Faraday @ Home Continuing Faraday from the "U" to the Youth

Recent attention has been brought to light in the United States regarding the lack of students pursuing STEM disciplines and degree programs. There is a considerable amount of research on the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education at an early onset age. With this is mind, in order to have a comprehensive approach to STEM education, science must be taken past the front doors of educational facilities and towards the homes of young students. The objective of the following compilation of experiments is to demonstrate the tangible nature of science, meaning that the first laboratory a child steps into can be their own kitchen. The University of Utah (otherwise known as the "U") participates in a science series known as the Faraday Lectures, this is a public set of lectures given during the holiday season in order to "educate and entertain audiences of all ages." With the attention the Faraday Lectures has captivated, it is possible to expand Faraday from the University level into that of a program titled, "Faraday@Home" where members of the audience, most notably children or parents thereof, can go home and conduct their own interesting and dynamic experiments. With multiple examples of "at home" experimentation for children, the differentiation of these experiments is their reliance on a noteworthy research institution as their access point. This collection consists of ten experiments, which range from Agricultural and Food Chemistry to Inorganic Chemistry to Geochemistry. They were determined by professionals in the educational field, both collegiate and secondary, to outline important topics in chemistry that can often be misconstrued from an early age all while providing interactive and sometimes taste-worthy measurements capable of being done in the kitchen in order to truly bring Faraday from the "U" to the youth

FARADAY@ HOME: CONTINUING FARADAY FROM THE “U” TO THE YOUTH By Anastasia S. Borodai A Senior Honors Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The University of Utah In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Degree in Bachelor of Science In Chemistry Approved: ______________________________ Thomas Richmond, PhD Thesis Faculty Supervisor _____________________________ Cynthia Burrows, PhD Chair, Department of Chemistry _______________________________ Thomas Richmond, PhD Honors Faculty Advisor _____________________________ Sylvia D. Torti, PhD Dean, Honors College May 2017 Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Recent attention has been brought to light in the United States regarding the lack of students pursuing STEM disciplines and degree programs. There is a considerable amount of research on the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education at an early onset age. With this is mind, in order to have a comprehensive approach to STEM education, science must be taken past the front doors of educational facilities and towards the homes of young students. The objective of the following compilation of experiments is to demonstrate the tangible nature of science, meaning that the first laboratory a child steps into can be their own kitchen. The University of Utah (otherwise known as the “U”) participates in a science series known as the Faraday Lectures, this is a public set of lectures given during the holiday season in order to “educate and entertain audiences of all ages.” With the attention the Faraday Lectures has captivated, it is possible to expand Faraday from the University level into that of a program titled, “Faraday@Home” where members of the audience, most notably children or parents thereof, can go home and conduct their own interesting and dynamic experiments. With multiple examples of “at home” experimentation for children, the differentiation of these experiments is their reliance on a noteworthy research institution as their access point. This collection consists of ten experiments, which range from Agricultural and Food Chemistry to Inorganic Chemistry to Geochemistry. They were determined by professionals in the educational field, both collegiate and secondary, to outline important topics in chemistry that can often be misconstrued from an early age all while providing ii interactive and sometimes taste-worthy measurements capable of being done in the kitchen in order to truly bring Faraday from the “U” to the youth. iii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Adolescent Education ..........................................................................................................2 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture Series .........................................................................4 The Faraday Lecture Series at the University of Utah .........................................................6 Faraday at Home ..................................................................................................................7 The Experiments ..................................................................................................................9 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................22 References ..........................................................................................................................24 Appendix ............................................................................................................................25 1 INTRODUCTION Recent attention has been brought to light in the United States regarding the lack of students pursuing STEM disciplines and degree programs. There is a considerable amount of research on the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education at an early onset age. Yet, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) places the United States lower in rank than most developed countries, in 2015 it was 38th in mathematics and 24th in science out of a comprehensive list of 71 nations ranging from Shanghai-China to Hungary to Israel. (1) The United States, once the top tier of science and education, has become average in assessments within the STEM fields. This does not mean the United States is falling behind, but rather that there is room for improvement. With this is mind, in order to have a comprehensive approach to STEM education, science must be taken past the front doors of educational facilities and towards the homes of young students. The objective of the following compilation of experiments is to demonstrate the tangible nature of science, meaning that the first laboratory a child steps into can be their own kitchen. The University of Utah (otherwise known as the “U”) has participated in a science series known as the Faraday Lectures, this is a public set of lectures given during the holiday season in order to “educate and entertain audiences of all ages” it has been ongoing for over thirty-five years and remains one of the most attended set of lectures on campus. (2) With the attention the Faraday Lectures has captivated, it is possible to expand Faraday from the University level into that of a program titled, “Faraday@ Home” where members of the audience, more notably children or parents thereof, can go home and conduct their own interesting and dynamic experiments. With multiple examples of “at 2 home” experimentation for children, the differentiation of these experiments is their reliance on a noteworthy research institution as their access point. Aside from participation in the Science Fair, science is not present in homes unless made necessary as part of an assignment graded by a teacher. As such, it falls on parents to introduce science into the home. With such sources as do-it-yourself blogs, science websites geared towards children, and the like, parents must wade through experiments in order to determine what is possible to do at home. Often the demonstrations seem daunting or far from hands-on resulting in school being the primary educator when it comes to the STEM fields. However, with the introduction of “Faraday at Home” at the Faraday Lecture series, both parents and students can know of a reliable source where experiments that have been carefully selected. This collection consists of ten experiments, which range from Agricultural and Food Chemistry to Inorganic Chemistry to Geochemistry, each outlining a relevant field of chemistry as a guide for young scientists lest they want to explore further that particular field. The experiments were determined by professionals in the educational field, both collegiate and secondary, to outline important topics in chemistry that can often be misconstrued from an early age all while providing interactive and sometimes taste-worthy measurements capable of being done in the kitchen in order to truly bring Faraday from the “U” to the youth. ADOLESCENT EDUCATION Science is one of the fundamental pillars of education. It is an all-encompassing subject present in every aspect of society. As science research continues to escalate, it is becoming increasingly important that the average citizen is able to grapple with the topics 3 of science every day. Most citizens are not equipped to tackle science policy (3) and it is possible that public science education is where the relations between average citizens and science becomes strained. From the complexities of the classroom to the woes of science fair, adolescent education in science become an arduous topic. Public science education begins in earnest at the adolescent level which faces many complex challenges in the classroom which can be summarized in these major groups; 1) How children view the world and how this influences their learning of science; 2) Understanding how language influences the construction of knowledge; 3) Roles a science teacher plays; 4) Teaching models and their overall effectiveness. (4) However, when considering the Faraday program the complexities don’t change for the child in the areas of language and perception, rather the teacher’s role becomes obsolete because the child is their own teacher when attempting the experiments. New challenges that need to be considered include access to information, reliability of said information, and the connection of experiments to the science curriculum in the state of Utah. The National Science Education Standards have been developed to spell out a vision of science literacy in the 21st century. (5) These standards stress the importance of logical, hands-on problem solving. This suggests that a hands-on approach to teaching children can facilitate children’s construction of knowledge. Teachers have many tools to help them do science demonstrations in the classroom, but this emphasizes schools as the primary source of science information. Students are asked to do assignments and get grades based on their memorization or understanding of scientific concepts. Simply being able to explore science is ignored because teachers are focusing only what will be on state tests. The program, “Faraday@ Home”, could help explore science at home without 4 the pressures of success or particular grades while still fulfilling an element of teaching by focusing on demonstrations laterally in line with what they are being taught in school. With the suggestion of science being unrepresented at home, many