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How To: Rip a Penny in Half

No, we're not lying. But before you try and tear a plain old penny in half, you should probably watch this video first or you may hurt your fingers. While ordinary pennies are very, very difficult to rip, if you get rid of the zinc core you are left with only the thin copper shell, which is itself very easy to tear apart.

How To: Make hydrochloric acid from salt

In this tutorial, we learn how to make hydrochloric acid from salt. First, you will pour some salt into a distil flask. After this, you will add in some concentrated sulfuric acid to the salt. Next, you will let these react with each other. You will start to see gasses bubble up and the excess hydrogen chloride gas come out through the top of the tube. To create a stronger reaction, you can add heat underneath the reaction. Then, test this by exposing it to ammonium chloride. If it's the righ...

How To: Make nitric acid

Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make nitric acid. They show three ways to make nitric acid based on two different chemical approaches, both of which can be done using easily accessible materials.

How To: Use a Peltier module to create free electricity from heat

A Peltier module allows you to turn heat into electricity. Because you can place it in areas that are normally warm anyway, the electricity created is "free" in a sense, though it does work best when one side of the module is cold and the other is hot. In other words, all you'll need for this project is the Peltier module and a cooler surface such as soil or water, and a warm area such as a well lit window or warm pan.

How To: Make a permanent, reusable glow stick

Make a reusable glow stick, glow-in-the-dark-style! Imagine, you'll never have to buy one of those ChemLite's again, because you can reuse this homemade glow stick over and over again. This video tutorial will show you how to make a permanent, reusable glow stick. The materials in this experiment are simple: epoxy resin, straw, and some phosphor powder.

How to Be Your Own SpaceX: Design, Build & Test Liquid-Fueled Rocket Engines

Move over NASA— SpaceX is taking over. Well, not really. But today, the privately funded spacecraft company broke all expectations when their Dragon capsule fell to a soft landing in the Pacific Ocean, completing an undoubtedly successful demo flight of nearly two full trips around Earth. It was the first re-entry of a commercial spacecraft ever, bringing commercial space transportation closer to reality.

How To: Make a never ending foam snake

In this video the author shows how to make a never ending foam snake. He starts by speaking about how hydrogen peroxide can be fun. He starts with the requirements first which are a dish soap, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, some dry yeast, and a red fruit color. Now he fills up a cup with hydrogen peroxide, adds the color and two table spoons of dish soap. Now he shows how to use yeast which is used to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. And finally he demonstrates the never ending ...

How To: Measure the volume of a balloon

Here we will demonstrate how to measure the volume of a balloon. A balloon is not a straight edged polygon shape, usually, so the mathematical equations get that much harder, on the flip side, it may be a spherical or ovalish shape, but measurements with math alone are detrimental due to the uneven sizes of the balloon. Here is how to do it properly. You will need a bucket, preferably, to hold water, a larger container than your original bucket, and a measuring container. Place the bucket ins...

News: Dissecting a Human Head Through Anatomical Illustrations

Human anatomy is something every physician must undergo as a medical student. Some move on to become great doctors, some move on to become great artists, helping to better educate students and improve upon many illustrated representations of the human body since the days of medieval medicine. But thankfully, you don't have to be in the medical profession to enjoy the beautiful art of the human body created for teaching purposes.

How To: Make copper metal from copper sulfate

This free video science lesson from the Home Scientist demonstrates a simple technique for creating ammonium chloride from hydrochloric acid and ammonia. For all of the relevant details and detailed, step-by-step instructions, as well as to get started trying this experiment yourself, watch this home-science how-to.

How To: Make aluminum nitrate nonahydrate

Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate is a crystalline hydrate - a salt of aluminum and nitric acid - Al(NO3)3·9H2O. It's used for a variety of things such as antiperspirants, corrosion inhibitors, and petroleum refining, or… glow-in-the-dark powder. Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make aluminum nitrate nonahydrate with Dr. Lithium.

How To: Change the physical properties of yellow sulfur

In this tutorial, we learn how to change the physical properties of yellow sulfur. First, take a heat proof water glass and add in 1 teaspoon of sulfur powder. After this, heat the glass on a low flame for a few minutes. After this, the sulfur will start to melt and turn a reddish color. Now, pour the sulfur into some cold water after it's all the way melted and watch the reaction that is occurring. Once cool, you will be able to pick up the sulfur from the water and play with it, although it...

How To: Hollow out a penny

In this video, we learn how to hollow out a penny. First, you need pennies that are dated after 1982, muriatic acid, a plastic container, and sandpaper. First, rub the edge of the penny on sandpaper until the silver color is exposed. Do this on two pennies, then place them in the plastic container. Now, while wearing gloves, pour the acid into the container so the pennies are completely covered. Now the pennies will start to bubble, leaves these in the acid for around six hours. Next, pour th...

How To: Build a magnetic stirrer from computer parts

In this tutorial, we learn how to build a magnetic stirrer from computer parts. This is a simple thing to make, and is great if you are going to be mixing chemicals and don't want to get your hands dirty. First, you will need to create a wooden box with the top empty. Then, place a computer fan into the middle of the box and pin it down. Place a magnet from the hard drive in the middle of the fan, then place a stirring rod on the glass that will go on the top of the wooden box. Now you will b...

How To: Clamp glassware to an apparatus in the chemistry lab

The Interactive Lab Primer (ILP) has been developed as part of the Royal Society of Chemistry Teacher Fellowship Scheme, one of the themes of the Chemistry for Our Future program, and initiative which aims to secure a strong and sustainable future for the chemical sciences in higher education. The aim of the ILP is to address the diverse range of experience and skills students bring with them to a university by offering a resource to support their transition from school to the university chem...

How To: test the acidity or alkalinity of certain liquids

Hmmm, all you've got is a piece of cabbage but you need to test the acidity or alkalinity of some liquid. What do you do? What DO you do!? Well, you start by watching this video by Steve Spangler. Ahh, the sweet smell of science! Invite your friends over to share in this super smelly but really cool activity. Plug your nose and get ready to make your own red cabbage indicator that will test the acidity or alkalinity of certain liquids.

How To: Calculate friction in a body without acceleration

This video shows the viewer how to calculate friction in a body that it is not accelerating. The simple answer is that the force of friction will be equal to the force needed to maintain the constant speed. This means that is you pull a wooden block along a carpet at a constant speed and a Newton meter between you and the block measures 5 Newton’s then the force of friction between the carpet and the block is exactly 5 Newton’s. If the object is accelerating then this rule does not apply.For ...

How To: Make Your Own Homemade Glow Sticks

Glow sticks, a popular favor at parties and outdoor events, and a must-have on Halloween, can be traced back to the United States Navy in the mid-1960s. The military desired improved visibility during night operations, and glow sticks, with their small-size portability and lack of batteries, were a perfect tactical solution.

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