Density is the amount of substance (mass) within the volume occupied by the object. If two cups have the same amount of water (i.e. same volume), the one with more sugar is denser than the one with less sugar. Buoyancy is determined by relative density. The solution with less density floats above the solution with…
How Are Ocean Currents Formed Ocean currents are formed in several ways. They can be created by wind, by gravity, by events such as earthquakes. They can also be made by density differences in the water. Density in the water changes when temperature or salinity varies. In this experiment, we will investigate how temperature can affect…
The idea of creating something beautiful and unique out of ordinary materials is a lot like magic. One great example of this is growing your own crystals. And you can grow them into a rainbow. All you need to do it is a little bit of time, patience, and a few basic supplies. This crystal…
Electricity is all around us. We use electricity everywhere in our daily lives. We use it to light our rooms, run our TVs, power our phones, and charge our laptops. Do you know how electricity is brought to our homes? And do you know why flipping a switch can turn on or off the light?…
Electrical devices such as refrigerator, television and vacuum cleaners require electricity to operate. Do you know how electricity is created? And how do batteries operate a motor? Electricity is created using magnetic field. If you have a strong magnet and a battery, you can make a simple homemade motor. Try this very cool experiment. And…
Science is all around us. Oftentimes, we apply the principles of physics, chemistry or biology without even knowing. We can all be scientists and we are by observing and studying carefully what happens around us. Baking is a good example. Kids love baking and playing with the dough. Making bread with kids is full of teaching…
Air can exert pressure on other objects. That force is called the air pressure. After shaking a soda can and open it, the soda explodes. That’s air pressure at work. But you don’t have to use a can of soda to see how air pressure works. There are other, less messy ways. In this air…
In this experiment, we first see an acid-base reaction. Eggshells contain calcium carbonate which is a base while vinegar contains acetic acid. When you submerge an egg in vinegar, an acid-base reaction causes the calcium carbonate to break down into their calcium and carbonate parts. The calcium ions (as in calcium acetate) stay dissolved in…
Even though there is a severe drought in the area where we live, thunderstorms are still a common spring occurrence. I have shown my kid how rain was created before. Now she’s curious how thunderstorms form and what causes them. So what is a thunderstorm? A thunderstorms is a storm with lightnings and thunders. What causes…
Playing with an air canon is always fun. You can use it to propel little tissue balls with it You can also have a race to see who can make the balls fly the farthest. You can also make a smoke ring with it. Air canon moves the air. It’s normally hard to see how…
Have you noticed that things look a little funny when you see them through a glass of water? Some of the aberrations are caused by the imperfection in the glass production. But there is more to it. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one transparent medium into another​1​. This bending by…
Have you ever wondered why the string of roller coaster cars is pulled up to the crest of the tallest point on the roller coaster before rolling downhill to the loop? Why do the cars not fall off even when they are upside down inside the loop? The roller coaster is a great demonstration of the law…