tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47633580984266559682024-03-13T13:00:20.938-04:00Home ChemistryAt-Home Science Fun for KidsKathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-84487067589884631652016-03-01T08:48:00.001-05:002016-03-01T09:08:58.290-05:00Welcome to Home Chemistry -- Science Labs You Can Do at Home!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQA2hipgHig/TYpTEDaBfkI/AAAAAAAACDg/Ity_ms_Cz_Q/s1600/NYT%2B-%2BJ%2Band%2BA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQA2hipgHig/TYpTEDaBfkI/AAAAAAAACDg/Ity_ms_Cz_Q/s320/NYT%2B-%2BJ%2Band%2BA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks for visiting Home Chemistry! This blog archives the chemistry experiments and demonstrations my kids and I did during their homeschooling years. <a href="http://homechemistry.blogspot.com/search/label/Experiments" target="_blank">You can go directly to the experiment posts here.</a><br /><br />These are standard activities comparable to those done in school, following the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1LSpc0Z" target="_blank">The Joy of Chemistry</a> by Cathy Cobb and Monty L. Fetterolf, both chemistry teachers at the secondary and college level. And in case you're wondering, our approach to science is strictly evidence based, not religious.<br />
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Almost all the activities require only ordinary household substances. Instead of specialized lab glassware, we used plastic cups, saucers, spoons. They are all easily done by anyone regardless of scientific background. Throughout the year, we checked in with "real" scientists (including one Nobel laureate) to validate what we were doing. In fact, our work was featured in The New York Times and Chemical and Engineering News. And my oldest one was accepted at and is now graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology.<br />
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I hope you find these resources helpful. Good luck and have fun!<br />
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Kathy Ceceri<br />
<a href="http://craftsforlearning.com/">craftsforlearning.com</a>Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-3580865074328113062014-10-28T00:02:00.001-04:002014-10-28T00:02:48.733-04:00Interested in Homeschooling?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Find out how to homeschool chemistry -- and any other subject. Check out my articles on the <a href="http://homeschooling.about.com/" target="_blank">About.com Homeschooling page</a>!<br />
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<br />Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-1062067958790786352014-03-02T09:28:00.000-05:002014-08-24T12:08:51.339-04:00Update: Where to Find more Great Learning Resources from Kathy Ceceri!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PAd1KIRFBw/SsrBZijmoCI/AAAAAAAABr0/QtL38qyHr1c/s1600/CarlBot2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PAd1KIRFBw/SsrBZijmoCI/AAAAAAAABr0/QtL38qyHr1c/s1600/CarlBot2.JPG" /></a></div>
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Did you know I have published tons of learning information, activities and resources online? Here are just a few of the websites where my writing can be found:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://homeschooling.about.com/">About.com Homeschooling</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.craftsforlearning.com/">Crafts for Learning (my personal website)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmazingRoboticsProjects">Amazing Robotics Projects Facebook Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://makezine.com/author/kathyceceri/">Make Magazine and Books</a></li>
<li><a href="http://integratedscienceathome.blogspot.com/">Integrated Science at Home</a></li>
<li><a href="http://homephysics.blogspot.com/">Home Physics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://homebiology.blogspot.com/">Home Biology</a></li>
<li><a href="http://archive.wired.com/geekmom/author/kathy/" target="_blank">Wired.com's GeekMom blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/author/kathygeekmom/" target="_blank">Wired.com's GeekDad blog</a></li>
</ul>
My new book for Make Magazine, <a href="http://amzn.to/1mZFflR" target="_blank"><i>Making Simple Robots</i></a>, is available for preorder on Amazon. You can find links to all my books on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002MO1BRI" target="_blank">my Amazon page</a>. <br />
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And you can also find me on:<br />
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KathyCeceri" target="_blank">@kathyceceri</a><br />
Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllAboutHomeschooling" target="_blank">All About Homeschooling</a><br />
Google Plus <a href="https://plus.google.com/+KathyCeceri/posts" target="_blank">+kathyceceri</a><br />
<br />Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-23191030425750396832012-10-31T21:29:00.001-04:002014-10-28T00:03:58.475-04:00Two New Books for Families That Love Science!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P9ta45XBkG8/UJHM4Rw5uSI/AAAAAAAACMA/worR6t76aDs/s1600/GeekMomBookCover400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P9ta45XBkG8/UJHM4Rw5uSI/AAAAAAAACMA/worR6t76aDs/s320/GeekMomBookCover400.jpg" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mh5q2gox1A/UJHMs7RjRrI/AAAAAAAACL4/p-d5gk_zFxA/s1600/Robotics_Cover+500px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mh5q2gox1A/UJHMs7RjRrI/AAAAAAAACL4/p-d5gk_zFxA/s320/Robotics_Cover+500px.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
