Deep down I know there is a science nerd in you. Waiting for the right moment to come out and show the world how excited you get from cool science facts or interesting experiments. That’s okay; I’ll keep your secret. You don’t have to be ashamed. Your social life doesn’t have to know. You don’t have to tell your friends and family. But you are going to want to know is how to do these four awesome science experiments that you can do in the comfort of your own home, where no one has to know.
1. Carbon dioxide Candle Diffusing Trick
As a kid you probably mixed vinegar and baking soda to watch it bubble and thought it was the coolest thing. That bubbling is actually the production of carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas is heavier that the air we breathe. So if you mix vinegar and baking soda and pour the carbon dioxide gas over a candle, the carbon dioxide gas replaces the oxygen filled and diffuses the flame. No more time wasted struggling to blow out candles, just produce some carbon dioxide!
2. Burning Money
Want to prank your friends? Well I have the perfect prank for you. Ask to borrow 20 bucks from them. Then soak the bill in equal parts ethyl alcohol and water. Then grab a match or lighter and light that money on fire. Watch as your friend freaks out and probably gets very angry at you. The anger will subside and confusion will replace it once your friend realizes that the bill is not destroyed or even slightly burned. This is because the water soaks into the bill and the alcohol actually remains on the surface. The alcohol burns at a lower temperature than water evaporates. So all of the alcohol burns and the flame is diffused by the water that the bill is soaked in.
3. Magnetic Liquid
To make a liquid that is magnetic all you need is printer toner, vegetable oil, and magnet. Put about 50 milliliters of the printer toner into a jar and add two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Using the magnet you can observe that the liquid became magnetic and forms small spikes as the magnet moves near the jar. It’s a perfect experiment to brighten up a boring afternoon.
4. Create Your Own Lava Lamp
Are you a starving college student that wants a groovy dorm decoration? Look no further. To make your own lava lamp simple place water in a jar (about halfway) and mix with food coloring. Add vegetable oil until the jar is about three-quarters of the way full. The water and oil will remain in two separate layers. This is because water is denser than oil and the fact that water is polar and oil is nonpolar. This means that oil cannot dissolve in the water. But if you add salt to the jar it creates a mini lava lamp. Salt is heavier than water so it sinks and carries the oil with it. As the salt dissolves in water, the salt releases the oil and the oil rises back upward creating the cool lava lamp effect.
Remember when you are doing all of these experiments to remember safety procedures. Please wear gloves, goggles and aprons in case something spills. Anytime there is flames make sure that there is a fire extinguisher nearby and keep any long hair tied back. Hope that you enjoy performing these experiments and remember to let your inner science nerd come out every once and awhile.
