Junk Drawer Chemistry: 50 Awesome Experiments That Don’t Cost a Thing

Description

A children's instructional book on how to use readily available materials to turn the house into a science lab Science teacher Bobby Mercer provides readers with more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies, or less. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated. From turning three pennies and two galvanized washers into a simple battery to crushing a soda can using atmospheric pressure, the experiments in this book call for materials that are recycled or repurposed—crayons, plastic drink bottles, balloons, ice cubes, and other basic items found around the house. Junk Drawer Chemistry also includes sidebars of fascinating chemistry facts. Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children about chemistry topics that include atoms, compounds, solutions, mixtures, reactions, thermodynamics, acids and bases, and more, while having fun at the same time. Front Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Dedication......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: What Is Chemistry?......Page 12 Can Can Dance......Page 14 Air Is Heavy......Page 16 Three Balloons of Fun......Page 19 Homemade Stress Balls......Page 23 Non-Newtonian Goo......Page 29 Electric Water......Page 34 The Impossible-to-Blow-Up Balloon......Page 37 The Impossible-to-Deflate Balloon......Page 40 Mysterious Floating Paper Clip......Page 43 Super Wet Penny......Page 45 Scared Pepper......Page 47 Mysterious Levitating Candle......Page 50 Shrunken Heads......Page 53 Wriggling Wrapper Snake......Page 57 Snake-Charmed Dancing Wrapper......Page 60 2 Atoms, Compounds, Elements, and the Periodic Table......Page 64 Black Box......Page 65 Candy Atoms......Page 70 Junk Drawer Periodic Table......Page 76 Breaking Water......Page 80 Tape Repulsion......Page 84 Rainbow Ice......Page 88 Balloon Secret......Page 92 Pop in a Glass......Page 98 Mysterious Floating Egg......Page 101 Sweet Crystals......Page 104 Milk Art......Page 112 Not-So-Permanent Marker......Page 114 Chalk Chromatography......Page 118 Energy Drink Tester......Page 123 My Soda Has Gas......Page 128 Rubber Egg......Page 134 Baby Elephant’s Toothpaste......Page 138 Clean Pennies......Page 142 Green Pennies......Page 144 Copper Nails......Page 146 Coke Non-Float......Page 149 Emergency Crayon Candle......Page 151 Baking Soda Is the Bomb......Page 154 Three-Penny Battery......Page 158 Pour a Gas......Page 165 The Self-Inflating Balloon, Type 1......Page 168 The Self-Inflating Balloon, Type 2......Page 173 Are You Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot?......Page 177 Chain Reaction......Page 182 Candy Half-Life......Page 187 Coin Dance......Page 191 Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle......Page 194 Do-It-Yourself Slushie......Page 195 Cloud in a Bottle......Page 199 The Incredible Soap Monster......Page 202 Can Crusher......Page 204 Homemade Shrinky Dinks......Page 207 Glossary......Page 216 Back Cover......Page 226