If you have ever been driving in a car when the fog has rolled in, then you know how thick it can get, maybe even a little scary. Here is a very simple home school experiment that recreates fog in the kitchen. A bottle with a long neck, some hot tap water and a few ice cubes are needed.
The first step is to fill the bottle about half way with the hot water. Let it sit for a few minutes and then pour off most of the water, leaving about an inch in the bottom of the bottle. Now stick an ice cube in the top of the bottle, it should block the opening in the neck. Wait a few minutes and the fog will form between the ice cube and the surface of the water. Discuss what was observed.
The world is full of many different kinds of crystals and most of the time we are not even aware of their presence. Grow your own crystals and enjoy eating them when the lesson is done. First, get these supplies: a pitcher of water, a small saucepan, a piece of string, a pencil, ¾ cup of sugar, a measuring cup and a tall glass.
Add about 12 ounces of water to the small pan and boil it on the stove. Make sure children are supervised by an adult at all times during this process. When the water begins to boil, remove it from the stove and add the sugar. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Let the solution cool slightly and then pour into the glass. Make sure that the glass is able to withstand the heat before pouring in the liquid. Tie the string around the pencil and leave one end of it hanging so it is about the same length as the height of the container. Suspend the pencil across the container opening and submerge the string. Leave the container alone for a few days and the sugar crystals slowly grow on the string. How are crystals formed and what do they look like? Discuss these questions and any others that may arise.
How is putting an egg in a bottle a science project? It involves the work of science to get the egg in the bottle. The following are needed: a hard-boiled egg, a glass bottle with an opening just slightly smaller than the egg, a 3-inch square piece of newspaper and a match.
Begin the project by peeling the shell off the egg. Place the egg on the opening of the bottle to be sure that it does not fit through. Fold the piece of paper into a strip that fits through the mouth of the bottle. Strike the match and use it to light the piece of paper. Remove the egg from the top of the bottle and drop in the lit strip of paper. Before the fire goes out, set the egg back on the opening. Within a couple of seconds the egg squeezes through the opening and falls into the bottle. Why does the egg slide into the bottle? Do some research on air pressure and discuss the results of this amazing project.