Category Archives: Summer Science Program

  1. Summer Science Program #7: Slime and Oobleck

    Today, we ignored our usual format of testing claims and had fun with some kitchen chemistry instead. We made oobleck! OOBLECK: What is oobleck? Named for the ooey-gooey substance in Dr. Seuss’s story, “Bartholomew and the Oobleck”, it is a thick mixture of cornstarch and water. If you would like to experience the wonder of [...]

    August 15, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  2. Summer Science Program #6: The Radish Vacuum

    First, we tested the myth that you can lift a plate with a radish. To test this, we cut a radish in half, scooped out some of the insides and pushed it against a plastic plate. The scooped out radish was supposed to be able to create enough suction to lift the plate. We tried [...]

    August 8, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  3. Summer Science Program #5: Icebergs & Diving Bells

    First, we tested the myth that ninety percent of an iceberg floats is hidden underwater. Since we could not travel to the North Sea and measure a real oceanic iceberg, such as the one that sunk the Titanic, we did this small-scale. We made our “iceberg” by freezing a ice in a cylinder. We then [...]

    August 1, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  4. Summer Science Program #4: Up, Up, and Away!

    Balloon and Hovercraft Results First, we tested the myth that if you have enough helium balloons, you can fly up. We filled 33 helium balloons. It looked like a lot! The results of our tests were as follows.   Item to lift Result 150-lb person sitting in wooden chair Not lifted Wooden Chair Not lifted [...]

    July 25, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  5. Summer Science Program #3: Glowing Pickles and Potatoes

    Glowing Pickle & Potato Electricity Results First, we tested the myth that potatoes can generate electricity! We stuck a galvanized steel nail into one side of the potato and a copper wire into the other. The two wires sticking out of the potato are the terminals. We then measured across the terminals with a volt [...]

    July 18, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  6. Summer Science Program #2: Climbing Water

    Climbing Water Results First, we tested the myth that water can sometimes defy gravity! The first experiment was “The Paper Towel Climb”. We held a paper towel strip above a cup of water so that only the bottom inch or two of the paper towel was in the water. We could see the water rise [...]

    July 11, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments

  7. Summer Science Program #1: Mentos and Diet Coke

    Diet Coke & Mentos Experiment We tested the “myth” that adding Mentos to Diet Coke makes a fountain of soda shoot up into the air. We used 2-liter bottles of Soda (Diet Sam’s Cola). We drilled a hole in the bottle-cap. Then we drilled holes in four mentos, strung them on a paper-clip, and threaded [...]

    July 4, 2010 | Summer Science Program | No comments