We inherit many things from our parents, but are fingerprints among them? All you will need to find out is: an inkpad, white paper, a magnifying glass and a family member. Make sure the index finger on the teen and family member is clean and dry then roll the index finger in the ink then onto the white paper. Repeat with the family member you have chosen then take the magnifying glass and have a look. Each fingerprint should be characterized as a whorl, arch, or loop pattern but fingerprints should not be the same as they are unique to each person.
Fossils tell us about life from a long time ago. To create a homemade 'fossil', get some clay and kneed it into a shape like a pancake. Gather old shells, leaves or bones and press your chosen item into the clay. Remove the object and fill the gap with PVA glue. Let it dry overnight, and then in the morning peel the glue out of the clay. You should be left with a fossil print. This experiment teaches how fossils are formed because the glue acts as the rock that rests on natural objects, preserving their shapes for millions of years.
This experiment teaches teens about liquid density. To start, gather clear glasses, honey, dishwashing liquid, water, vegetable oil, water, alcohol (rubbing alcohol will work best but gin or vodka etc. will be suitable) and food coloring. Start by pouring the honey into the glass. Next, tip the glass slightly and pour the same amount of dishwashing liquid in. In separate glasses, mix a couple of drops of food coloring with water and a couple of drops of food coloring with the alcohol. Gently pour these mixtures in one by one and note what happens to them in terms of floating or sinking. Your results should show that the thickness or viscosity of each liquid will determine the position it has in the glass.
This experiment demonstrates the importance of air pressure. Start by hard-boiling an egg and allowing it to cool over 15 to 20 minutes. Next, rest the slimmer end of the egg in the neck of a glass bottle. Shape a small piece of paper into a ball. Remove the egg from the neck of the bottle, pick the paper ball up with tweezers and light it. Drop the lit ball into the bottle and quickly put the egg back in its original place. The egg should get sucked into the bottle because the pressure outside the jar is much greater than the pressure inside.