Hot Science Experiments Posts
How To: Make a "Volcano" Experiment with Ammonium dichromate
C For Chemistry delves into the chemistry of science experiments. This chemist knows what he's talking about. These chemistry experiments are not only fun, but very educational for all of those interested in scientific chemical reactions and properties.
News: Solve Crimes With CSI Style Forensics
MAKE Magazine recently opened the Make: Science Room, a "DIY science classroom, virtual laboratory, and a place to share your projects, hacks, and laboratory tips with other amateur scientists."
News: Make a Battery Out of Money
Hunkin's Experiments offers over 200 science experiments freely available in comic strip form. The experiments are organized in 18 different categories, covering a wide range from simple trickery to more technical experiments. The author, Tim Hunkin, is a trained engineer turned cartoonist, and also responsible for TV series/site The Secret Life of Machines (worth a look).
How To: Dust for fingerprints
Ever wanted to find out who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Take a page from crime scene investigators and get the proof you need.
News: Man Walks On Half a Million Volts of Electricity
Michael Faraday was an English chemist and physicist - a bona fide electromagnetism and electrochemistry genius. Without him, men couldn't walk on live electrical wires. Wait, what?
News: Rocket Power Your Lazy Boy
Since the days of Archytas, rocket propulsion has been the Holy Grail of aeronautics. Thanks to Galileo's inertia, Newton's laws of motion, and the "father of modern rocketry," Goddard, space is not a complete mystery anymore. Rocket-powered aircrafts have evolved from the first liquid fuel rocket in 1926, to the Soviet R-7 which launched Sputnik, to NASA's Saturn V that propelled Apollo 11 to the moon. Today, even billionaire tourists can enjoy space, like Microsoft's Charles Simonyi and Cir...
How To: Dissolve glass with drain cleaner
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to dissolve glass with drain cleaner. They show you how to dissolve that glass with sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner).
How To: Make potassium permanganate with Dr. Lithium
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make potassium permanganate with Dr. Lithium with potassium nitrate and manganese dioxide.
How To: Make a test tube thunderstorm
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a test tube thunderstorm. They show you how to make the thunderstorm in a test tube using alcohol, sulfuric acid and potassium permanganate.
News: Home brew elephant toothpaste
But elephants don't need toothpaste, do they? Mr. Kent, a Long Island chemistry teacher, is at it again with his after hours experiments. We like to refer to him as Mr. Wizard 2.0.
News: Make poor man's liquid nitrogen
Bill Beaty's at it again! Our favorite crackpot physicist presents a backyard solution to that emergency need for cryogenic fluid. Sometimes you can't wait to freeze daisies.
News: Make an anti-gravity static powered floating orb
Think atomic theory is only for nerds? Think again. Make magical electrons dance right before your very eyes. This anti-gravity orb will move at your command.
How To: Make copper sulfate and zinc batteries
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make copper sulfate and zinc batteries. They show you how to make the classic copper sulfate and zinc battery using the incredibly easy "gravity" battery design approach. Great for science fairs and similar projects this battery can be used to explore many basic concepts in batteries.
News: Transform potatoes into plastic! (see teddy)
Hello, potato plastic -- goodbye, petroleum plastic! Watch carefully, treehuggers.
News: Grow rainbow salt crystals
Turn a used toilet paper roll into a fantastical garden of colorful salt crystals! Creator Jim, AKA HvySteel, is part artist, part scientist. His HowTo brings back great memories of our youth.
News: Hack a CRT into a lightning ball
NK5 is a genuine wizard with an old monitor. He's hacked together everything from an electric kitty fence to a Halloween hologram using the guts of an old CRT.
How To: Make electricity from copper, zinc and water
Check out this kitchen table science experiment on how to make electricity from copper, zinc and water. You can make your own battery to power a small LED light from just nails, copper wire and water.
News: Make your money fireproof
Recession? What? We have money to burn. But don't worry. KentChemistry has a strategy to keep it in your pocket-- fireproof it!
How To: Get zinc, carbon rods and MnO2 from lantern batteries
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to get zinc, carbon rods and MnO2 from lantern batteries. They show you how to get zinc, carbon electrodes and manganese dioxide from a lantern battery.
