Science Saturday: Magic Inflating Balloon

Welcome back to Science Saturday! We've got a great science activity to share with you today- the magic inflating balloon! The great thing about this science demonstration is it's easy, frugal, and only requires materials that most everybody has on hand at their home or camper! Oh, and then there's the major WOW factor, too! That's pretty nice also!

We've been studying states of matter and chemical and physical changes in our roadschooling lessons. This experiment fits the bill for both topics. Not only is it an opportunity to explore changes in the state of matter and view a real, live chemical reaction, but it's also an amazing thing to see! We've used this demonstration in classrooms as part of a Science Fun Day, at a Mad Scientist birthday party, and around the campsite just for funsies!

Before you read any farther, we must make you aware of our disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: If you perform this experiment at your campsite, or other science activities like the Floating S Skittles, Ice Cube Sailboats, Glue Hands, or Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint, be prepared for all the kiddos in the campground to flock to your campsite. As long as you don't mind your campsite being "the" place to be for all the campground kids (we don't), proceed at your own risk!

To make a ballon magically inflate, you will need: an empty water or soda bottle, vinegar, baking soda, a funnel, and a balloon. 

• For a 20 oz. bottle, pour about 1/2 cup vinegar into your bottle. (Don't use the funnel for this! If you do, wash and completely dry it before proceeding.) If your bottle is bigger or smaller, you may have to adjust amounts a little. Experiment- it's science!
• Insert the funnel into the balloon. 
• Pour about 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda into the funnel. 
• Remove the funnel and shake all the baking soda down into the bottom of the balloon. 
• Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. 
• Hold onto the end of the balloon to keep the baking soda from falling into the bottle until you are ready. 
• Lift the balloon up and let the baking soda fall into the bottle. 
• Step back, and watch the magic!

  The kids were so amazed, we had to do it again!

Science Saturday: Density Layered Liquids

Welcome back to the 2nd edition of Science Saturday! We're pleased to share with you another fun, frugal, and kid-friendly science experiment.

Hunter has been learning about density in Science, so Dad devised this cool experiment to illustrate the different densities of household liquids. It's loosely based on the oil and water experiment that you probably did when you were a kid, and also on a 7 layer density tower from Steve Spangler Science. (BTW, if you've never checked out Steve Spangler, you are missing out! That's our go-to site for fun science experiments and explanations.)

We used 4 ounces each of the following liquids: water, vegetable oil, rubbing alcohol,  and Purell hand sanitizer (or "sand hanitizer" as Madison calls it!). We colored each of the liquids with a different color food coloring. In retrospect, I wish we'd have used less food coloring, like only a drop or two per color.

We started by pouring the colored water into a glass jar. Rubbing alcohol has a lower density than water, so it should theoretically float on top. I say theoretically because what really happened was we poured a little too quickly, and the water and alcohol mixed. So did the two colors, producing a rather murky look.  But, hey, science is about experimentation and learning why things happen! It's not a failure; it's a learning experience! (You know, that's one thing I love about science- it's about the process, not necessarily the product.)

After doing a little reading, we decided that one of our tips for this experiment would be to pour SLOWLY, using a funnel. We also decided that we should have poured water, then vegetable oil, THEN alcohol. The water and alcohol really needed a buffer in between them. And, remember, only a little food coloring!

We topped our alcohol off with a layer of vegetable oil, then a layer of "sand hanitizer". It was really cool to see the less dense oil floating on top of the water, then the hand sanitizer, which appeared to be very dense, lay on top of the oil. The hand sanitzer formed a convex layer, which was very interesting to see. Since most of our alcohol was now mixed with the water at the bottom, we decided to add another layer of alcohol. We were very curious to see whether it would be more or less dense than the Purell, which is mostly alcohol anyway. The rubbing alcohol was, surprisingly, more dense than the hand sanitizer- it floated right on through it! Alcohol is less dense than oil, however.

After examining our layers, (in order of density from most dense to least dense was water, oil, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer) and discussing our results and how to improve the experiment next time (see notes above), we decided we simply had to shake it up!

Again, too much food coloring, so the mixed up version looked like what happens when you try to mix all the colors of Easter Egg Dye and wind up with brown eggs! But, after sitting for a while, the liquids still retain their original densities and will separate back out into layers.

You can try this density experiment with whatever liquids you have in the kitchen or camper. Milk, dish soap, laundry soap, honey, syrup, salt water, or whatever else you can imagine! Remember, Science Saturdays are about family fun, experimentation, and learning!

Introducing... Camping Science Saturday! Bubble Fountains and Antacid Rockets

For the next seven days, we'd like to introduce you to some new features here at Life is Great in a 31 by 8. Today's feature is Science Saturday!

Every Saturday, we will provide you with fun, easy, and engaging science activities that you can do with your kids using common household materials. Or, in our case, common camper-hold materials!

We plan to bring you fun activities that are easy to do while camping, at home, in a classroom, with Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, or wherever your heart desires. We may even sneak in a little science learning!

Today, we have for you two experiments!

The first experiment is a tried and true favorite. It requires nothing fancy, other than items you probably already have at home (or things you probably take camping).

It's been referred to as Elephant Toothpaste, but the scientific name is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.

You will need:
1 cup hydrogen peroxide
Dish soap
Food coloring (not really necessary, but makes it cooler looking)

1 T yeast
3 T water

Pour peroxide, several squirts dish soap, and some food coloring into a bottle (Water bottle, Coke bottle, Gatorade bottle, whatever you have on hand at the campsite or recycling bin. Preferably NOT an adult beverage bottle!)

Mix yeast and water together.

Please, do this experiment outside, or on a tray, inside a dishpan, etc. This WILL make a mess!

Pour the yeast mixture into the bottle of peroxide/dish soap/food coloring.
Step back and prepare to be amazed.

I'll give you a little hint about what happens.

But you  have to try it for yourself if you want to see the really cool stuff!

Now, our second experiment is an example of the scientific process. Sometimes, science works. Sometimes, it doesn't.  Today, it didn't.

Madison came up with the idea of creating an antacid rocket, an experiment she'd seen done before. She needed a film canister and some antacid. Of course, a film canister was nowhere to be found, but we did have a prescription medicine container with the non-childproof cap (you know, the ones that you turn the lid one way to be childproof and flip it over to be non-childproof) that just snapped on. She asked for antacid, so I handed her some Tums (or maybe Rolaids).

She filled the medicine bottle 1/3 full of water, dropped the antacids in, snapped the lid on, and stood back. Oh, and she narrated a mad scientist introduction video too! We waited, and waited, and waited.
Nada, zilch, nothing.

So we tried another variable. We put 3-4 antacid tablets in. Still nothing.

Budding scientists that we are, we discussed what other variables we could change. Madison said, "I just don't understand. The Alka-Seltzer worked great!" Ding! There's our problem!

We didn't have any Alka Seltzer on hand, but we did have denture cleaning tablets from another science activity. Hmmm.... Well, we tried one. Not a thing. So we tried two. Nada. Then we tried crushing 4 of them.

We ALMOST had some results. You could see the liquid fizzing, but it didn't build up enough pressure.

My Mad Scientist had to explain the reason for the experiment's failure, though. Something about the seal wasn't tight enough to build up pressure...

Did it work? Nope! Did we have fun? Yep! Maybe learn a little? You betcha!

If you try this experiment while you're camping, here are our recommendations:

Use a film canister if you can find one. 
Fill it 1/3 way with warm water.
Drop in an ALKA-SELTZER tablet.