This past year has been busy -- but the result has been TWO new books with tons of amazing science and other geeky projects for kids and families!<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/OCLuLa" target="_blank"><i>Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families</i></a> is a new book from Potter Craft co-authored by me and the other editors of Wired.com's <a href="http://www.geekmom.com/" target="_blank">GeekMom</a> blog: Natania Barron, Corrina Lawson and Jenny Williams.Written primarily for moms who want to share their geeky interests with their kids, it includes fun activities like superhero costumes, math puzzles, snack food hacks, and science-y crafts, as well as a whole chapter of at-home experiments.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/PoqXEM" target="_blank"><i>Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future with 20 Projects</i></a>, a book for kids ages 9-12 from Nomad Press, is packed full of information about how robots work and contains "low tech/no tech" projects based on actual robotics research. No special tools or skills are needed to build any of the working robotics models in this book -- just ordinary crafts materials and recycled electronics parts!<br />
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Both these books are available from Amazon or your favorite local bookstore. You can see sample projects and photos and read more about the books on my website <a href="http://www.craftsforlearning.com/" target="_blank">Crafts for Learning</a>, my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/amazingroboticsprojects" target="_blank">Amazing Robotics Projects Facebook page</a>, and on <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekmom/tag/geek-mom-book/" target="_blank">GeekMom</a> and <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/08/robots-everyday-stuff/" target="_blank">GeekDad</a>!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-81739647476610805622012-01-09T12:32:00.000-05:002012-01-09T12:33:58.247-05:00Bose-Einstein Condensate<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/bec/how_its_made.html" target="_blank">How to make a Bose-Einstein condensate. </a></td></tr>
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I'm writing up a project for the forthcoming <a href="http://www.geekmom.com/2011/10/geekmom-to-become-a-book/">GeekMom</a> book that involves states of matter. Here's one I seem to have missed: Bose-Einstein Condensate. First created in 1995, it is not yet widely known or taught in schools. But an old page from website of the University of Colorado at Boulder actually does a pretty good job of <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/bec/" target="_blank">explaining BEC</a> in words and animations simple enough for kids to understand.<br />
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And for all you educators out there, here's <a href="http://learningcenter.nsta.org/discuss/default.aspx?tid=m8Z0GyWPXlo_E" target="_blank">an interesting debate on the NSTA website</a> on if and when teachers should share the news that there are more states of matter out there than just solid, liquid and gas...<br />
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<br />Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-20600655526124822862011-12-08T09:21:00.001-05:002012-10-31T21:45:43.345-04:00Interested in Robotics?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375308_247519681964580_235676506482231_631950_1845519857_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mh5q2gox1A/UJHMs7RjRrI/AAAAAAAACL4/p-d5gk_zFxA/s320/Robotics_Cover+500px.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
I've been hard at work on a new activity book for kids from Nomad Press. It's called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936749750/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=robotart-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1936749750&adid=0T8M5GYMQTM0DXYVN3MV" target="_blank"><i>Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future</i></a> and includes projects from a range of area -- including chemistry! I'll be starting a companion blog to the book as soon as the writing is done.<br />
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In the meantime, check out news about the book and robotics in general on my new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmazingRoboticsProjects" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>! <br />
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<br />Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-71728902334635164052011-05-30T09:00:00.001-04:002011-05-30T09:00:05.172-04:00Zombie Marie Curie<a href="http://xkcd.com/"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/marie_curie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="782" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/marie_curie.png" width="471" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://xkcd.com/896/</td></tr>
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A worthy follow-up to <a href="http://homephysics.blogspot.com/2010/05/zombie-feynman.html">Zombie Richard Feynman</a>. And for more on Marie Curie, read the new illustrated biography <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061351326/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0061351326&adid=1RT7PD1W5QW8Y4RVG54J"><i>Radioactive</i></a> with the cool glow-in-the-dark cover! (Review coming.)<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=homechemistry-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0061351326" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-19826421993565131772011-05-23T15:16:00.000-04:002011-05-23T15:16:21.446-04:00Plasma Experiments on "Integrated Science"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r6XhRpTBLFE?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br />
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We've been doing some amazing plasma experiments over on our current blog, <a href="http://integratedscienceathome.blogspot.com/">Integrated Science at Home</a>. If you haven't visited, come take a look!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-14163614300639251432011-05-16T09:00:00.012-04:002011-05-16T12:57:59.722-04:00Homemade Lava Lamp -- New and Improved!<object width="640" height="510"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WR7hVimKdxE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WR7hVimKdxE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="510" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
