William Penn Life, 2018 (53. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2018-09-01 / 9. szám

Another summer vacation has come to an end, and a new school year has begun. That means it's time to learn new things...and have some fun along the way!

This month, we're going to have fun AND learn something at the same time by making Exploding Toothpaste. Now, this really isn't as dangerous as it might sound, but you will need an adult to help you and your friends do this.

Make sure your parent knows that this is a science experiment using kid-friendly ingredients, and that everything can be safely thrown away in your garbage can at home once you're done.

What You Need

• Plastic wrap

• A funnel

• 4 ounces of 40-volume hydrogen peroxide

• A clean 1-liter plastic bottle

• 1 tablespoon of dish soap

• Food coloring of your choice

• 1 packet dry yeast

• 4 tablespoons of very warm water

• A small plastic cup

• Safety glasses and rubber gloves

What You Do

• Cover your table with plastic wrap. Put on your safety glasses and rubber gloves.

• Using a funnel, pour the hydrogen peroxide into the 1-liter plastic bottle.

• Squirt a little dish soap and add some food coloring to the hydrogen peroxide in the bottle. Cover the top of the bottle and swirl the bottle to mix the contents.

• In a small plastic cup, mix the entire package of dry yeast with the warm water. Stir the mixture with a spoon. If the mixture is too thick (like paste), add a small amount of warm water to thin it out.

• Now for the fun part! Pour the yeast mixture into the plastic bottle and watch what happens. It may take a few seconds to react, but the result is well worth the wait.

• When you are finished, throw away everything in the trash can or wash it down the drain. Go ahead and take a photo and tag #WPALife so that we can share in the fun.

Here's how it works. The yeast works as a "catalyst," which means it causes something to change to whatever it's added. In this experiment, when added to the hydrogen peroxide, the yeast releases the oxygen molecules within the hydrogen peroxide. The oxygen-filled bubbles, which make up the foam, are actually the remainder of what happens when the hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water (H20) and oxygen (O2). The bottle will feel warm to the touch because this is an "exothermic reaction" in which energy, in the form of heat, is given off.

16 0 September 2018 0 WILLIAM PENN LIFE