critics mention that Science Fair fulfills both hands-on learning and science being present at home. Though this is maybe partially true, the science fair is often largely unsuccessful. This is because science fair is a stressful endeavor for both students and parents. For students, the pressures of science fair stem from creating a brand new experiment from scratch, the confusion of what a testable hypothesis is, and slogging through literature that they may not understand. Students that tend to like science fair are those that are already interested in science it does nothing to bring students that have ambivalent feelings about science into the fold. Whereas for parents, there is undue turmoil from having to help with an experiment or a board presentation. With all of the stress Science Fair is able to cause, it is simply not enough to encourage students to understand that science is all around them. The “Faraday at Home” program will never replace science fair, but it can inspire students to do science outside of school without the pressures of a grade and with the added benefit of online access with information from a research institution. ROYAL INSTITUTION CHRISTMAS LECTURE SERIES Michael Faraday is a well-known name in the field of science, known for his discoveries in electromagnetic induction, electro-magnetic rotations, the magneto-optical effect, diamagnetism and field theory, (6) he remains a name discussed in many Chemistry and Physics lectures to this day. However, one of his lesser known prized 5 accomplishments is a series of lectures given to audiences of all ages, which to this day remains relevant. Started by the famous Faraday was a series of Christmas Lectures each with a particular subject in mind. The Christmas Lecture series began at The Royal Institution of Great Britain as a way to convey scientific concepts to a general audience in an informative and entertaining manner when science education was scarce. The lectures varied greatly, but as a whole focused on teaching youth during their holiday breaks. Initially, a lecture series was given in the afternoons from the Royal Institution as early as 1800 for adults to attend, but it quickly became evident that in a time when education for youth was scarce, the series could inspire in children an interest in science. (7) As director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain between 1825 and 1867, Faraday enhanced the reputation of the institution as not only a research center, but also as a center of education for everyone of all ages. He gave his last Christmas Lecture in 1860 on “The Chemical History of the Candle” and later published the lecture as a book which has never been out of print. (8) To this day, the Christmas Lecture Series, also known as, “The Faraday Lecture Series” goes on. The series has been a long standing tradition for almost two hundred years, it has continued on an annual basis every year except during the years of World War II. (9) When television became an icon of the modern world, the series began to be recorded and shown on television for those who could not attend. The latest series hosted in 2016 by the Royal Institution was, “Supercharged: Fueling the Future.” (10) It was available online and as such continues the custom of teaching during holiday break for audiences of all ages. 6 Stemming from the Christmas Lecture series, other institutions have taken up the torch and began their own series during holiday breaks all geared towards being an engaging and fun forum for children to learn about science. Harvard’s Jon A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences started their series in 2002, (11) the University of Wisconsin’s Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri has been doing a holiday series since 1970.(12) Other institutions such as the University of Warwick (13), and Rockefeller University (14) also participate annually with their own spectacle. THE FARADAY LECTURE SERIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH Since 1980, the University of Utah has been presenting its own “Faraday Lectures” during the holiday season in homage to the tradition started at the Royal Institution one hundred and fifty-five years prior. Professor Ron Ragsdale and Jerry Driscoll began “perhaps the most anticipated and well attended lecture series on campus.” After 24 years, both professors “retired” themselves from the exhausting nature of the demonstrations and passed along the torch to Dr. Peter B. Armentrout and Dr. Chuck Wight as the “New Faraday Lectures”. Today the lectures are presented by Dr. Janis Louie and Dr. Thomas Richmond, (15) continuing to ignite the enthusiasm of science for audiences of all ages in person, online, and on local channels when show annually on the Utah Education Network. With sold out lectures attended every holiday season, scout groups, student groups, and families are all present to watch the exciting lecture series. During the demonstrations there are many happy and awed faces taking in how outstanding science can be. Due to the high attendance and the identity of the audience, the Faraday Lecture 7 series presents an opportunity to push science past the doors of learning institutions into the homes of future scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. FARADAY@HOME With the help of the Faraday Lecture Series, the University of Utah Chemistry Department has shown children and families just how exciting science, more specifically, chemistry can be. When walking with a young boy and his father to one of these series, I overheard the young boy say, “I hope I don’t get bored. If this is boring it’s your fault Dad.” When I saw this same boy after the lecture series he was enthralled in the night’s event and was excited as he peppered me with questions as to how certain experiments were able to take place. Many children go home from these lecture series hoping to learn more about science from their teachers, but there is a distinct idea that science only occurs at school. Outside the doors of an educational setting, where even the Faraday Lecture Series take place, there is world of science supported by stay-at-home mothers and do-it-yourself science blogs. However, aside from the annual science fair, science and STEM as important as they are, do not find themselves in the home often. Continuing Faraday from the “U” to the youth would take science past the front doors of educational facilities and towards the homes of young students. The initial collection to be used for “Faraday@ Home” consists of ten experiments, with topics ranging from Agricultural and Food Chemistry to Inorganic Chemistry to Geochemistry. Primarily these experiments were chosen because of their ability to outline important topics in chemistry that can often be misconstrued from an early age as determined by professionals in the educational field, both collegiate and secondary. These exercises could be altered or changed in multiple ways so that students 8 can test what would affect their experimentation and address aspects of the scientific method. Additionally the experiments were chosen based on their supplies and whether or not they could be readily found in a home as well as be done safely in a home setting. Only a few experiments would require going to find supplies when not available in a local grocery store or would require additional parental guidance. Once these two objectives were met, it was important for the experiments to demonstrate the diversity of Chemistry by classifying each as a particular field or fields in chemistry so that if students grew exceedingly interested in one type of experiment they could learn more about the field that the science they did applies to. However, having the experiments chosen would not make the experiments accessible or worthwhile without the connection to a system of higher education that is renowned for its sciences. With multiple examples of “at home” experimentation for children, the differentiation of these experiments from science websites or science blogs is their reliance on a noteworthy research institution as their access point. The University of Utah has established itself in the Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Valley, and Utah communities as an institution of higher learning, however it also plays the role of an R1 research institution as a part of the PAC-12 where it competes academically with other critical research institutions. Through the Faraday Lecture Series, the university is able to captivate audiences in a setting that is more distinguished. Using this is a stepping stone, the Faraday@ Home experiments can be based on a website fundamentally established by the Chemistry Department at the University of Utah. This would be a public site accessible to multiple communities that could be viewed as a viable source due to the university’s credibility. The Faraday Lecture Series could prove an excellent time to 9 unveil this option for parents and children alike to take science home and make their kitchen a laboratory. THE EXPERIMENTS Experiment Ice Cream Invisible Ink Crystal Geodes Elephant Toothpaste Saturation Part 1: Salt Water Saturation Part 2: Rock Candy Mircoplastics Colored Flames Strawberry DNA Exploding Lunch Bag Field of Chemistry Agricultural and Food Chemistry Organic Chemistry Forensic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Dyes, Pigment, and Ink Geochemistry Inorganic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Inorganic & Organic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Inorganic & Organic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Inorganic & Organic Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Inorganic & Organic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Biological Chemistry Inorganic & Organic Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Appendix # 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 24 27 Each experiment was chosen because it fulfilled an area that could be misconstrued in chemistry, could be altered to address the scientific method, was accessible, and demonstrated the diversity of Chemistry. Before each experiment draft are how each of these experiments fulfilled these variables as well as additional safety concerns for parents and children. 