Make a Patriotic Density Column in Honor of the Fourth of July!

Trying to figure out what you're going to do in between the morning parade and the evening fireworks tomorrow? Right before you head out to grill some burgers or join some friends at the park, intrigue your children (and yourself) with a patriotic science lesson!

This July 4th chemistry lesson celebrates America and ends up being a red, white and blue display of density layers. (Note: Kerosene lamp oil is toxic and flammable. Because this experiment includes using kerosene lamp oil, adult supervision is required.)

Here's what you'll need:

• Milk
• Red Kerosene Lamp Oil (Sold at your local home improvement store)
• Light Corn Syrup
• Blue Food Coloring
• Clear column or cup

Here's how you'll do it:

1. Mix blue food coloring into the corn syrup until the desired color is attained.
2. Slowly pour the same amount of the colored corn syrup, kerosene lamp oil and milk (in any order you wish) into a clear column or cup. Here's a hint: You get minimal mixing by slowly pouring each liquid over the back of a disposable plastic spoon.
3. Now observe and enjoy! The most dense liquid is at the bottom of the column or cup and the least dense liquid is at the top. Were you predictions about the order of the colors correct?!

To make the density column more exciting, light the top layer (the lamp oil) on fire!

*Fuel kerosene is also sometimes available in a blue color, so if this is what you have, use it and just make the light corn syrup red with food coloring.

Check out this video for a demonstration of a patriotic density column. 

This woman makes her's in a shot glass!

Summer Science Experiment: Mystery Markers!

Summer heat is officially taking over. Since your youngsters can't spend all day outside, bring them inside and embrace their inquisitive side with another summer time experiment that you can do right inside your kitchen. Even better, you'll enjoy this experiment as much as your kids will.

Here's what you'll need:

• Bowl of water
• Plain white paper towels, cut into strips
• 3 or more different markers, including black (non-primary colors work best)

When you have all your materials together, get started!

1. Draw a wavy line an inch from the bottom of each towel strip, using different color markers on each one. Make sure you note which color is on which strip.
2. Dip each strip in to the water so that the bottom edge of the paper towel is submerged, but not the line of marker ink. Hold the strip in place as the water creeps up the paper towel.
3. The marker ink will spread, revealing the different types of dye that make up each color. The young minds around you will this it's magic!

The lesson here is that most colors are actually made up of several different colors or dyes. Science-ly speaking:  as the paper towel draws the water out of the bowl, the water molecules bond with the different ink molecules and spread them. The process of separating these dyes is known as chromatography. 

To make it really interesting, have your young scientist cover up their eyes while you draw a line on a fresh paper towel strip. Dip it in the water and, once the ink has spread, have them open their eyes and try to guess which marker you used!

Weekend Experiment: Make a Sparkly Explosion!

It's Friday again. That means your trying to figure out exactly what you're doing this weekend. Well, good news: I have a science experiment that will be fun for you and your children! What child doesn't request experiments that explode, sparkle or use fire? The more she-bang, the better. Let your children lead you through this sparkly explosion and you'll love the creation as much as they do.

Here's what you'll need:

• A vase
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Food coloring (in your child's favorite color, of course!)
• Blue glitter (Glitter is integral to this activity, but you can use any color you'd like.)
• Other supplies like salt, spaghetti noodles, pepper and anything else you and your child dream up
• A pan to contain the mess

Now that you have everything you need, here's what you'll need to do.

1. Start by placing 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottom of the vase and then place the vase in the pan.
2. Add 6-7 drops of food coloring and 1-2 teaspoons of glitter to the vase.
3. Quickly pour in about 1/2 cup of vinegar and then...watch for the sparkles!
4. When the reaction is over, repeat the experiment, but this time let your child choose what supplies they want to add. For example, what does pepper look like in the "explosion?" Does salt change how the reaction works? What if you add spaghetti noodles? Remember that you and your child are experimenting, so let them change the variables, predict what they think will happen and then view the results.

At some point in the experiment, review with your child that baking soda and vinegar react when mixed together to make an explosion. If you're child is old enough, go further and explain that baking soda is a base while vinegar is an acid, and that mixing any base with an acid results in some sort of reaction. Carla did this experiment with her children, check out how it went and what she has to say.