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We recently tried a new and improved version of the <a href="http://homechemistry.blogspot.com/2008/05/surfaces-and-density.html">lava lamp project</a> from several years ago. It worked great! Here's how we did it:<br />
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Tools and Materials:<br />
• Clean recycled soda or water bottle, label removed, 16 oz or larger<br />
• Water<br />
• Food coloring<br />
• Baby oil, at least one 12 oz bottle <br />
• Effervescent antacid tablets (such as Alka-Seltzer)<br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R7PM36/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000R7PM36&adid=04RW98NQTS58465VBKDP">LED push light</a> (or make a light-up base from a recycled jar or can, some extra bright LED bulbs, coin batteries, and tape)<br />
• Plastic plate or other protection for table <br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0021AEAG2/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0021AEAG2&adid=07RESE59TA97SJQ8XHE8">Cooking (meat) thermometer</a> (optional)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RqCRvTrT0Hw/TdBFi1AEEKI/AAAAAAAACGQ/VPeAS2Sol74/s1600/Green+Lava+Lamp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RqCRvTrT0Hw/TdBFi1AEEKI/AAAAAAAACGQ/VPeAS2Sol74/s640/Green+Lava+Lamp.JPG" width="193" /></a></div><b>Step 1: Prepare the lava lamp bottle. </b>The first step in building your homemade lava lamp is to find a tall, thin, clear bottle. Any size or shape will do. A plastic bottle, such as a recycled soda or mineral water bottle, will eliminate worries about breakage if it falls. We used a 16-ounce bottle, which is large enough to get the full floating blob effect, but only requires one 12-ounce bottle of baby oil. A larger lamp bottle will last longer but you’ll need more baby oil to fill it. Rinse the bottle clean and remove any labels. A glue solvent like “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IBNJ/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00006IBNJ&adid=0A7515YJXWPR5HAQ8TPG">Goo Gone</a>” can make scraping off a tough label easier. <br />
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<b>Step 2: Prepare the Bottom Layer of Colored Water.</b><br />
Once you’ve got your bottle ready you can begin filling it. The exact chemical formula used to make real lava lamps is a trade secret (although the UK manufacturer <a href="http://www.mathmos.com/">Mathmos</a> has a cool <a href="http://www.mathmos.com/mathmos-astro-lava-lamp-the-original-1227-0.html">video on its website</a> showing the lamp being assembled). But as with the egg timer which inspired it, the gooey “lava” is actually a type of wax. And the way it slowly floats up and drifts down has to do with the balance between the density of the wax and the density of the liquid it floats in. <br />
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Density tells us how much of a substance is contained within a certain volume, or amount of three-dimensional space. The higher the density, the more stuff is in there. And density can change with temperature. For instance, at room temperature the wax in a lava lamp is denser than the liquid, so it sits at the bottom of the lamp. When the light is turned on and the wax warms up, it begins to melt and spread. As the volume of wax in the lamp grows, its density decreases, because the same number of molecules are now taking up more space. At the point where the wax becomes less dense than the liquid, it starts to float to the top of the lamp. Eventually the wax at the top, away from the hot light, starts to cool. As it becomes denser, the wax sinks down, is warmed by the light, and the cycle repeats itself in a colorful mesmerizing display. <br />
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Our homemade version uses water and oil, but the principle is the same. Oil is less dense than water, so the water in our lamp sinks to the bottom, while the oil floats to the top. When we introduce a less dense gas into the water, bubbles form that carry some of the water slowly up through the oil. By coloring the water with dye, we can approximate a lava lamp-type effect that lasts several minutes.<br />
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If spilling food coloring or oil is a concern, place your bottle on a plastic plate or other protected surface. (They can also stain clothing, so old clothes or an apron may be advisable.) Fill the bottle about one quarter full with water. Add 3 to 4 drops of liquid food coloring for a 16-ounce bottle, or more for a larger bottle. <br />
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Before you shake up the bottle to mix the food coloring, take a few moments to watch as the dye begin to spread in vibrant tendrils of color, all on its own. That seemingly spontaneous, random movement is called Brownian motion, after the botanist Robert Brown. In 1827, Brown looked at grains of plant pollen in a drop of water through a microscope and noticed that they jiggled around. In 1905, Einstein suggested that the pollen grains were moving because they were colliding with molecules of water, and predicted that the way the grains moved could be used to figure out how many molecules of water there were. Scientists later showed that Einstein’s prediction was correct -- one of the first proofs of the existence of atoms and molecules. <br />
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Once you’ve mixed up the food coloring and water as evenly as possible, by shaking, stirring, or just letting Brownian motion do its thing, check to see if you need to add any more dye. To get the lava lamp effect to work, you want the water to look pretty dark. But don’t go overboard at this point. If necessary, you can add more food coloring later on in the process.<br />
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<b>Step 2: Add the Top Layer of Oil.</b><br />