10 EXPERIMENT #1 ICE CREAM In choosing this experiment it was important to consider an area of science that children can see at work at home. This experiment at a mundane level can discuss the difference between solids and liquids, but at another more important level, this experiment discusses freezing point depression. Every winter, the state of Utah gets an impressive amount of snow and as any child knows, when snow is cleared salt is applied to roadways. However, if asked why salt is applied, many children would state that salt helps ice melt which is not correct and in explaining salt and water interactions many students can get lost. In order to help students comprehend salt and water interactions and how they affect ice formation they can both physically see and feel the result of these actions when making ice-cream. The ice-cream mixture is placed in a smaller bag which is then placed into a bag which contains salt and ice, they then shake the bags and eventually the liquid mixture of ice-cream becomes ice-cream as we know. This process addresses freezing point and how salts help to lower the freezing point for water, fighting the misconception that water cannot go below 0℃. Just like the salt tossed on roadways, students get the chance to change the properties of water in their bag to make ice-cream. If students add more salt they can feel how the ice feels colder which allows this experiment to be altered to understand cause and effect. Between the feeling of the temperature drop and the solidifying of ice-cream students can learn about a common phenomenon in their home state and get a treat while learning about Agricultural/Food chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Additionally the ice-cream experiment is very accessible because all materials can be found in a local grocery store or even just sitting in a child’s kitchen. This was an 11 important notion considered when choosing this experiment, knowing that science can be as simple as mixing ingredients in their kitchen the progression of science outside of educational facilities is fulfilled. Moreover, this experiment, though messy, is very safe and can be done under minimal parental guidance making it accessible not only to children but to parents that may not have the time to do more complicated experiments addressed further. As mentioned previously, many variations of these experiments can already be found and as such a primary source of Discovery Education (16) was used, however this was used a fundamental draft of the experiment whereas the editing and informational purpose of the experiment was applied separately (i.e. answering questions that may arise during the experiment, how to alter the experiment). EXPERIMENT #2 INVISIBLE INK The Invisible Ink experiment focuses on the differences between acids and bases which are fundamental concept in chemistry, but it also addresses the concept of oxidation which children can see occurring if they cut an apple and let it sit on the counter. Being a common instance that children can see occurring in their kitchen, this experiment is a good fundamental introduction to chemistry with the fun of using covert tactics. In defining acids versus bases, children may not understand the concept of protons or hydroxide ions therefore, using lemon juice as a definition of an acid children can understand that acids if tasted tend to be sour. Once this idea is established, children can create their secret message using lemon juice. However, it’s not secret for long once oxidation occurs. Oxidation when taught in a chemistry course discusses the movement of electrons, but without the concept of electrons, the process of heat breaking down 12 compounds in citrus juices allows the colorless message to be seen as carbon comes into contact with air allowing for a physical view of oxidation. Being a physical representation of oxidation and acids, this experiment exemplifies many important fields in chemistry such as Forensic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Dyes, Pigment, and Ink. Moreover, Invisible Ink can be easily done at home in the kitchen with most parent guidance focused on heating and allowing the lemon juice to oxidize. Due to its quick nature, physical changes, and simple concepts this experiment is easy and very informative. Two sources were combined for this experiment, one was more effective in detailing the experimental procedure (17) whereas the other was more effective at explaining the science. (18) Combining the two brought the useful portions of both sources together to make one cohesive experiment. EXPERIMENT #3 CRYSTAL GEODES As addressed in Utah’s core curriculum in science, 4th grade students are expected to learn about rocks and minerals. Many characteristics and nuances in the study of rocks and minerals such as their development is usually represented in a paper demonstration usually involving classification. An example given by UEN (Utah Education Network) the most popular lesson plan is described accordingly, “They sort and identify 9 minerals based on their characteristics. After learning the differences between sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks; students classify 12 common rocks found in Utah. Students learn uses for these common rocks and look at pictures of their formations found 13 in Utah. Finally, students learn about the rock cycle and understand how rocks can change over time.” (19) With this subject students can go outside and classify rocks and minerals using basic characteristics however they lose the importance of how much science goes into a standard rock or crystal. Geology is more than classification and this experiment illustrates the formation in a hands on approach geared towards children of all ages. This experiment, though able to be done in a classroom is often not, as such there is room for 4th grade science to be taken home and performed. In this experiment, students will artificially make a geode that when made naturally involves a sedimentation process and extended period of time. Time and cooling being important factors in this experiment, can be changed to affect crystallization allowing students to connect back to their classroom learning to understand how time and cooling can affect rocks and minerals. If students continue to be interested in the experiment, they can learn more about the fields of Geochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. It should be noted this experiment does have a slight lack of appeal because the main ingredient for the crystallization process to occur is Alum Powder (Potassium Aluminum Sulfate) however this ingredient can be found in local stores and though a harder find than the ingredients for ice-cream it can also be found online. Aside from the needed ingredients, this experiment is fairly straightforward, guardian supervision is required because of the use of raw materials and the need for boiling water. This would require more supervision than previous experiments, however this experiment can be done by a wide range of ages making it a project to give to all. 14 This experiment was compiled from multiple experiments, one was heavily focused on the development of geodes naturally (20), another was focused on just making the egg geodes (21), and another was important in discussing how the scientific method could be used in order to determine how cooling rates affect geode formation.(22) Each experiment focused on different aspects in the experiment, by combining the three students can get a proper background before an experiment and then further understand how their experiment can be altered. EXPERIMENT #4 ELEPHANT TOOTHPASTE When a child gets hurt a typical product found in a standard medicine cabinet is hydrogen peroxide and when it is applied to a cut children can see their cut bubble. To understand the chemistry of not only their body, but that hydrogen peroxide that their parents used, students can perform the Elephant Toothpaste experiment. Furthermore, this experiment covers decomposition, exothermic reactions, and catalysis both of which cover a wide range of chemistry from Physical Chemistry, to Analytical Chemistry, to both Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. The importance of this experiment stems from its use of a common household product and how it parallels to the process of a fruit appearing rotten from decomposition which is another thing children can view happening in their household. This overlap of ideas makes science very accessible in the household because it reinforces the idea that science can be found everywhere. Though this experiment requires more parental guidance than the other experiments and it can be messier it is an experiment exciting to children of all ages. For older children the idea of catalysis pushes the scientific method to understand what 15 temperature activates yeast. For younger children it would be entertaining to understand what an exothermic reaction is feeling the heat come off from the decomposition. There are many different ways to do this experiment with different catalysts. However, because this experiment is focused on items that can be found in a household many options for catalysts had to be thrown out. There were two particular experiments that used yeast as the catalyst in the reaction, one was a lengthier and more complex understanding of the experiment (23) whereas the other was a more simplified version without any science being acknowledged. (24) In order to make the experiment easy to follow and still maintain the prominence of science in the experiment. EXPERIMENT #5 SATURATION PART 1: SALT WATER Whether it’s mixing soda flavors or mixing hot chocolate mix with water, children come across many instances where they mix solutions. However, there are many attributes of the mixing process that involve factors of chemistry that are not discussed. In choosing this experiment, the practices of dissolving and saturation were considered fundamentals of chemistry that would do well to be addressed earlier. A set of laws govern what can go into water without disintegrating or dissolving into a solution. In this experiment, children knowingly understand these concepts. If they add salt to water eventually it does dissolve. If they drop their stuffed animal into water it does not dissolve. These may seem like simple characteristics of nature, however to further explain how items dissolve and what can facilitate the dissolution process this experiment uses the bases of changing independent factors (in this case the temperature of water) to determine that items dissolving is a far more complex idea. 16 Misconceptions in the behavior of solutions as well as properties of materials, can be carried over into future studies and make science education a struggle as children continue in STEM. The most common misconception being that there exists, in this experiment, two different physical states of salt (a liquid and a solid) whereas there is a solute equilibrium to be addressed. This creates a false mental model that can affect STEM learning later. This experiment does require some parental guidance in heating water, but primarily works to establish correct mental models about solubility and saturation before introducing the second part of the experiment, making Rock Candy. For younger children it can help them understand dissolution and play around with supersaturation whereas for older students it can help solidify and break the perceived misconception about states while introducing both groups to Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. This experiment came about because secondary educators have stressed the disconnect in solution behavior and its ability to cause issues later with phase diagrams and material sciences important in STEM.