Experiment: Rock Candy

As Usual, from Science Bob

All you do is heat water and add lots and lots of sugar a bit at a time to make a super saturated solution. We managed to squeeze 2.5 cups of sugar into a cup of water. You need to set up the liquid in a jar with a stick for the crystals to grow.

We used a tall old jam jar, a chop stick and a clothes peg.

Then you just put it some where safe and wait, and wait, and wait. The instructions said crystals would take 3-7 days to grow, Ours was growing for about two weeks, we got crystals, but not as spectacular as I hoped. It might have something to do with unbelievable number of ants that fell in. The crystal formed around the ants at the top and then the ants would sink, and form more at the bottom.

The bottom filled with crystals and ants.

It was a bit disappointing, next time I'd make sure it was ant safe. Did we still eat it despite the ants? Heck yeah we did. Yum.

I know she looks a little special, but this was the best photo

The verdict? It was fun and easy, but didn't work as well as intended. Worked well as an ant catcher though...

Experiment: Colour changing liquid - Clock reaction

We get our experiments from Science Bob.

Colour Changing liquid Clock reaction.

Basically you make two clear liquids, mix them together and TAH DAH. You get a dark coloured liquid. It was pretty cool, we did the experiment 3 times.

Equipment Needed

The equipment you need are 1000mg Vitamin C tablet, 3% hydrogen peroxide, 2% iodine, starch and water. You'll also need some measuring cups and spoons and some clear plastic cups.

First you pound the Vitamin C tablet (2 if they're 500mg) in a bag.

Smash that tablet

First you mix that vitamin powder with 1/4 cup of warm water for 30 seconds

Mix mix mix mix mix

then take a teaspoon of that mixture and put it in a new cup with another 1/4 of a cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of iodine. It goes clear.

In the other cup put in 1/4 warm water, a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 a teaspoon of starch.

the two (almost) clear liquids.

Then you pour one mixture into the other mixture and pour it from cup to cup, then this happens:

still clear

Starting to change

Getting Darker

Done!!

It was a fun experiment. Especially the anticipation waiting and knowing it's going to happen, then the excitement when it does happen!

A few things to note, I'm not sure if my iodine was the right strength as I needed more that the recommended amount of Vitamin C to make it turn clear. I couldn't find the right starch, it was very cloudy. But I am not at all familiar with starch. I don't iron.