How To: Show the Leidenfrost Effect (Hand vs. Liquid Nitrogen)
What would happen if you stick your hand in a pool of liquid nitrogen? Would your hand freeze to death? Would it harden to an unnatural state? Would it shatter as soon as you touched something? Well, real life isn't like the movies (i.e. Demolition Man), so believe it or not, your hand would be safe, thanks to a little known phenomenon called the Leidenfrost effect.
How To: Make copper sulfate from copper and sulfuric acid
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make copper sulfate from copper and sulfuric acid in three ways. They show you how to make copper sulfate from copper and sulfuric acid using two chemical methods and one electrochemical method.
News: Transform your watch into a compass
Honest. WonderHowTo was more than skeptical! But then we consulted the pros at Learn-Orienteering.org and got a lesson in navigation.
How To: Make neon green water glow
Check out this how-to video for making water glow, or for making glow water (it's pretty much the same thing). Get ready for that fun, neon green color. You will need a cup on gloves, among other things, to make glow water. Use a black light.
How To: Make fireballs you can hold in your hand
This flame you CAN hold, without burning your skin off. Learn to make fireballs you can hold in your hand. This amazing video tutorial shows you how to do it. All you'll need for this little science experiment or fiery weapon is 100% cotton cloth, scissors, lighter fuel, cotton string, and a needle. Be careful to follow the directions in this how-to video carefully otherwise you'll really be playing with fire.
How To: Create light with Mentos and Mountain Dew
Systm is the Do-It-Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. They will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. In this DIY episode, see how to create light with Mentos and Mountain Dew.
News: Smash the bottom out of a bottle bare handed
Bill Beaty is our favorite kind of science teacher. Here he gives us a lesson in cavitation. Sounds boring, right?
How To: Make corrosive hydrochloric acid
Process of making Hydrochloric acid using table salt and concentrated sulfuric acid. Consentration of the syntethised acid was 2.7M or 10%. Music: 1200 Mics - Rock into the future.
News: Ignite chaotic flashes of plasma in your microwave
Yes, plasma. The fourth state of matter. What's going on? The sparks result from an electrical discharge between the sides of the grape. If the flashes of light are not enough evidence, enjoy the 120Hz buzzing.
News: Make fireballs you can hold in your hands
Pyro or not, fireballs are intrinsically cool. Add in the handheld element and they're suddenly magical orbs.
How To: Make a lithium thionyl chloride battery
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a lithium thionyl chloride battery, which is capable of generating 2.8v with enough current to power a LED.
News: Make magic milk
Trippy! Get the kids around the table for this one.
How To: Calculate your carbon footprint
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to calculate your carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is an equation that estimates just how much you, personally, are contributing to global warming—and all you have to do is plug some info into an online calculator. Figuring out how to make your footprint smaller, of course, is another matter.
How To: Build a pseudoscope with mirrors
MAKE and Kipkay brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
How To: Make TCPO (for making glow sticks)
How to make TCPO or bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate, used in glow stick reactions. WARNING: This procedure should only be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, an experienced chemist. Please refer to the material safety data sheets of all chemicals for their hazards. Synthesis must be performed in a fumehood.
How To: Make a lemon battery to run a clock
Did you know you could create a battery by using a few items from around the house? Get you and your family "Hooked on Science." You need two electrodes, some wire and some lemons.
How To: Lie on a bed of nails without piercing your skin
Lying on a bed of nails...It's a science trick we've all seen in the movies and according to science guy Jason Lindsey it can be done if you use science. This uses balloons to demonstrate how someone can lay on nails and not be a bloody mess.
How To: Float a ping pong ball in mid air with a hair dryer
Can you float a ping pong ball in mid air? According to Outreach Science Educator Jason Lindsey you can and all you need is a hair dryer. This is a great way to demonstrate wind and gravity with household objects.
How To: Sense the charge in a magnetic dollar bill
Did you know the dollar in your pocket is magnetic? The strip inside the bill is magnetically charged. Check out this demonstration from Hooked On Science to learn more about science firsthand. Bring science right to your kitchen with these creative ways to demonstrate chemistry, physics and earth science to your kids.
How To: Test if a fertilizer has nitrates in it
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to test if a fertilizer has nitrates rather than urea or ammonia as its nitrogen source.
How To: Make naked eggs with vinegar
Eggs aren't just for eating! Did you know you can do some cool science experiments with eggs? Get a naked egg by leaving it in vinegar. Need to know if your egg is cooked? Spin it!