(25) As a learning component necessary for the Rock Candy experiment due to misconceptions about what causes the candy to be made, this experiment will further understanding of comprehension discrepancies about solution behavior. The actual experiment was written as a compiling of multiple experiments (26)(27) to explain the science in a cohesive and easy to digest manner with the importance strained upon being accessible in the home of a child to do. EXPERIMENT #6 SATURATION PART 2: ROCK CANDY 17 As mentioned earlier when discussing the primary portion of the experiment, there are misunderstandings in solution behavior. This was to be righted before expressing the importance of solutions and saturation. In this experiment, saturation plays a pivotal role in making the crystals of sugared hard candy. Two different methods will contribute to the growth of the crystals on the string. A supersaturated solution is made by first heating a saturated sugar solution (a solution in which no more sugar can dissolve at a particular temperature) and then allowed to cool. A supersaturated solution is unstable—it contains more solute (in this case, sugar) than can stay in a liquid form— so the sugar will come out of solution, forming what's called a precipitate. This method is called precipitation. The other method is evaporation—as time passes, the water will evaporate slowly from the solution. As the water evaporates, the solution becomes more saturated and sugar molecules will continue to come out of the solution and collect on the seed crystals on the string. The rock candy crystals grow molecule by molecule. The finished rock candy will be made up of about a quadrillion molecules attached to the string.(28) Without the insight of saturation this experiment would not hold the same effect of understanding. This experiment is more intensive for parents/guardians because it requires more monitoring as to when certain stages are complete and the next steps are to be taken. However, this experiment can be an activity in patience in watching the rock candy take place over time. Once the candy is made it is a pleasant treat after working through some science. 18 This experiment exists in many forms however like many other experiments before this one these was a distinction between sources that expressed the importance of the science (29) behind the experiment whereas others stressed the actual instruction.(30) By combing the two, children not only get the instruction, but the science that makes the experiment work. With the prior instruction of Experiment #6 Saturation: Part 1, this experiment brings into perspective how saturation can be useful outside the realm of just pure science for children. Overall, though a bit more complicated and hands-on than other experiments this experiment is easy to do at home with items found in a child’s kitchen. EXPERIMENT #7 MICROPLASTICS Microplastics are an everyday concern that the source of can be found in most homes. Most facial scrubs use microplastics and in order to teach about a subject that is often ignored in the face of macroplastics, this experiment acts a visual aid when discussing environmental concerns. This experiment is a short one that focuses on dissolving soap and recognizing that the plastic part (the microplastic) of scrubs remains behind. Most students in Utah, in one way or another, visit the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium to learn about animals, if they stay long enough they are able to learn about environmental impacts that microplastics have on the ocean. However, these impacts can be seen in Utah’s own water systems. It’s short and simple procedure is able to cover environmental chemistry which brings together both organic and inorganic chemistry. Additionally this experiment demonstrates the limitations of chemistry. Though large plastics can be broken down into smaller ones over very long periods of time, smaller plastics remain an issue that the world cannot fix instantaneously. This 19 experiment can have prolonged impacts in teaching students that they can help with various environmental concerns from their own house. The Microplastics experiment did not come from a blog or another science experiment based website, it came from a different source altogether, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. (31) With permission from the aquarium this experiment was chosen to be in this compilation. The reasons mentioned earlier for choosing the experiment stand, but additionally this experiment was chosen because it can be done at home and the impact can be seen at a location that most students visit on a field trip. EXPERIMENT #8 COLORED FLAMES Various metals found in different salts (i.e. MgCl2, NaCl, etc.) give off different colors in the electromagnetic spectrum when burned. As a result, students can see that salts that share similar physical properties can have completely different chemical properties resulting in different colored flames. Core science in Utah during 7th grade covers matter, atoms, and molecules. In particular the subject goes over the difference between physical and chemical properties and what differentiates the two. Many salts appear similar, but when burned in this experiment they give off different colors of flame, important in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, this experiment expresses differences in chemical properties. This difference is applied to many things, the most common of which is fireworks. Various metals are put into fireworks and burned to give of the colored sparks everyone enjoys so much as one looks across the valley on the 4th of July. 20 This experiment can be done in the home, yet producing colored flames requires rigorous parental care when doing the experiment. This experiment is an excellent visual aid when done with the utmost care to identify different metals. There are many forms of this experiment. In some cases, the salts can be burned directly in a flame, (32) in this one the salts are dissolved into an alcohol which when burned demonstrates which metal is seen.(33) Flame tests are done in many classrooms and as such an experiment was chosen with the utmost safety precautions. EXPERIMENT #9 STRAWBERRY DNA DNA is the beginning of life and the beginning of genetics and understanding how cells work. In 6th grade, the state of Utah starts to teach about complex organisms and the basic parts of a cell. Later in Biology, usually taken at the 9th grade level, DNA becomes a major topic of interest when learning about the human body and what differentiates people from other organisms. As a benchmark in the scientific core taught in Utah, DNA is discussed constantly and continues to be a vast field in STEM, as such, visualizing DNA outside of the images of a textbook becomes imperative so as to understand that every living item has some form of DNA and how slight changes in DNA can lead to monumental changes in organisms. (34) The Strawberry DNA experiment uses Organic, Inorganic, and Biological Chemistry to extract DNA from a strawberry using chemicals and glassware easily found at home. Furthermore, the procedure though a little daunting is easy to follow. Students from 6th grade to the end of high school can appreciate the science being applied when doing the experiment. At the younger level, DNA can be discussed as existing in all 21 organisms in the nucleus of cells, whereas for older students it can ignite dialogue in changes in DNA and how genetics has come to be understood. In addition to Strawberry DNA, there are various other fruits that DNA can be extracted from the name but a few are banana and kiwi. Considering how large the field of Genetics is in STEM and its connection to the core subjects taught in the State of Utah, this experiment can play a vital role in connection the role of science at school and at home. This experiment is repeatedly done by the American Chemical Society student chapter at the University of Utah and is available through multiple sources. Particularly when designing the experiment, the major focus was on materials and chemicals found at home. (35) Variations of this experiment range in the materials and chemicals required to extract DNA. As a result, multiple sources were used in describing what DNA was at a fundamental level and extraction methods. (36) EXPERIMENT #10 EXPLODING LUNCH BAGS Exploding Lunch bags is one of the simplest experiments in this compilation, in fact it has many other forms. Typical volcano experiments and coke and mentos experiments use the same idea of carbon dioxide build up to have a spectacular release. This experiment though simple, is a great visual aid for what happens in a closed system which is an important safety topic in chemistry. Using Organic, Inorganic, and Analytical chemistry as a foundation, this experiment is the mixing of baking soda and vinegar in order to produce Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Water. The build-up of CO2 in a closed system (the plastic bag) means that the gas is unable to be released and builds up until it is too much and causes the bag to explode. 22 In chemistry labs, one of the largest safety concerns is when a reaction is going, researchers should never have a closed system in case gases build up. This safety concern has led to multiple glass containers shattering and injuries occurring. As a result, this experiment highlights the importance of safety. Moreover, the Exploding Lunch Bags experiment can fundamentally outline the Ideal Gas Law’s in simple changes to the experiment. The ideal gas law, a major focus in General Chemistry courses describes how change in pressure, temperature, and volume affect gases. In this experiment the gas being produced in CO2 if simple changes such as the size of the bag, the temperature of the water, and the amount of reactants, students can utilize this unassuming experiment to understand a very large portion of chemistry that is often misconstrued and confused in the beginning years of chemistry. This experiment as mentioned earlier is not unique when discussing acids and bases, however, because procedures are changed to reflect the ideal gas law this experiment is more unique than it first appears. This experiment is truly fundamental and can be done in the comfort of a kitchen. The Exploding Lunch Bag experiment was taken from a science demonstration website (37) dedicated to children, the changes in the experiment reflected its importance in teaching the ideal gas law. CONCLUSION Since 1980, the University of Utah has been presenting the “Faraday Lecture Series” during the holiday interim. With a long-standing history and outstanding success at filling seats, the lecture series remains one of the most coveted events to attend at the University of Utah. Young children and their parents can watch as science is evolved from simple words and phrases to fantastic reactions. This makes it an excellent place to 23 showcase the beginning of “Faraday@Home” where children can conduct their own experiments from the comfort of their own kitchen while relying on a noteworthy research institution as its access point. Without the stress of science fair, the program can bring science past the doors of education facilities so children can start to see the many roles science plays in their lives through the ten experiments chosen. Each was suggested by professionals in the educational field, both collegiate and secondary, to outline important topics in chemistry that can often be misconstrued from an early age. Additionally, each was focused on show-casing the diversity of chemistry and its implementation amongst multiple grades in the Utah state curriculum. This was done all while providing interactive and sometimes taste-worthy measurements capable of being done in the kitchen in order to truly bring Faraday from the “U” to the youth. 