Try this at home

Try this at home!

50 science experiments for everyone

Francesca Romano

The Scientific Method 10

Experiments are the basis of science, but for them to be used as valuable data, they must be done following a proper method!

First, you must start with a question and think about a possible answer. The experiment will serve as a confirmation of your idea. A proper experiment should be prepared and observed very carefully, to note the result.

Question

m Start fro

Experiment!

here!

Possible Answer

Prepare your experiment Observe carefully Note the result

our Maybe y was answer wrong

11

If the experiment proved your answer was correct, you can continue your discovery, or else you can rethink your experiment or your answer to the initial question and try again.

Start with a new question

Yes

Was your answer correct?

Maybe you r experimen t was wrong

Maybe you made some errors ‌

No

Homemade crystals While crystals like diamonds or other jewels are extremely precious, you can grow your own crystals at home

What you need sugar glass water food colouring scissors thread pencil

1 day

Material world

46

1

4

Boil some water in a pan. Have an adult helping you in this step.

Cut the thread. It must be longer than the depth of the glass, you can adjust it later.

2

Drop some food colouring in the water and stir it.

5

Tie the thread to a pencil.

3

6

Add sugar until it doesn’t dissolve anymore and some of it remains on the bottom of the glass

Immerse the thread in the water and leave it for at least a day.

47

How does it work?

Crystals are solids formed by a regular pattern of molecules connecting together.

When sugar is dissolved, the molecules are separated in water and, as it evaporates, they fall naturally into their place in the geometric structure.

Material world

Variations ave stals h the cry shape! a cubic

Cot to bes n wor ks exp t for e t abs rimen his o t ver rbes w as it y ef ficie ater ntly

7

If you want your crystals to grow further, prepare another solution (steps 1 to 3) and reimmerse the thread again.

The form of the crystals vary depending on the substances they are made from.

At home you can also try to grow them from salt or baking soda, following the same process.

Can you spot the differences?

Energies in action!

Energy is all around us, in many forms, but we can’t see it. Find out where it’s hiding with the following experiments!

Cabbage Magic 112

Cabbages may not be the most delicious food in the world, but some of them have magical properties ‌

1

Living Things

What you need 1/4 small red cabbage 1l water knife saucepan sieve measuring cup 3 clear glasses vinegar baking soda

Ask an adult to chop the red cabbage into small pieces.

30 mins

5

How does it work?

The same chemical that gives the cabbage its purple colour is able to detect whether substances are acids or bases. When it comes in contact with acids it turns purple and green with bases. You can create a whole palette of colours experimenting with different susbtances!

Pour vinegar in one of the glasses ‌ da

king so

with ba

v

113

2

Boil it until the water becomes blue. Then let it cool.

3

Filter the water with a sieve to separate it from the cabbage.

4

Then put some of the filtered water in each of the glasses.

Livng Things

6

‌ Until the water changes colour completely

7

In a second glass add some baking soda

8

The colour is different this time! with

just c

vineg

ar

abba g

e

th o wi s l a .

Try mon e l d an soap h one is c h Whi whic d n a acid sic? is ba

This book proves that science is not something for boring people in unaccessible laboratories.

Instead, you will have fun with these 50 easy experiments and you’ll just need a few tools you can easily find at home!