Saturday, April 21, 2012

HOW DO SOIL LOOSE THEIR NUTRIENTS DURING LOTS OF RAIN???

Do you know soil loose their nutrients during lots of rain or excessive
water?? Let's see how!


Materials:
1/2 cup of dry soil


Blue powdered tempera paint


A measuring spoon


A measuring cup


A wide mouthed jar


Coffee filter paper


A few cups


Water


Instructions

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of blue tempera paint to 1/2 cup of soil thoroughly.

Set the funnel into the jar and put the coffee filter paper into the funnel.

Now pour the soil mixture into the funnel and add 1/2 cup water into the funnel.

Observe the color of the water. Repeat the experiment again and again without changing the soil, but do change the container and the filter paper

Observe: After some time the water coming in to the jar will be clean and transparent. At first the water will be in blue in color, but as you repeat the process the water will become more transparent

This process happens with soil in the nature. The blue powdered tempera color can be thought as nutrients in soil!






Friday, April 20, 2012

PROVING SOIL HAS WATER!!

Let's prove soil contains water!!


Materials:

Garden soil

Coffee can

A sheet of plastic or glass

Black construction paper

Tape

A sunny window


Instructions

Fill the can about one-half full of garden soil.

Tape the black construction paper around the coffee can, so that the coffee can's outer surface is covered with black construction paper.

Now place the plastic sheet or glass on the top (opening) of the can.

Put the can near the sunny window for a few days (7-10 days)

Observe: Water droplets began to form on the underside of the plastic sheet or glass.

You can prove the water is from the soil not by the air in the can by repeating the experiment but this time without the use of soil. In this experiment the water will be very less compared to the experiment with the soil, or there would be no water!!!!








MAKE YOUR OWN BATTERY!!

Let's make a battery with household items!!

Materials:

5 pennies

5 dimes

Pieces of paper towel

Lemon juice

Plate

Instructions
Put some lemon juice on the plate and then put a few pieces of paper towel in the lemon juice.

After the paper towel pieces are soaked, stack the pennies and dimes, alternating, with the paper towel in between
  
Hold the stack in between your pointer fingers. You should feel a small tingle.

  This is because the chemical reaction is changing the oxygen into electricity. You have just created your own battery!

MAKING AN INDOOR RAINBOW!!!

Let's make an indoor rainbow!!! (Make sure to perform this experiment indoors!)


Materials:


A small mirror

Bowl of water

A light bulb


Instructions

Place the mirror in the bowl of water.

Hold the bulb over the mirror and the water.

Observe: A rainbow appears on the wall!!



MAKING ROCKS!!!

Let's make rocks!!


Materials:


Aluminum foil


Clean sand


White glue


A small container


A plastic spoon


Oil


A coffee can with lid


Water




Instructions


Mix three large spoons full of sand and three spoons full of white glue in the small container.


Make small lumps of the mixture.


Lightly oil the aluminum foil and place the lumps of on it.


Put the aluminum foil with the "rocks" in a sunny location until it is hard (period 2-3 days)


Now, put some of your "rocks" into the coffee can and put some water in it.


Put on the lid and shake the can for 4 to 5 minutes


Remove the lid.


Observe: The rocks began to wear down. Some rocks wore down into sand again.




The water running over the rocks pushes them against each other causing erosion that wears them down. In nature this process takes several years, However the result is the same

Thursday, April 19, 2012

MAKING PATTERNS ON THE LEAVES!!

Let's make a few patterns on the leaf!!

Materials:

A green plant

Silver foil

Paperclips

Scissors

A jar

Iodine solution

Instructions

Choose a few green leaves of the plant and cover them with silver foil and hold them in position with the help of paperclips.

You can do different  patters on the foil like cutting circles in the foil exposing different areas of the leaf.

Now place the plant in sunlight and water it everyday.

After  three days pluck the sliver foiled leaves and dip them in iodine solution contained in a jar.

Then remove the silver foil. 

There are many beautiful patterns on the leaves!!!



Monday, April 16, 2012

MAKING YOUR OWN FOSSIL!!!!

Do you want to make fake or models of fossils? Then this experiment might help!!!


Materials:


Plasticine


Any small object, like- stone or leaf


2 paper cups


Water


Plaster of Paris


Instructions

Flatten a ball of plasticine until it is about 2cm thick, and the top smooth.

Put the plasticine into the paper cup with the smooth side facing towards you.

Now press the object you want to fossilize into the plasticine until the object is partially buried into the plasticine.

Now take the object out. A impression of the object is left behind.

Pour half cup of plaster of Paris into the other cup.


Add a quarter cup of water to the Plaster of Paris, and mix until smooth and leave the mixture like that for 2 minutes.


When the mixture has thickened pour it on the plasticine in the other cup.

Leave the  mixture until the plaster has dried.

When the plaster has fully dried, tear away the sides of the paper cup and take out the plasticine and plaster. Keep it in a warm dry place and enjoy your very own fossil.



What Is happening?

Fossils are extremely useful records of the past. In your case you left behind an impression of an object you own but fossils found by scientists around the world can date back to the time of dinosaurs. These fossils allow paleontologists (the name of scientists who study these types of fossils) to study what life might have been like millions of years










Tuesday, April 10, 2012

HOW MUCH CAN YOUR LUNGS HOLD???

Did you want to know how much  air your lungs can hold?
If, yes, YOU MUST TRY THIS EXPERIMENT!!


Materials:


A clean large plastic bottle
Kitchen sink or large water basin
Clean  plastic tubing
Water


Instructions

Put 10 cm of water into the kitchen sink.

 Fill the plastic bottle right to the top with water.
   
Put your hand over the top of the bottle to stop water escaping when you turn it upside down.


Turn the bottle upside down.


Place the top of the bottle under the water in the sink before removing your hand.


 Push one end of the plastic tube into the bottle. 
 Take a big breath in.
Breathe out as much air as you can through the tube


Observe: The air which you breathe out from your lungs, takes place of the water in the bottle, the amount of air present in the water is the  amount your lungs can hold!


Having a big air capacity in your lungs means you can distribute oxygen around your body at a faster rate!!

 Caution: Everything used in this experiment should be clean.

Monday, April 9, 2012

OBSERVING THE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY!!!!

Have you ever observed a life cycle of a butterfly???


Let's observe!!! (This experiment needs at least a month)


Materilals:


Ice-cream Tub


Pencil


Caterpillar (You can purchase them from some shops)


Leaves


Twigs


Instructions

Poke a few holes in the big ice-cream tub, with the help of the pencil.

Now put a few twigs into the ice-cream tub, and put  the caterpellar into the tub.

Now put a few fresh leaves.

Keep on changing the leaves everyday and also see the changes in the caterpillar.

Once, the caterpillar changes into a cacoon check more regulary.

After 7-10 days the cacoon will change into a butterfly or a moth.

Release the insect after it has transforned into a butterfly or a moth.


If it does not change into a butterfly or a moth, you would have to try the experiment all over again.



LIFE CYECLE OF A BUTTERFLY