24 REFERENCES (1) Programme for International Students Assessment,. PISA 2015 Results In Focus; OECD, 2016; pp. 1-16. (2) Faraday Lectures - Department of Chemistry - The University of Utah https://chem.utah.edu/community/faraday.php (accessed Mar 8, 2017). (ADOLESCENT EDUCATION) (3) Learning In Science. The Implications Of Children's Science. ERIC 1985. (4) Marincola, E. Why Is Public Science Education Important?. Journal of Translational Medicine 2006, 4, 7. (5) Inquiry And The National Science Education Standards; 1st ed.; National Academy Press: Washington, 2008; p. ix. (FARADAY LECTURE SERIES) (6) Programme for International Students Assessment,. PISA 2015 Results In Focus; OECD, 2016; pp. 1-16. (7) Faraday Lectures - Department of Chemistry - The University of Utah https://chem.utah.edu/community/faraday.php (accessed Mar 8, 2017). (8) The Encyclopaedia Britannica; 1st ed.; Univ. Pr.: Cambridge, 1911; pp. 173–175. (9) History of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES http://www.rigb.org/christmaslectures/history (accessed Mar 7, 2017). (10) CHRISTMAS LECTURES http://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures (accessed Mar 7, 2017). (11) Holiday Lecture Series | Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences https://www.seas.harvard.edu/k-12-communityprograms/community-and-public-events/holiday-lecture-series (accessed Mar 7, 2017). (12) Watch Professor Bassam Shakhashiri's 45th Annual Holiday Lecture | UWMadison Department of Chemistry http://www.chem.wisc.edu/content/watchprofessor-bassam-shakhashiris-45th-annual-holiday-lecture (accessed Apr 17, 2017). (13) Physics Christmas Lecture Series 2012 https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/outreach/universityvisit/xmas2012/ (accessed Mar 7, 2017). (14) The Rockefeller University » Lectures & Events http://lecturesevents.rockefeller.edu/event_detail.php?id=9&y=2003&sub=3 (accessed Mar 7, 2017). (15) The New Faraday Chemistry Lectures https://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/the-new-faraday-chemistrylectures/ (accessed Mar 8, 2017). (EXPERIMENTS) (16) Kitchen chemistry: Make ice-cream in a bag; Discovery Education, 2010. 25 (17) Helmenstine Ph.D, A. M. How to make your own invisible ink write & reveal secret messages, 2017. Education. http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/invisibleinks.htm (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (18) Murphy, L. E.; CrazyAuntL. Invisible ink reveals cool chemistry, 2017. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-invisible-ink/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (19) Rocks and Minerals Lesson Plan. Utah Education Network. http://www.uen.org/core/displayLessonPlans.do?courseNumber=3040&standardId =1210&objectiveId=1211http://www.uen.org/core/displayLessonPlans.do?course Number=3040&standardId=1210&objectiveId=1211 (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (20) Nichols, H. Geode rock formations, 2009. http://www.gadgetscience.com/geoderock-formations/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (21) Science, S. S. Incredible egg geode - SICK science - the lab, 2012. http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/incredible-egg-geode/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (22) http://www.feelslikehomeblog.com/2013/03/how-to-grow-your-own-crystalgeodes-cool-science-experiment-for-kids/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (23) Cool science. http://www.coolscience.org/CoolScience/KidScientists/h2o2.htm (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (24) Green works presents: Science experiments! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/333266441153691052/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (25) B, E. Login required to access Scopus, 2017. https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.084858482446&origin=inward&txGid=DF8043C04016E25CBDE1DC41DDA9B9 C3.wsnAw8kcdt7IPYLO0V48gA%3a2 (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (26) Pachucki, D. Saturation experiments for kids. http://oureverydaylife.com/saturation-experiments-kids-16315.html (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (27) http://www.feelslikehomeblog.com/2013/03/how-to-grow-your-own-crystalgeodes-cool-science-experiment-for-kids/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (28) Science of candy: Rock candy: What’s going on? https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/rock-pop.html (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (29) Society, A. C. The sweet science of Candymaking - American chemical society, 2017. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/p ast-issues/archive-2014-2015/candymaking.html (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (30) Rock candy experiment, 2015. http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2015/02/rock-candy-experiment.html (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (31) LovelandLivingPlanetAquarium. Science experiments – the living planet aquarium, 2016. http://www.thelivingplanet.com/essential_grid/experiments/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). 26 (32) Science, S. S. Flame test - colorful elements - the lab, 2013. https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/flame-test/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (33) Education, 2017. Fires burn in different colors, 2013. https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/fire-burns-different-colors/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (34) What is DNA? -, 2014. Activity. http://www.sciencemadesimple.co.uk/curriculum-blogs/biology-blogs/what-is-dna (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (35) Extract DNA. http://imaginationstationtoledo.org/content/2012/04/extract-dnawith-stuff-you-have-at-home/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (36) Science, S. S. Strawberry DNA - food science - the lab, 2012. https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/strawberry-dna/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). (37) ScienceBob.com. The exploding lunch bag, 2014. Experiments: Exploding Lunch Bag. https://sciencebob.com/the-exploding-lunch-bag/ (accessed Feb 26, 2017). APPENDIX Experiment Protocols APPENDIX: TABLE OF CONTENTS Ice Cream .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Invisible Ink ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Crystal Geodes .................................................................................................................................. 7 Elephant Toothpaste ........................................................................................................................ 10 Saturation Part 1: Salt Water ........................................................................................................... 13 Saturation Part 2: Rock Candy ........................................................................................................ 16 Mircoplastics ................................................................................................................................... 19 Colored Flames ............................................................................................................................... 22 Strawberry DNA ............................................................................................................................. 24 Exploding Lunch Bag ..................................................................................................................... 27 1 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. ICE-CREAM Type of Chemistry: Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Organic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to make ice-cream. Specifically you will be using an important property of salts that we use every winter here in Utah, freezing point depression. Materials:         1 cup half & half or milk ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons sugar 4 cups crushed ice ½ cup rock salt 2 quart size zip-top plastic bags 1 gallon size zip-top freezer bag crushed cookies, candies, nuts, sprinkles or berries (optional for add-ins) Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is the freezing point of water? What is the freezing point of salt water? Is the freezing point of salt water warmer or colder than plain water? What happens when you put salt on ice, like on an icy road in winter? So why do we mix salt with ice to freeze ice-cream? Answers to the above questions: 1. 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius 2. The freezing point of salt water actually depends on how much salt is in the water. 1 2 3. The freezing point of salt water is colder than plain water, when salt dissolves into the liquid water therefore lowering the freezing point, this is freezing point depression. Ice forms when the temperature of water reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). Salt lowers the freezing/melting point of water, so in both cases the idea is to take advantage of the lower melting point of salt 4. Salt dissolves into the ice, lowering its freezing point causing it to unfreeze. This is because it now has to be colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) for ice to form. Salt doesn’t make the ice melt in your driveway or on the roads here in Utah, it actually acts to change the properties of water to be more similar to salt. 5. When you are making ice cream, the temperature around the ice cream mixture needs to be lower than 32 F if you want the mixture to freeze. Salt mixed with ice creates a brine that has a temperature lower than 32 F. When you add salt to the ice water, you lower the melting temperature of the ice down to 0 F or so. The brine is so cold that it easily freezes the ice cream mixture. Instructions: 1. Pour the first three ingredients into a quart-size zip-top bag. Squeeze out air and seal the bag tightly. Place inside the second quart-size bag, and seal. 2. Place the double-bagged ingredients inside the gallon-size freezer bag. Fill the freezer bag with ice, pour in the rock salt, squeeze out air, and seal. The salt will begin to melt the ice because salt lowers the freezing point of water. 3. Now comes the fun part: Gently shake the bag, making sure the ice is evenly spread out. Continue to gently shake and knead the bag in your hands. The energy from shaking and kneading—and the heat transferred from your hands—causes the ice to melt further. Melting ice doesn’t look as cold as frozen ice, right? But remember, it’s mixed with salt. As the melting ice combines with the salt, the salt-water solution has a lower freezing point than plain water. So the melted ice is actually colder than the original ice! 4. Can you guess how long it will take for the liquid to freeze into a solid? (It should take between 5—10 minutes.) During the ice-cream making process, the ice (a solid) turns into a liquid (melted ice). When ice absorbs energy, it changes the phase of water from a solid to a liquid. The ice absorbs energy from the ice-cream ingredients and 2 3 also from your hands as you hold the bag. The molecules start moving around again as the ice melts. 