Simple Science
By Deborah Shelton
Help children develop a love for science, or nurture their already-growing
interest, with these simple experiments.
Cloud Maker
Ever wanted to catch a cloud in a bottle? Now's your chance! Pour just
a splash of water into a 2-liter plastic bottle. Light a match (a grownup's
job) and drop it into the bottle. Immediately replace the lid and squeeze
the bottle a few times to watch your cloud form.
Magic Flowers
Create your own unique flowers with this neat trick. Fill a vase with
water and 8-10 drops of food coloring. Cut the stem of a white carnation
at a diagonal, and place the flower into the vase. After a few hours
you will notice a slight change of color in the petals. Let the flower
soak overnight and observe the dramatic change in the morning.
Mouth Lightning
Don't worry--this doesn't hurt a bit! In fact, you may want to try this
at your next sleepover party. Stand in front of a mirror and turn off
all of the lights. Pop a wintergreen-
flavored Life Saver into your mouth and chew. Can you believe your eyes?
This "lightning" phenomenon is called triboluminescence. To
find out more about triboluminescence, visit
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa060601a.htm
.
About the Author:
Deborah Shelton edits The Five Minute Parent email newsletter. For your
free subscription, send a blank email to Five_Minute_Parent-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or visit
http://www.FiveMinuteParent.com
for more family-friendly ideas.