Now that you’ve got your colored “lava” layer ready, it’s time to add the clear liquid. We use baby oil, which is colorless and available pretty much anywhere. Baby oil is mostly mineral oil -- a non-toxic byproduct of the manufacture of gasoline, used to lubricate cooking tools and to make gummy candy -- with a little fragrance added to make it smell nice. Compared to cooking oil, baby oil is also inexpensive. I picked up a 12-ounce-size bottle, enough for one 16-ounce homemade lava lamp, at my local dollar store. Of course, you can use any kind of cooking or skin care oil you have on hand, as long as it’s not too dark to see through.<br />
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Pour the oil into the lava lamp bottle slowly, stopping when you reach the bottle’s shoulder. You’ll want to leave a little head room so the lamp solution doesn’t bubble over. Let the bottle sit for a minute or two, so that the contents settle into two layers: colored water on the bottom, oil on top, with a nice sharp line in between. <br />
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Here’s where density comes in. As already mentioned, oil is less dense than water, so the same volume of oil weighs less than an equal volume of water. In scientific terms, the specific gravity of mineral oil – or the ratio of its density compared to the density of water – is about 0.8 to 1. However, there’s another reason that oil and water form two neat layers, and it has to do with the bonds that make molecules stick together with other molecules.<br />
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If you could see a water molecule, you’d notice two little hydrogen atoms sitting on top of a bigger oxygen atom like the ears on Mickey Mouse’s head. Those “ears,” which each have negatively-charged electrons whirring around them, give that end of the water molecule a slightly negative charge. That makes water a type of polar molecule. Just like magnets, the negative end of polar molecules is attracted to the positive end of other polar molecules. Oil molecules, on the other hand, are non-polar. They’re made up of long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, which don’t have a charged side. Non-polar molecules will form bonds with other kinds of non-polar molecules (“like dissolves like”), but when put together with polar molecules, they keep to themselves. So when people say “oil and water don’t mix,” what they’re really talking about is molecular polarity!<br />
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<b>Step 3: Set up the lights.</b><br />
So far you’ve built what science teachers call a density column – one type of substance floating on another. To turn it into a lamp, you need to add a base with a light source. A small battery-powered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R7PM36/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000R7PM36&adid=04RW98NQTS58465VBKDP">LED push light</a> is ideal. These look like discs with three or four LED bulbs embedded in them. You can find inexpensive versions in the flashlight section of your local dollar store or discount mart. Just set the LED push light on your plate or protected surface, and carefully place your lava lamp bottle on top so that the liquid inside is lit up. <br />
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If you can’t find one of these handy lights, you’ll have to make your own base. A large sturdy plastic jar or a can should work fine. Arrange some new or re-used LED bulbs inside. To power them, slip a button battery between the wires of each LED bulb and tape in place. <br />
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<b>Step 4: Start the action!</b><br />
Unlike real lava lamps, which run on the heat of a light bulb, our homemade lava lamp is powered by the energy released when you drop an effervescent (fizzing) antacid tablet like Alka-Seltzer into water. You’ll probably have to break the tablet in half to fit it in the opening of the bottle, but try to use as large a piece as possible. The bigger the piece, the more dramatic the effect!<br />
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As the tablet hits the layer of water at the bottom of the homemade lava lamp, it begins to release bubbles of gas. Because gases have a lower density than liquids, the bubbles float slowly upward through the thick layer of oil, carrying drops and blobs of water along with them. But when the bubbles reach the surface, the gas continues rising, while the denser water that’s left behind drifts back down to the bottom of the lamp. The lava lamp effect will continue as long as the tablets are fizzing. You can keep adding pieces of antacid tablets to prolong the show, until the oil gets too cloudy to see through.<br />
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What’s happening when the tablet begins to fizz is actually the same chemical reaction as the classic baking soda-and-vinegar volcano. Fizzing tablets contain an acid (powdered citric acid, which gives lemon juice its sour taste) and a base (sodium bicarbonate, our old friend baking soda). Acids are compounds with an excess of hydrogen (H+) ions, or hydrogen atoms that are missing their electron and have a positive charge. Bases have a surplus of hydroxide (OH-) ions, which are negatively-charged molecules of oxygen and hydrogen. Strong acids and bases are highly reactive – they’ll combine with, and start to dissolve, many types of material, including your clothing and skin. But put them together in the right amounts and they’ll neutralize each other to produce water! (H+ and OH- make H2O.) When fizzing tablets react, they also produce a salt (in this case, sodium citrate) and carbon dioxide (the gassy bubbles).<br />