5. Use a thermometer to find the temperature of the melted ice. Was your guess on the mark? 6. Eat your ice-cream straight out of the bag, this is a great time to toss in any add-ins such as nuts, fruit, or sprinkles, then wash and recycle the bag to use it again! Change it up! Not all types of salt work the same. The larger the salt crystals, the more time it takes to dissolve. This keeps it colder, longer. You could experiment with table salt, kosher salt and rock salt to test this. Questions to think about: Which salt has the larger crystals? Which salt will take longer to dissolve? Which salt will keep things colder longer? Do some experiments and test solutions with different concentrations of salt to see how freezing points compare. You can have one person double the salt amount that is originally stated and compare who gets to their ice-cream mixture faster. Questions to think about: Will more salt make the solution (salt+water) colder or warmer? How long will the ice-cream take to make now if you double the amount of salt? Triple it? 3 4 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Invisible Ink Type of Chemistry: Forensic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Dyes, Pigment, and Ink In this experiment you will get the chance to make your own invisible ink to write a secret message and learn about the chemistry that will make it visible again. Materials:        One half of a lemon (use caution when cutting) One half teaspoon of water Small bowl Spoon White paper Q-tips A lamp with a lightbulb that puts off a lot of heat, such as a 100-watt incandescent bulb or another heat source, such as a radiator Optional: Pencil (to write a decoy message on your paper) Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. 2. 3. 4. What is invisible ink? What is an acid? What fruits contain acids? (Think of fruits that taste sour) What makes invisible ink visible when using something like lemon juice? Answers to the above questions: 1. Invisible ink is any substance that you can use to write a message that is invisible until the ink is revealed. 2. An acid is something that contains a lot of hydrogen (H+). If you were to take litinus paper (pH paper) it can help you see what around the house is an acid 4 5 or base. Water is considered neutral and therefore neither an acid nor a base. Vinegar is considered an acid. Whereas drain fluid is a base (Bases contain a lot of hydroxides- OH-). 3. Acids are considered to be a “sour” taste. Fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, lots of the citrusy fruits tend to have acidic juices. 4. Lemon juice—and the juice of most fruits, for that matter—contains carbon compounds. These compounds are pretty much colorless at room temperature. But heat can break down these compounds, releasing the carbon. If the carbon comes in contact with the air, a process called oxidation occurs, and the substance turns light or dark brown. Oxidation doesn't always need heat to occur. Some fruits themselves can turn brown from oxidation. Think of an apple or pear slice that is left out on the counter for too long. Instructions: 1. Squeeze the juice of your lemon half into the bowl. Add the water and mix with a spoon. Think of a secret message you would like to write—and to whom you're going to deliver it! Extra: If you want to be super-secret, you can write a boring old message or draw a picture on the paper with a pencil before you write your secret message to disguise it even further. 2. Soak the Q-tip in the lemon juice-and-water solution. Use the damp Q-tip to write your top-secret message on the piece of paper. 3. Wait a few minutes for the paper to dry. While you're waiting, you can switch on your lamp to give the lightbulb time to heat up (being careful not to touch the hot bulb itself). 4. When the paper is dry, hold it up to the hot lamp for a few minutes (but don't let the paper get so hot that it burns). What happened? How long did it take for your message to show up? Change it up! There’s a lot of acids that you can find in your kitchen and not all of them will be exactly the same. What other acidic things can you find in your house to use? Some examples: apple juice, vinegar, orange juice, etc. 5 6 Questions to think about: Which acids work better? Some acids are better than others, why? 6 7 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Crystal Geodes Type of Chemistry: Geochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to make your own crystals. Materials:          Approximately 2 lbs. of Alum Powder (Potassium Aluminum Sulfate) 12 Eggshells (6 eggs split in half) Elmer’s Glue (need plenty) Paintbrush A box, paper plate, or paper towel to set your eggs in/on during the drying process A large bowl A spoon/whisk A measuring cup Food coloring (optional) Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What is a geode? 2. How do geodes form? 3. How can I make a geode from an egg? Answers to the above questions: 1. A geode is a particular type of rock formation which can occur in sedimentary as well as some volcanic rocks. These geological rock formations are most commonly limestone on the outside, while the inside is hollow and full of quartz crystals. 2. A geode starts off as a bubble or an empty space left behind by animals, tree roots, and dozens of other things. Water is trapped in this bubble, which 7 8 contains silica precipitation (Silicon is right under Carbon on the periodic table) that can also have various minerals and elements. The basic crystals of a geode are made of quartz (silicon dioxide) and are colored based on the contents of the surrounding soil. Over thousands of years different layers of silica precipitation cool and create different layers of crystals. 3. Your eggshell geode is formed through a process called sedimentation. While a geological geode is a mass of minerals within a rock that can take thousands, even millions, of years to form, your Incredible Egg Geode only takes a couple of days. The heated alum solution contains suspended particles of alum powder in it and as the solution cools, these particles of alum begin falling to the bottom. When the alum particles settle on the bottom, they begin crystallizing. Coating the shell with alum powder beforehand gives the suspended alum particles a surface to which they can more readily attach themselves. The particles that settle onto the interior surface of the shell crystallize quickly but you will also see evidence of crystallization on other parts of the shell as well as on the bottom and sides of the bowl. Instructions: 1. You have an egg, now you need to get all the yolk and egg white out of it but you need the shell to be split in half. This can be done many ways. Simply breaking the egg like when making breakfast is the easiest. 2. Carefully wash the inside of the shell halves with warm water and wipe them dry with a paper towel. Get the interior surface of the egg as clean and dry as possible without cracking it. Peel off and throw away small pieces of shell from around its edge. 3. Once the egg is dry it is time to apply the Elmer’s glue to the shell. Generously drip some glue into the shell halves. A little on the outside is OK, too. 4. Use the paintbrush to spread the glue all over the inside of the shell. Completely cover the interior surface with glue all the way up to, and including, the edges. Use more glue if needed. 5. While the glue is still wet, generously sprinkle lots of alum powder on the wet glue. 6. Turn the shell-half over and gently tap out any excess alum. Place your egg(s) on a paper towel, paper plate, or in a box to dry overnight. 8 9 7. The next day, bring two cups of water (473 ml) almost to a boil and pour it into a bowl. NOTE: If you plan to make more than one color of geode, use one cup (237 ml) of water and adjust the food coloring and alum amounts accordingly 8. Dissolve 30-40 drops of food coloring into the water. Use any color or color combination you wish. Stir it well. (optional- this produces colored crystals) 9. Dissolve ¾-cup alum powder into the water. 10. Stir it well and make sure it dissolves completely. Let the mixture cool for 30 minutes. 11. When it’s cool, place the shells into the solution alum-side up. Gently push the shells to the bottom of the solution with the spoon and allow them to sit there for 12-15 hours. 12. After 12-15 hours, alum crystals have grown! Carefully remove the shells and place them on a paper towel to dry and finish the geode-creation process. Perhaps you can leave them in the bowl longer and see if they grow bigger. Change it up! Alum crystals are awesome to grow because many different factors affect their crystal growth. One of the things that can effect crystal growth is the cooling rate. In other words you can change the size of the crystals size based on how fast they can cool. Let the solution cool normally, cool it faster with a few pieces of ice, cool it really fast with a lot of ice (be careful if you’re using a glass bowl – freezing a glass bowl full of hot liquid is a recipe for a broken bowl and giant mess), cool it super slow by keeping the solution in a pan on the stove at a very low temperature. One of the above will result in a few huge crystals and one in scads of tiny crystals. Questions to think about: Which of the cooling rates will make the biggest crystals? The smallest? 9 10 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Elephant Toothpaste Type of Chemistry: Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to make elephant toothpaste. Specifically you will be decomposing hydrogen peroxide. Materials:  An empty 20 oz soda bottle (or any tall skinny clear container)  Hydrogen peroxide (you can get 3% at the grocery store, or 8% at a beauty supply store)  Active yeast  Warm water  Liquid dish soap  Food coloring - optional - but it does make a nice color! Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What does it mean when something is decomposing? 2. What types of things decompose? (Think about after you eat fruit, does the skin decompose?) 3. What is hydrogen peroxide used for? (You probably have it in your medicine cabinet!) 4. What is hydrogen peroxide? 5. What is a catalyst? Answers to the above questions: 1. When something is decomposing it means it’s being broken down into its parts. For example, if you leave an apple on the table for several days it starts to “go bad,” that’s the apple decomposing. 10 11 2. Apples, Oranges, Grass, Eggs, just about everything can decompose! 3. You may have gotten a cut on your hand or leg before and your parents may have used hydrogen peroxide on the cut. Did you notice it fizzing/bubbling? Hydrogen peroxide acts a disinfectant meaning that it helps to clean your cut getting rid of all the bad bacteria that shouldn’t be there. The fizzing/bubbling means that hydrogen peroxide is decomposing! 4. The chemical formula for hydrogen peroxide is H2O2. It looks pretty similar to the chemical formula for water, which is H20, except that hydrogen peroxide has an extra "O", an extra oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is not a very stable compound, so, it is always decomposing to water and oxygen, but under normal conditions, the decomposition goes very slowly. In this reaction, yeast catalyzes the decomposition, making the reaction go much more quickly. If you add a little dishwashing detergent, you get foam! If you add food coloring, you get colored foam! 5. A catalyst is something that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. This means that your catalyst isn’t part of the reaction, but helps the rate of the reaction. Instructions: *Make sure you’re doing this experiment in an area you can easily clean up, it can get very messy very quickly 1. Mix 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide with ¼ cup of liquid dish soap and a few drops of food coloring. 