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I made ScienceFix.com to share my favorite demos that I do in my middle school science classes.  

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Media that I like...
  • Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon
    Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon
    by Sara Howard
  • NOVA - Origins
    NOVA - Origins
    starring Neil Degrasse Tyson
  • Human Body: Pushing the Limits
    Human Body: Pushing the Limits
    starring Bray Poor

Entries in video (92)

Monday
Mar142011

Pendulum

How does a pendulum work? Why can't the weight of the pendulum ever go as high as the starting height? Watch the video to find out.

Sunday
Jan162011

Video Demo: Alginate Polymer

A polymer, sodium alginate, reacts with calcium chloride to produce calcium alginate. Calcium alginate is a gel that is not soluble in water.  A new branch of cooking, called molecular gastronomy, uses this technique to trap flavor sauces in gels to put over food.  Not familiar with molecular gastronomy?  Lifehacker has a good set of simple videos on the subject.  You can order the kit that I used from Educational Innovations.

Wednesday
Jan122011

Video Demo: Polyurethane Fun

System A and System B monomers are mixed and polyurethane foam, a polymer, is produced.  You can see the dramatic results in a clear cup, or a little more weird, in a latex glove.

Saturday
Jan012011

Video Demo: Balloon Suck

This is a different version of the old egg suck into a milk bottle demo.  I got this idea from a Steve Spangler demonstration in which he uses a water balloon instead of and egg.  Basically a piece of burning paper is placed into a flask and then a water balloon sits on top.  The oxygen gets used up during the reaction, creating a lower pressure inside the flask than outside.  The balloon gets pushed in as a result.

Thursday
Dec162010

Video Demo: Flaming Gummy Worm

I usually do this demo with a Gummy bear, but all I had was Gummy worms, so that's what I used.  Sucrose has a lot of energy stored in the bonds that hold the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms together.  With a little bit of activation energy (melting the potassium chlorate) and a large supply of oxygen gas, (supplied by the potassium chlorate) that energy gets released in the form of light and heat energy (exothermic).  

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