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Know what else is cool? The reaction of fizzing tablets and water creates an <a href="http://homechemistry.blogspot.com/2008/04/endothermic-reactions.html">endothermic reaction</a>. That means that those chemical changes are pulling heat out of the surrounding water to use as fuel. So as it’s fizzing, your lamp is dropping in temperature. Try sticking a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0021AEAG2/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0021AEAG2&adid=07RESE59TA97SJQ8XHE8">cooking thermometer</a> in your bottle to see if you can detect the change in temperature. (You might want to skip the lights, since they may give off a small amount of heat energy.)Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-77769093339555235632010-11-13T14:56:00.000-05:002010-11-13T14:56:44.328-05:00Flower Chemistry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/TN7tbXM2-VI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/KpTiPwZ8Hsc/s1600/Orchid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/TN7tbXM2-VI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/KpTiPwZ8Hsc/s320/Orchid.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><i>Over at <a href="http://www.geekmom.com/">GeekMom</a>, we've gotten some great responses to <a href="http://www.geekmom.com/2010/11/ask-kari-byron-how-do-you-get-kids-interested-in-science/#comments">Mythbuster Kari Byron's post about getting kids excited by science</a>. One commenter, who only gave the name "OrchidGrowinMan," provided directions for a flower chemistry party he organized for his daughters. It sounds so interesting, I thought I'd share it here. Maybe we'll get to try it sometime ourselves.</i><br />
<br />
Years ago, I hosted a “Science Party” for my eight-year-old daughter to test flowers from our garden for acid/base color indicators. Ten of her friends came over, and spent HOURS at it, skipped lunch (!) and some had to be dragged away. The agenda was to gather flowers and such from the gardens and greenhouse (orchids too!) and smoosh them in a mortar and pestle with a bit of rubbing-alcohol (When I was a teenager, I experimented and found this to be the BEST solvent for this purpose). Then a dropper could suck-up the (usually) colored solution to put a few drops into each of three tubes, adding acid to one, water to one, and alkali to the third. I had bought each of them a set of safety goggles, plastic droppers and a rack of 25 little plastic test-tubes to take home (surplus).<br />
<br />
Some surprises came up, like the prevalence of flavonoids that turn yellow with strong alkalis (so some samples go red-purple-blue-green with increasing pH). They're the reason why when you wash your hands after handling tomato plants the soap turns yellow: You can easily collect lots of some weird pigment by stroking tomato stems with a cotton-ball, and it turns bright greenish-yellow in alkali.<br />
<br />
<br />
Materials were obtained from American Science & Surplus at good prices:<br />
American Science & Surplus<br />
3605 Howard street,<br />
Skokie IL 60076<br />
(847) 982-0870<br />
http://www.sciplus.com/<br />
<br />
<b>List of Materials</b><br />
<ul><li>Safety Goggles $2.25 ea.</li>
<li>Test Tubes (at least five) $1.75 ea.</li>
<li>Test Tube Rack </li>
<li>Mortar and Pestle $13.95 ea.</li>
<li>Droppers Provided $2.00/20.</li>
<li>Acid: distilled vinegar, lemon juice</li>
<li>Alkali: household ammonia, baking soda</li>
<li>Solvent: rubbing alcohol</li>
<li>Apron or Lab Coat Recommended</li>
<li>Pigmented plant parts: flowers, berries, pods. </li>
<li>Acidic foods like fruits, alkaline like soda- or shortbread or cake.</li>
<li>Miscellaneous, if available and needed: Ph Meter, Litmus paper, Acid/base indicators, tincture of iodine</li>
</ul><b>What Will We Do:</b><br />
1. We will do experiments to try to extract the colours from plant parts like flowers, leaves and fruits.<br />
2. We will then determine if these chemicals change colour when they are mixed with acids and alkalis. That is, are they acid/base indicators.<br />
3. Using any acid/base indicators we find, we will try to identify whether some foods are acidic or alkaline (basic).<br />
<br />
<b>Procedures (The three experiments can be run concurrently):</b><br />
<br />
Experiment 1<br />
<ol><li>Obtain a pigmented plant part, the darker the better. The dryer the better. If possible, cut away any uncoloured parts.</li>
<li>Smoosh and Goosh it up in a mortar and pestle.</li>
<li>Add a little rubbing alcohol and carefully grind it up some more.</li>
<li>Pour, or use a dropper to remove the liquid to a test tube. Label the tube. What does it look like?</li>
<li>Wash the mortar and pestle and repeat.</li>
</ol>Experiment 2<br />
<ol><li> Put a few drops of the extracted pigment from experiment 1 into each of five test tubes.</li>
<li>Put three drops of ammonia or baking soda solution in the left test tube. What happens?</li>
<li>Put three drops of vinegar or lemon juice solution in the right test tube. What happens?</li>
<li>Put one drop of ammonia or baking soda solution in the next to left test tube, and two drops of water. What happens?</li>
<li>Put one drop of vinegar or lemon juice solution in the next to right test tube, and two drops of water. What happens?</li>
<li>Put three drops of water in the center test tube. Compare the colors of each sample.</li>
<li>Put a few drops of the extracted pigment from experiment 1, one that changes colours, into each of five test tubes.</li>
<li>Put three drops of ammonia solution in the left one, three drops of baking soda solution in the next. What happens?</li>
<li>Put three drops of vinegar in the right one and three of lemon juice solution in the next. What happens?</li>
<li>Put three drops of water in the middle tube. Compare the colours.</li>
<li>Using the results of the experiment above, if you add a drop of vinegar to the left (ammonia) tube and a drop of water to the middle one, and a drop of ammonia to the right (vinegar) tube, how many times do you have to repeat to get them the same colour?</li>
</ol><br />
Experiment 3<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Obtain a food (or other material) sample.</li>
<li>Put a few drops of the extracted pigment from experiment 1, one that is shown to be an indicator, onto the sample. What happens. Is the sample acidic or alkaline?</li>
</ol><b>Why Does That Happen?</b><br />