2. Add this mixture to the soda bottle and place it in the sink or on a cookie sheet. 3. In a separate container, mix one packet of active yeast with warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. 4. When you are ready, pour the yeast mixture into the soda bottle (a funnel might be helpful) and watch the reaction! How much foam was made? Change it up! Yeast was our catalyst in this experiment. Does it matter if you use lukewarm water to activate the yeast or cold water? Questions to think about: Which catalyzes the reaction more, yeast that was activated with warm or cold water? Does temperature matter? 11 12 When hydrogen peroxide decomposes it makes oxygen gas (the stuff we need to breathe!) it is made more noticeable by adding some dish soap, which makes the foam. Questions to think about: What happens if you add more or less soap? What happens if you don't add any soap? 12 13 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Saturation Part 1: Salt Water Type of Chemistry: Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to learn about saturation. Materials:       Clear glasses (3) Tap water Salt Spoon A saucepan or a microwave in order to heat water Ice or a refrigerator to cool water Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What happens when you add hot chocolate to milk/water? What does it mean when something dissolves? What is saturation? Can you list some things that don’t dissolve in water? Can you list some things that do dissolve in water? Answers to the above questions: 1. If you say it disappears you’re on your way to being right. What happens is it dissolves. 2. Dissolving is when the solute breaks up from a larger crystal of molecules into much smaller groups or individual molecules. This break up is caused by coming into contact with the solvent. 13 14 For example, with salt water, the water molecules break off salt molecules from the larger crystal. Each salt molecule still exists. It is just now surrounded by water molecules instead of fixed to a crystal of salt. 3. When a solution reaches the point where it cannot dissolve any more solute it is considered "saturated." 4. Cooking oil, toy cars, keys, stuffed animals 5. Sugar, salt, herbs, medicine Instructions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Cool 2 cups of water in the fridge/freezer, or with ice. Heat 2 cups of water in a saucepan over the stove or in the microwave. Fill one clear glass with 1 cup of room temperature water. Fill another clear glass with 1 cup of ice water or cold refrigerated water that you prepared earlier. Fill another clear glass with 1 cup of hot water from saucepan or microwave. (Be careful.) Take a guess which one will dissolve the salt the fastest? Which one will become saturated first? Put one spoonful of salt in each glass and stir after each spoonful. Continue to put individual spoonfuls of salt until the salt stops dissolving. When the salt stops dissolving this means you have reached your saturation limit. The water can’t dissolve anymore salt! Change it up! What you’re watching when the salt dissolves is actually a reaction rate and these can be affected by many things, in this experiment we compared cold water to room temperature water to hot water. Questions to think about: What temperature of water increases the reaction rate (dissolves faster)? Stirring the salt after adding it also affects the reaction rate by allowing each individual salt crystal to interact with water, this stirring is a form of agitation. Questions to think about: What would happen if you didn’t stir in the salt? Super-saturation is when a solution that contains more of the dissolved material than could be dissolved by the solvent under normal circumstances. You can see this 14 15 happen! Go back to your experiment with the glass of hot water, you now know the saturation limit, grab a new glass and fill it with hot water put in the amount of salt you needed to get to the saturation limit (the salt must still dissolve). Then let the glass cool. Once it’s cooled down, add a spoonful of salt and watch! 15 16 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Saturation Part 2: Rock Candy Type of Chemistry: Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to learn about saturation. If you did the previous experiment you can use your new knowledge to understand how rock candy is made. Materials:        2-3 cups of sugar 1 cup of water Skewers/candy sticks A jar or glass A large saucepan Clothespins Food coloring (optional) Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What is saturation? 2. What makes the crystals grow in order to make our candy? 3. What does heating the water allow to happen? (Think back to part 1 of this experiment) Answers to the above questions: 1. When a solution reaches the point where it cannot dissolve any more solute it is considered "saturated." In this case when you start adding sugar and it doesn’t dissolve anymore. 16 17 2. Two different methods will contribute to the growth of the crystals on the string. You have created a supersaturated solution by first heating a saturated sugar solution (a solution in which no more sugar can dissolve at a particular temperature) and then allowing it to cool. A supersaturated solution is unstable—it contains more solute (in this case, sugar) than can stay in a liquid form—so the sugar will come out of solution, forming what's called a precipitate. This method is called precipitation. The other is evaporation—as time passes, the water will evaporate slowly from the solution. As the water evaporates, the solution becomes more saturated and sugar molecules will continue to come out of the solution and collect on the seed crystals on the string. The rock candy crystals grow molecule by molecule. Your finished rock candy will be made up of about a quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) molecules attached to the string. 3. To make rock candy, we initially used more sugar than could dissolve in water at room temperature (three cups of sugar for one cup of water). The only way to get all of that sugar to dissolve is to heat up the water, because increasing the temperature causes more sugar to dissolve in water. If we increase the temperature, we increase the dissolving process, and if we reduce the temperature, we decrease the dissolving process. Instructions: 1. Combine equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until all of the sugar is dissolved 2. Then slowly add more sugar in small amounts until it will no longer dissolve in the water 3. The water should start to look a little cloudy. That is the point when no more sugar is dissolving and the perfect sugar saturation has been reached. Basically, you are creating a saturated sugar solution (a solution in which no more sugar can dissolve at a particular temperature) the amount of sugar verses water used should be roughly 3:1. 4. Continue to heat the water until it comes to a simmer. 5. Remove the sugar-water from the heat and allow it to cool. While it is cooling you can prepare your skewers or candy sticks. Cut the skewers to a desirable size for the jars you are using. Then dip the sticks in water and roll them in sugar 6. Allow the sugar coated sticks to dry. While those are drying you can prep your jar(s). Once your sugar-water is cool enough pour it into jars and 17 18 add food coloring if desired. Then, once the sticks are dry place them in the jar(s). 7. Make sure that the sugar coated sticks are completely dry before placing them in the jars. The rock candy needs the sugar to grow on, and if the sugar on the sticks isn't dry it will dissolve in the water. It is also important to make sure that the sticks are not touching the bottom or sides of the jar Change it up! What you’re watching when the sugar dissolves is actually a reaction rate and these can be affected by many things, in this experiment we used hot water to saturate our water with sugar. Questions to think about: What would happen if we used colder water? What about room temperature water? Do you think this would affect your crystals? 18 19 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Microplastics Type of Chemistry: Environmental Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to use chemistry to extract micro-plastics from face washes. Materials:      Facewash/face scrub containing polyethylene in its ingredients Hot water (heated from a pan or in the microwave) Clear Glass Cup A spoon A coffee filter Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What does micro mean? 2. Where do we find microplastics? 3. Do you think microplastics dissolve in water? 4. What happens if microplastics don’t dissolve in water? 5. Why do you think microplastics are important to environmental chemistry? Answers to the above questions: 1. If you guessed that micro means small, you are correct. Micro refers to something extremely small. Sometimes it’s something so small that you can’t see it with the naked eye. 2. Microplastics are found in cosmetics, clothing, and industrial processes. So we either make microplastics directly of microplastics come from the breaking down of large plastics into micro sized ones. 19 20 3. Most plastics don’t break down for many years. If you leave a plastic toy outside in your yard for several years, it won’t break down. This means that they won’t dissolve in water. If you drop a plastic toy in water, it doesn’t dissolve. 4. This means microplastics stay in water. We may not be able to see them, but they are there. 5. The first International Research Workshop on the Occurrence, Effects and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris says Microplastics are a huge concern for our marine environment because of the following:  The documented occurrence of microplastics in the marine environment,  The long residence times of these particles (and, therefore, their likely buildup in the future), and  Their demonstrated ingestion by marine organisms. This means, that when microplastics get into the environment they are hard to get out and cause problems. Their inability to dissolve and remain in the environment for extended periods is a concern for the Environmental Chemistry field. Instructions: 1. Heat water, it does not need to be boiling, but the warmer the better. 2. Pour the water into the clear glass cup, be careful when touching the glass it will be very hot. 3. Squeeze your facewash/face scrub into the glass with hot water. The more you squeeze in the more microplastics you will observe. As a suggestion you can always squeeze in more at a later time. 4. With your spoon stir the facewash/face scrub and water mixture very slowly. This will dissolve the facewash/face scrub, but as mentioned earlier the microplastics will remain. DO NOT stir quickly. This will cause bubbles and you don’t want bubbles forming or else it will be difficult to see the microplastics. 