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Categories: Teacher Demonstration
Teachers are required to have fire safety training and permission of the employer before going forward with this demonstration. The purpose of this demonstration is to illustrate an example of an exothermic reaction while looking at chemical properties of an alcohol.... read moreCategories: Teacher Demonstration
This demonstration shows that the combination of yeast, sugar and water will produce a gas that can be collected. This provides students with an opportunity to draw on prior knowledge to identify the cellular process involved. Students also have a chance to predict... read moreCategories: Teacher Demonstration
There are many different kinds of polymers, both natural and synthetic. Polymers are widely used and have many practical applications based on their properties. They are often strong and chemically stable. Examples of natural polymers include proteins, starch,... read moreCategories: Lab/Student Activity
This activity illustrates the effect of intermolecular forces on surface tension of a liquid. Students attempt to place drops of various types of liquids on the face of a penny (or any available coin). The substances with stronger intermolecular forces have greater... read moreCategories: Lab/Student Activity, Teacher Demonstration
Osmosis is the process by which the concentrations of two solutions, separated by a selectively permeable membrane, equalize by the movement of a solvent such as water. This demonstration shows that the ability of plant cells to absorb water is decreased by heating.... read moreCategories: Teacher Demonstration
Heat transfers in physical and chemical reactions have many practical applications. Exothermic reactions release heat to the surroundings, resulting in an increase in surrounding temperature. Endothermic reactions require heat from the surroundings, resulting in a... read moreCategories: Teacher Demonstration
The cells of green plants contain the pigment chlorophyll in organelles called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts capture the Sun’s energy and store it―through photosynthesis―as chemical energy. The reactants for photosynthesis are water, H2O(l), and carbon dioxide, CO2(g).... read moreCategories: Lab/Student Activity
This demonstration serves as a superb introduction to the refraction of light. Students place a penny underneath a plastic cup. While viewing the penny through the side of the cup, they slowly fill the cup with water. The penny disappears from sight. read moreCategories: Lab/Student Activity
This demonstration serves as a superb introduction to the refraction of light. Students will view a penny at the bottom of an opaque plastic cup. After moving slightly so that the penny just barely disappears from sight, water is slowly added. The penny magically... read moreCategories: Teacher Demonstration
This demo models how convection occurs in the atmosphere and hydrosphere by showing what happens at the interface of a hot fluid and a cold fluid. This simulates what happens when cold and hot air masses meet, as well as why/how the ocean regulates climate. read more