The pigments in plants fall into one of several chemical families. Blue, purple, pink, and most red colours are due to the presence of one or another of the anthocyanin pigments, which are acid/base indicators. [antho means “flower,” cyanin means “blue.”] Their molecular shape changes in response to acidity, and this changes their colour. Some blue flowers have the same anthocyanin pigment as some pink ones; the difference is in the acidity/alkalinity (pH) of the plant juice. Vinegar and lemon juice are acidic, ammonia and baking soda alkaline. Float flowers in them and the flowers will likely change colour.<br />
Anthocyanins are soluble in water and alcohol and are easy to extract, They also are usually easily destroyed by heat (cooking). Beets and chard (and cacti) have pigments in a different group, betacyanins, which are more heat stable and are also (barely) indicators. [Beta means “beet.”]<br />
Yellow, orange and some red pigments (as in tomatoes) are due to carotenoid pigments, which are not acid/base indicators, and are not really soluble in water and sparingly in alcohol. [carota means “carrot”] Green chlorophyll and various brownish pigments may also be present.<br />
<br />
There are other experiments that can be done: baking soda combined with an acid makes bubbles (carbon dioxide), tincture of iodine from the medicine cabinet gives a black/blue colour on starch and can be used to detect starchy foods and where in a plant starch is stored.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-25504967312651542932010-10-03T00:49:00.000-04:002010-10-03T00:49:27.286-04:00Now Blogging at GeekMom with Mythbuster Kari Byron!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.geekmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/KariPromo-300x298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.geekmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/KariPromo-300x298.jpg" /></a></div>I've been busy the past few months helping to launch <a href="http://www.geekmom.com/">GeekMom</a>, a site dedicated to moms who want to share their geeky passions with their kids. To start us off, we've got <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/mythbusters/">MythBusters</a> host Kari Byron writing about her new adventure as mom to a one-year-old girl. Kari is also the host of the new hour-long kids' show <a href="http://headrush.discovery.com/">Head Rush</a>. Check us out!<br />
<br />
And I'll still be blogging at <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/">GeekDad</a>, so be sure to stop by there too!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-40274772697507665502010-09-04T11:02:00.001-04:002010-09-04T11:05:03.619-04:00The Buckyball is 25 today!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/TIJe8CmvzbI/AAAAAAAAB-c/hMD1pbAnqEI/s1600/CarbonFiberConceptBike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/TIJe8CmvzbI/AAAAAAAAB-c/hMD1pbAnqEI/s320/CarbonFiberConceptBike.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Google's animated doodle alerted me to this milestone in modern chemistry. Buckyballs, discovered in 1985, are carbon molecules that are exceptionally strong and light. They're used in carbon fiber bike frames and a whole host of other cutting edge products. We saw the original inspiration, Bucky Fuller's geodesic dome, on a trip to Montreal.<br />
<br />
Check out my post on <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/09/happy-25th-birthday-to-the-buckyball/">GeekDad</a>.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-21217848587782280692010-05-10T18:32:00.000-04:002010-05-10T18:32:01.991-04:00Discover Magazine is Looking for Home Experiment Videos!<object height="505" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BfMwwB8QDjw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BfMwwB8QDjw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Unfortunately, all our best videos are just a couple seconds long. But if you're interested:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>DISCOVER is currently producing a Web TV show about home science experiments and demonstrations, and we're looking for submissions—the most enlightening, visually impressive, surprising, or just plain funny videos out there. Submit your video below (it's OK if you've already uploaded it elsewhere on the Web) and we'll select the best ones for the show. (Winners will of course be identified.)</blockquote><br />
For more information, go to the <a href="http://discovermagazine.com/interactive/home-science-experiment-video-upload/">Discover Magazine </a>website.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-20945606219340984622010-04-09T11:13:00.001-04:002010-04-09T11:14:18.597-04:00Lots of Periodic Tables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S79DwePwazI/AAAAAAAAB7s/4G0JXACyxP8/s1600/PeriodicTableFictionalElements.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S79DwePwazI/AAAAAAAAB7s/4G0JXACyxP8/s640/PeriodicTableFictionalElements.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Just a pointer post to an interesting post by my fellow GeekDad writer Nathan Barry on some creative versions of <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/04/the-periodic-table-of-imaginary-elements/">Periodic Tables</a>, including illustrator Russell Walks' cool-looking <a href="http://russellwalks.com/PTOIE.html">Periodic Table of Imaginary Elements.</a>Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-90298711508113269342010-03-21T22:48:00.001-04:002010-03-25T17:12:13.578-04:00Salt Crystal Trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6bZn_Z_IrI/AAAAAAAAB58/2dBNquqWAAg/s1600-h/Salt+Crystal+Tree2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6bZn_Z_IrI/AAAAAAAAB58/2dBNquqWAAg/s640/Salt+Crystal+Tree2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>I just did a class on The Chemistry of Crystals for a local elementary school's Saturday Scholars program where we did the <a href="http://homechemistry.blogspot.com/2007/12/crystal-update.html">Salt Crystal Garden project</a> I did with my kids in 2007. In addition to using cubes of kitchen sponge as a base, we used cardboard toilet paper tubes to make Salt Crystal trees. Since the crystals were just starting to form by the time the class was over, I tested the project out the day before to make sure it would work. It took a while to get going, but the result was pretty spectacular.<br />