5. Once the facewash/face scrub is dissolved at this stage you may add more to get more microplastics or continue on. 6. By now you should be able to see a light film on top of the water. This film if you slowly move it around is actually a film of microplastics. If you move it around with your spoon you can decipher that these are small plastic beads. 20 21 7. Filter the water/facewash/microplastic solution through the coffee filter. This will drain out the water and facewash leaving behind the microplastics on the filter paper. Change it up! Water is used in this experiment to dissolve the other products in facewashes and face scrubs whereas it cannot dissolve microplastics this means what is left behind that we can see is microplastics. Questions to think about: What would happen if we used colder water? What about room temperature water? Would different temperatures of water affect the dissolving of the facewash products more or less? Read about it: If you’re interested more about how this affects our environment, read about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and what you can do at home to help the environment. 21 22 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. This experiment uses flammable material and requires a flame source. Please use proper care and wear proper clothing. Colored Flames Type of Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry In this experiment chemicals will be burned resulting in various flame colors. Materials:  Menthol/methanol or isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) (an alcohol that will burn is needed)  Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate)  No salt - salt substitute (potassium chloride/bitartrate)  Borax (Boric acid) (Boron)  Table Salt (Sodium Chloride)  4 Bowls (Metal or Glass. DO NOT use Plastic) (the bowl can also be reused requiring just 1 bowl)  Lighter torch (long stem or bbq) Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What color is fire? 2. Do you think that different colors in fire are hotter than others? 3. All of the chemicals we are using have metals. What is a metal, think about metals you see around you, what make them a metal? 4. Do different metals give off different colors? 5. What do you think makes fireworks different colors? (Consider the other questions asked) Answers to the above questions: 22 23 1. Fire usually tends to be white, yellow, orange, and red. 2. Absolutely. Near the logs or at the very heart of the fire, where most burning is occurring, the fire is white, the hottest color possible for organic material in general, or yellow. Above the yellow region, the color changes to orange, which is cooler, then red, which is cooler still. In a standard fire, white would be the hottest. 3. Metals are everywhere, sometimes you may not even know something is a metal, but it is. The salt you eat is made out of Sodium and Chloride. Sodium is the metal, look up a picture of Sodium and see what it looks like. Metals tend to be solid, shiny, good conductors of heat and electricity, ductile (can be made into thin wires), and malleable (can be hammered into thin sheets.) 4. Yes! That’s the point of our experiment today. Each metal gives off a unique color. In fact, the color of the flame could help you identify what the metal is if you didn’t know what it was before. 5. Different metals being burned give off the different colors we see in fireworks. Instructions:  WHITE FLAME 1. 2. 3. 4.  Pour 1/4 cup of magnesium sulfate into the bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the alcohol into the bowl. Light the mixture with the lighter torch. Observe. YELLOW FLAME 1. Pour 1/4 cup of sodium chloride into the bowl. 2. Pour 1/2 cup of the alcohol into the bowl. 3. Light the mixture with the lighter torch. 4. Observe.  BLUE VIOLET FLAME 1. 2. 3. 4.  Pour 1/4 cup of potassium chloride/bitartrate into the bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of alcohol into the bowl. Light the mixture with the lighter torch. Observe. GREEN FLAME 1. 2. 3. 4. Pour 1/4 cup of boric acid into the bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of alcohol into the bowl. Light the mixture with the lighter torch. Observe. 23 24 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Strawberry DNA Type of Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Biological Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to extract DNA from strawberries using some basic extraction techniques. Materials:             Strawberry Isopropyl alcohol (5 mL) (also known as rubbing alcohol) Dish soap (10 mL) Salt (1/4 tsp) Zipper-lock bag Strainer Water (90 mL) Measuring cups and spoons Small glass container Tweezers Pipette (optional) Spoon Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What is DNA? 2. What has DNA? Do we have DNA? 3. Why do we use strawberries? 4. What is extraction? 24 25 Answers to the above questions: 1. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. It’s the genetic code that determines all the characteristics of a living thing. Basically, your DNA is what makes you, you. Or even, what makes a strawberry a strawberry. 2. DNA is present in every cell of all plants and animals and determines all genetic traits of the individual organism. If something is considered alive and living, it has DNA. We have DNA and our DNA makes us who we are. Rocks on the other hand and other non-living things don’t have DNA. 3. While other fruits are soft and just as easy to pulverize, strawberries are the perfect choice for a DNA extraction lab for two very good reasons: (1) they yield way more DNA than other fruits, and (2) they are octoploid, meaning that they have eight copies of each type of DNA chromosome. (Human cells are generally diploid, meaning two sets of chromosomes.) These special circumstances make strawberry DNA both easy to extract and to see. 4. Extraction is the process of removing something from something else. In this case we are removing DNA from strawberries. To extract the DNA, each component of the extraction mixture plays a part. Soap helps to dissolve cell membranes. Salt is added to release the DNA strands by breaking up protein chains that hold nucleic acids together. Finally, DNA is not soluble in isopropyl alcohol, especially when the alcohol is ice cold. Instructions: 1. Put a bottle of isopropyl alcohol in a freezer. We’ll come back to it later. Measure 6T (90 ml) of water into a small glass container. 2. Add 2 tsp (10 ml) dish soap to the water. 3. Stir in a ¼-tsp salt and mix until the salt dissolves. This is the extraction mixture. 4. Place one strawberry into a plastic zipper-lock bag. 5. Pour the extraction mixture into the bag with the strawberry. 6. Remove as much air from the bag as possible and seal it closed. 7. Use your hands and fingers to mash, smash, and moosh the strawberry inside of the bag. You don’t want any large pieces remaining. 8. Pour the resulting strawberry pulp and extraction mixture through a strainer and into a medium glass bowl or similar container. 9. Use a spoon to press the mashed bits of strawberry against the strainer forcing even more of the mixture into the container. From the container it’s 25 26 in now, pour the extraction mixture into a smaller glass container that holds ¼- to ½-cup (50-100 ml) of fluid. This will help to isolate the DNA on the surface of the mixture. 10. Add 1 tsp (5 ml) of the chilled isopropyl alcohol to the solution and hold the mixture at eye level. You’re looking for a separation of material that shows up as a white layer on top. That’s the DNA of the strawberry! 11. Use the tweezers to gently remove the DNA from the solution and lay it on a dish to examine. Change it up! DNA can be found in all living things, but sometimes extraction may be difficult. Consider other fruits to extract with. Bananas and kiwis are two other fruit that you can extract DNA from. Extraction here is the key element. If you can’t extract, you can’t get the DNA. Questions to think about: What would happen if we you missed a step in the extraction? What would happen if you added more of one extraction step then another? (Added more salt than what was needed) 26 27 *Remember a good scientist is a safe scientist. Always have adult supervision when conducting these experiments. Exploding Lunch Bag Type of Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry In this experiment you will get the chance to make a plastic lunch bag explode by using Carbon Dioxide released from a reaction to build up pressure in the bag resulting in a pop. Materials:       One small (sandwich size) zip-lock bag – freezer bags work best. Baking soda Warm water Vinegar Measuring cup A tissue Before you begin here are some questions to get you thinking about this experiment: 1. What is an acid? What’s the acid in our experiment? 2. What is a base? What’s the base in our experiment? 3. What’s being made in the reaction to make the bag pop? (It’ll look like the bag is starting to puff up, can you think of a type of gas that may be made from this reaction? You breathe out this gas.) 4. What is the tissue for? Answers to the above questions: 27 28 1. An acid is something that contains a lot of hydrogen (H+). If you were to take litinus paper (pH paper) it can help you see what around the house is an acid or base. Water is considered neutral and therefore neither an acid nor a base. Vinegar is considered our acid in this experiment. 2. A base is something that contains a lot of hydroxide ions (OH-). If you were to take litinus paper (pH paper) it can help you see what around the house is an acid or base. Water is considered neutral and therefore neither an acid nor a base. Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is our base in this experiment. 3. Any reaction between and acid and base results in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and water. The Carbon Dioxide is the gas that is being built up the experiment and in fact, it can be found in many places, you breathe out Carbon Dioxide every day. In this experiment the bag cannot have any more pressure from all of the gas made and it pops. 4. The tissue buys you some time to zip the bag shut. Basically the tissue gets in the way of the reaction. Instructions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Go outside – or at least do this in the kitchen sink. Put 1/4 cup of pretty warm water into the bag. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the water in the bag. Put 3 teaspoons of baking soda into the middle of the tissue Wrap the the baking soda up in the tissue by folding the tissue around it. You will have to work fast now – partially zip the bag closed but leave enough space to add the baking soda packet. Put the tissue with the baking soda into the bag and quickly zip the bag completely closed. 7. Put the bag in the sink or down on the ground (outside) and step back. The bag will start to expand, and expand, and if all goes well…POP! Change it up! This experiment is all about the reaction between baking soda and vinegar. There are many things that can effect experiments like temperature, amount of each item being mixed, the container in which the reaction takes place. Questions to think about: Will different temperature water affect how fast the bag inflates? What amount of baking soda creates the best reaction? Which size bag creates the fastest pop? 28