can remember who made them but it seems like the kind of thing they would stock at a science museum gift shop or maybe the Discovery store.
When I was a little older my parents put together a chemistry set for me; they talked to one of the chem teachers at the local middle school for suggestions; you may want to go that route.
Also, let me take this opportunity to get in a plug for the kewlest store in the world: American Science and Surplus. They have tons of wicked great sciencey doodads, gadgets and junk, and although their selection of chemicals is generally low to nil they usually have good deals on lab glassware and that kind of stuff. I don't have any connection with them; this plug is because they rock. Hard.
Have a blast shopping!
posted by Opposite George at 6:54 PM on December 3, 2005
Some simple experiments with stuff from the kitchen and explanation suited for 8 year olds. These come from some science-for-kids info things I have at home, but they're mostly outdated, not in English, or messy.
Dancing Raisins (reaction between an acid and base)
-Fill a glass about halfway with water
-add 1/2 table spoon baking powder
-stir well
-add 3 tablespoons vinegar
-add some raisins
-wait, and watch raisins dance!
Explanation: acid (vinegar) and base (baking powder) react with each other. Here they form bubbles, just like bubbles in pop/soda. The gas bubbles attach to raisins, lifting them up.
(If it doesn't work: add more baking powder or vinegar)
Why do you need soap to wash the dishes?
-Put some water in deep plate or dish
-Put a push pin (thumb tack) upside down (floating on it's back with the pin sticking up) on the surface of the water. (Make sure it floats and is not touching the bottom.)
-Add 1 drop of dish washing detergent
-Watch what happens to the thumb tack (it sinks)
-Take another dish (new, clean) and fill that with water too
-sprinkle pepper on the surface. Make sure you can clearly see the black pepper dots all over the surface.
-Again, add a drop of dish washing detergent.
-Watch what happens (the pepper will rush away from the drop of dish washing soap, to the edge, and eventually sink)
Explanation: Water has surface tension: the water molecules at the surface are arranged neatly, forming what seems like a very thin layer on which you can rest the thumb tack or pepper. Some insects can also walk on water like this. But this also makes water alone very hard to clean up with. Soap breaks the "layer", which allows the dirt to dissolve (and the pepper and pin to sink)
(You can also use a paperclip instead of thumb tack, but sometimes they sink by themselves if you don't put it on the surface carefully enough.)
And I should probably plug this organisation I've volunteered with. Their website has a long list of experiments to do with kids of different ages. Select age, type of activity, and setting (home, school or outdoors)
posted by easternblot at 8:21 PM on December 3, 2005
Dancing Raisins (reaction between an acid and base)
-Fill a glass about halfway with water
-add 1/2 table spoon baking powder
-stir well
-add 3 tablespoons vinegar
-add some raisins
-wait, and watch raisins dance!
Explanation: acid (vinegar) and base (baking powder) react with each other. Here they form bubbles, just like bubbles in pop/soda. The gas bubbles attach to raisins, lifting them up.
(If it doesn't work: add more baking powder or vinegar)
Why do you need soap to wash the dishes?
-Put some water in deep plate or dish
-Put a push pin (thumb tack) upside down (floating on it's back with the pin sticking up) on the surface of the water. (Make sure it floats and is not touching the bottom.)
-Add 1 drop of dish washing detergent
-Watch what happens to the thumb tack (it sinks)
-Take another dish (new, clean) and fill that with water too
-sprinkle pepper on the surface. Make sure you can clearly see the black pepper dots all over the surface.
-Again, add a drop of dish washing detergent.
-Watch what happens (the pepper will rush away from the drop of dish washing soap, to the edge, and eventually sink)
Explanation: Water has surface tension: the water molecules at the surface are arranged neatly, forming what seems like a very thin layer on which you can rest the thumb tack or pepper. Some insects can also walk on water like this. But this also makes water alone very hard to clean up with. Soap breaks the "layer", which allows the dirt to dissolve (and the pepper and pin to sink)
(You can also use a paperclip instead of thumb tack, but sometimes they sink by themselves if you don't put it on the surface carefully enough.)
And I should probably plug this organisation I've volunteered with. Their website has a long list of experiments to do with kids of different ages. Select age, type of activity, and setting (home, school or outdoors)
posted by easternblot at 8:21 PM on December 3, 2005
Response by poster: Great ideas! I'm really glad I posted this. Thank you!
posted by small_ruminant at 12:35 AM on December 4, 2005
posted by small_ruminant at 12:35 AM on December 4, 2005
Response by poster: Opposite George, that is a seriously excellent site. Thank you!
posted by small_ruminant at 12:38 AM on December 4, 2005
posted by small_ruminant at 12:38 AM on December 4, 2005
Paper chromatography. You can separate chlorophyll out of mashed up grass, the makeup of different inks, etc. You can try different paper, bounty paper towels migh be good. Try water and mixtures of water and rubbing alchol for a solvent. Some sharpies have a mix of several different colors to make one pen. I've heard it was invented bya guy who spilled a drink on a letter and saw the black ink separate into different colors.
posted by 445supermag at 11:26 AM on December 4, 2005
posted by 445supermag at 11:26 AM on December 4, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rothko at 1:26 PM on December 3, 2005