Needle Through A Ballon

Have you ever seen someone pop a balloon with a needle? Is it possible to stick a needle through a balloon without popping it?

You will need the following materials:

• balloons
• long wooden or metal skewers
• petroleum jelly
• a sharp pin
• cellophane tape

The Fire Proof Balloon

Balloons are rather fragile things. You know that they must be kept away from sharp objects. The also need to be kept away from flames. A fire can weaken the rubber and cause it to burst. However, in this experiment you will find out how you can hold a balloon directly in a flame without breaking the balloon.

For this experiment you will need:

• two round balloons, not inflated
• several matches
• water

Making Things Glow In Dark

Have you ever wondered what makes certain things glow under black lights?
For this experiment you will need:

• a black light
• petroleum jelly
• a piece of paper

Experiment with Bernoulli`s Principle

Have you ever said of someone who was talking too much, “He’s just an old windbag”? Actually, windbags can be fun (think balloons), and they allow us to learn about an important property of moving air called Bernoulli's Principle.

Bouncing Balloon
For this experiment you will need:
• an electric hair dryer with circular nozzle
• a balloon
• a table tennis ball
First, blow up the balloon and tie off the end. Hold the balloon out at arm’s length and let go of it. Does it stay there, or drop?

Build An Electric Motor

How does a motor change electrical energy into motion? An electric current produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field can be attracted to or repelled by a permanent magnet. This attraction or repulsion can cause movement in a wire that carries an electric current.

You will need the following materials:

         1 meter (3 feet) of 22-gauge or 24-gauge solid-core insulated wire
                  e.g. Radio Shack catalog # 278-1215
         2 disk magnets
                  e.g. Radio Shack Catalog # 64-1888
         2 insulated test cables with a clip on each end
                  e.g. Radio Shack catalog # 278-1157
                  (2 pieces of above insulated wire can also be used)
         a plastic cup
         two large rubber bands
         two jumbo size (2-inch) paper clips
         D-cell battery
         wire strippers
         waterproof marking pen
         optional holder for D-cell
                  e.g. Radio Shack catalog # 270-403

Layerd Liquids Experiment

Have you ever heard the phrase "oil and water don’t mix"? First we will test that expression, then look at interesting combinations of several other liquids.

Oil and Water
You will need the following materials:
• ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• a small glass
• food coloring
First pour the water into the glass. Add a couple of drops of food coloring and mix. Next add the oil. What do you see? Which layer is on top?

Dancing Raisins Experiment

Carbon dioxide gas dissolved in soft drinks gives them their fizz. You can use the carbon dioxide fizz from a soft drink to make raisins dance.
For this experiment you will need:

• a can of colorless soda (e.g., 7-Up or Sprite)
• a tall, clear glass or plastic cup
• several raisins (fresh raisins work the best)

Chemiluminescene - Cool Light

Many chemical reactions produce both light and heat. A burning candle is such a reaction. When a candle is lit, its flame both glows and becomes hot. It is much less common for a chemical reaction to produce light without heat. The light from such reactions is called cool light, because it is created without heat. Reactions that produce light without heat are called chemiluminescent reactions. Perhaps the most familiar chemiluminescent reactions are those that occur in living organisms. Fireflies produce light without heat by a chemiluminescent reaction. Chemiluminescent reactions that occur in living organisms are called bioluminescent reactions.

Floating soap bubbles

Nearly everyone has enjoyed playing with soap bubbles. These fragile spheres of soap film filled with air are both beautiful and captivating. However, few people have observed them closely or at length, because soap bubbles are fragile and very light. When you blow soap bubbles out of doors, the slightest breeze carries them away. If you blow them indoors in still air, the bubbles soon settle onto a surface and break. However, because they are very light, soap bubbles will float on a gas that is only slightly more dense than the air that fills them. Such a gas is carbon dioxide. When soap bubbles settle into a container of carbon dioxide, the bubbles float on the carbon dioxide and can be examined closely. Under this close examination, soap bubbles reveal many properties that are not otherwise easily seen.
To float soap bubbles, you will need the following materials:

Solid or Liquid

Plastics are all around us. There are many different kinds, with a wide range of properties. Some are hard, others are soft. Some are transparent, others are opaque. Most plastics are made in factories, but here’s one you can make at home.

For this experiment you will need:

• 1 teaspoon (5 cm³) laundry borax
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) white glue (e.g., Elmer's Glue-All)
• food coloring (optional)
• two cups
• spoon
• water