<br />
The formula we use is an adaptation of the one found on the website for <a href="http://www.mrsstewart.com/pages/scginstructions.htm">Mrs. Stewart's Bluing</a>. Bluing is a colloidal suspension of very fine blue iron powder in water. Its actual purpose is make laundry white! Although I've listed the changes we made, I never gave the final version of the directions, so here they are:<br />
<br />
Materials<br />
<br />
• porous base, such as a sponge or cardboard toilet paper tube <br />
• Water: Distilled water is better than tap water.<br />
• Salt: Plain, iodine-free pickling salt works better than table salt.<br />
• Ammonia (NH3): Optional. Irritating to eyes and toxic. Use plain ammonia, not ammonia cleaners.<br />
• Laundry Bluing: Bluing, a suspension of tiny particles of Prussian Blue (Ferric Hexacyanoferrate), makes clothes look whiter by tinting them slightly blue, among other uses. Mrs. Stewart's Bluing is a brand sold in some supermarkets or online at www.MrsStewart.com. <br />
• Plastic cup and plastic spoon: For mixing chemicals. Throw them away when done.<br />
• Disposable plastic bowl: To hold your garden. <br />
• Liquid food coloring.<br />
<br />
NOTE: I outfitted the kids with rubber gloves and safety goggles, to make things more scientific. <br />
<br />
1. For the sponge, wet with water and wring it out. Cut it into 1-inch sized pieces. Lay them in the bowl. Or cut the top of the cardboard tube into strips and bend them to look like tree branches. Stand the cardboard tube in the bowl. <br />
2. In the cup, mix equal amounts (1 or 2 spoonfuls each) of salt, ammonia, and bluing. Stir until dissolved. For cardboard base, also add an equal amount of water.<br />
3. Pour over the sponge or around the base of the tube. Try to keep it away from the sides of the bowl.<br />
4. Sprinkle on 2 more spoonfuls of salt. <br />
5. Add some drops of food coloring where desired. <br />
6. Garden should start growing in 1 hour, depending on materials and humidity. <br />
7. The garden will keep growing for several days. You can keep adding more salt and more solution. To make it last, don’t knock it or let it get blown, because the crystals will collapse.<br />
<br />
Update: I've been adding more water to one of the crystal trees but not the other. Look at the difference in how they've developed. The tree that was watered is spiky, while the other is puffy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6vQ2eCJDOI/AAAAAAAAB6c/A7WoV1SD-zM/s1600/Crystal+Tree+Puffy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6vQ2eCJDOI/AAAAAAAAB6c/A7WoV1SD-zM/s320/Crystal+Tree+Puffy.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6vQxv7uBUI/AAAAAAAAB6U/i8ZVq4urB7w/s1600/Crystal+Tree+Watered.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S6vQxv7uBUI/AAAAAAAAB6U/i8ZVq4urB7w/s320/Crystal+Tree+Watered.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-3922213339881144602010-01-25T08:51:00.001-05:002010-01-26T12:31:44.018-05:00A Little Nanoscience Cross-Posting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S1y_3WTofCI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/WO_efkWfsj0/s1600/MiniCup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S1y_3WTofCI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/WO_efkWfsj0/s320/MiniCup.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
We did one of the nanoscience experiments from NISE Net and posted it on <a href="http://homephysics.blogspot.com/2010/01/kitchen-nanoscience.html">Home Physics.</a> This bit of Kitchen Nanoscience demonstrates how difference in scale affects forces like gravity. It's quick and easy, if you've got some dollhouse or LEGO-sized drinking vessels around!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-76227353963133354232010-01-25T08:47:00.002-05:002010-01-26T12:32:09.459-05:00Home Chemistry in Chemical & Engineering News!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pubs.acs.org/cen/_img/88/i04/8804wts_warmersKOcxd_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://pubs.acs.org/cen/_img/88/i04/8804wts_warmersKOcxd_opt.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>As promised, <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/88/8804sci3.html">Chemical & Engineering News</a> has an article mentioning our hand warmer experiment. Check it out!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-17270351885345090472010-01-04T17:36:00.000-05:002010-01-04T17:36:04.244-05:00What's That Stuff? The Chemistry of Everyday Products<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S0JtH1aSGVI/AAAAAAAABzA/NHQrWImm_n4/s1600-h/cencover8704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/S0JtH1aSGVI/AAAAAAAABzA/NHQrWImm_n4/s320/cencover8704.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>I was just interviewed for the <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/">What's That Stuff</a> column of Chemistry & Engineering News, the weekly magazine of the American Chemical Society. Apparently, this blog is the first thing that comes up when you Google "chemistry" and "hand warmers." How cool is that! Looks like they have some interesting articles too. Can't wait to see it!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-82499292200643942902010-01-02T10:27:00.001-05:002010-02-08T10:30:24.448-05:00Home Chemistry Experiment Links<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/Sz9lj4MWVyI/AAAAAAAAByY/B-sRM2hlFSc/s1600-h/StrucBucky_photo1folding_01Dec09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuD30KrwFvA/Sz9lj4MWVyI/AAAAAAAAByY/B-sRM2hlFSc/s400/StrucBucky_photo1folding_01Dec09.jpg" /></a></div>I've started a new category in my sidebar for links to chemistry experiments you can easily do at home. They include some activities from NiseNet, the Nanoscale Informal Science Education website. While these are designed for museums and schools, many of them are easy to do at home too. I've already printed out the paper model Bucky ball to try later!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-54755976653525940772009-12-14T22:37:00.003-05:002009-12-14T22:45:26.731-05:00The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/modern-science-writing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 378px;" src="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/modern-science-writing.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>According to my fellow GeekDad contributor Jenny Williams, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199216819?tag=homebiology-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0199216819&adid=0BZA08A5AZ3RKDTN7TPH&">The Oxford Book of Modern Science </a>Writing --Richard Dawkins' collection of essays by science writers famous and obscure on everything from astronomy to biology, genetics, evolution, chemistry and relativity-- is "400 pages of science-y goodness."<br /><br />Read her review<a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/12/modern-science-writing/"> here</a>.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-26253013160019880182009-11-16T23:12:00.003-05:002009-11-16T23:23:21.404-05:00ChemMatters podcast - Nanostructures<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/xbcn7FR3pdg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/xbcn7FR3pdg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />From the <a href="http://www.bytesizescience.com/">ByteSize Science blog</a> of the American Chemical Society:<br /><br /><blockquote>The award-winning high school chemistry magazine ChemMatters is making its YouTube debut with its first ever video podcast. The first episode highlights the very big promise of those very small machines known as nanotechnology. The episode explains how incredibly small nanostructures like buckyballs could lead to tiny devices that bring medicine exactly where it needs to go in your body, as well as powerful computers the size of a grain of sand or vital new sources of energy.</blockquote>Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-88830277697016469412009-11-08T11:17:00.004-05:002009-11-08T11:21:34.650-05:00Theo Gray's new book, The Elements<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1579128149?tag=geekdadklc-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1579128149&adid=0H7489AJQSPSMFGVGFFH&"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/theelements1000.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here's what I said about it on <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/11/2009giftguide1/">GeekDad's first holiday gift guide</a>:<br /><br /><strong></strong><blockquote><strong>The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe</strong><br />Even if this book weren’t absolutely gorgeous, it would still be a worthwhile investment because of how well it works as Coffee Table Education. This is when you leave a book lying around that is so tempting the kids pick it up and start learning stuff without even being asked! Based on author Theodore Gray’s <a href="http://www.periodictable.com/">amazing website</a>, The Elements offers a double-page spread (or sometimes more than one) on each element, complete with lush photos of the raw material in its pure form, as well as in various incarnations, both common and rare. Delightful. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1579128149?tag=geekdadklc-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1579128149&adid=0H7489AJQSPSMFGVGFFH&">Buy it on Amazon</a>.</blockquote>Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-1561930504957553422009-10-04T14:06:00.000-04:002009-10-04T14:07:10.930-04:00New Blog - Home Physics!It'll be a few more weeks before it really gets up and going, but I'm starting to add helpful links and info about learning physics at home to this year's science blog, <a href="http://homephysics.blogspot.com/">Home Physics</a>. Come visit! And feel free to comment with your favorite resources or suggestions.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-3055396535816769912009-09-15T15:38:00.003-04:002009-09-15T15:50:57.325-04:00Make Magazine's New Science Room for Hobbyists<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://makezine.com/images/science/make_science_room_header.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 121px;" src="http://makezine.com/images/science/make_science_room_header.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />From the website of Make magazine comes the Make: Science Room, a fun and useful resource. Here's what they say about it:<br /><blockquote>We hope you'll use it as your DIY science classroom, virtual laboratory, and a place to share your projects, hacks, and laboratory tips with other amateur scientists. Your Make: Science Room host is Robert Bruce Thompson, author of <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0596514921?tag=homechemistry-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0596514921&adid=0DYFW3H0ETG881XQC4DF&">Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture</a>.</em> (Make: Books, 2008) and <em>Illustrated Guide to Forensics Investigations: Uncover Evidence in Your Home, Lab, or Basement</em> (not yet published). We'll be drawing material from these titles first, but will soon branch out into biology, astrononmy, Earth sciences, and other disciplines. We'll be adding lots of material on a regular basis, so check back often. For more info on the site, see <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/science_room/general/welcome_to_the_make_science_room/index.html">Introducing the Make: Science Room</a>.<br /></blockquote>They also have a new science lab section in Maker Shed, their online catalog, for basic equipment. Looks neat!Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4763358098426655968.post-33048447489795593972009-08-07T08:53:00.003-04:002009-08-07T08:55:52.665-04:00Stocking up for FallIf you're starting to buy supplies for homeschooling in the fall, Home Science Tools is offering free shipping on orders over $100 using code PAUG89. I've also seen, but haven't verified, that you can get $1 shipping on orders over $50 using code PCAT89 through Aug. 31, 2009.Kathy Cecerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188872992635537080noreply@blogger.com0