Science+Experiments

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[|Click here] Balance an egg on its end with some skillful coordination, a little salt—and maybe even a little help from the sun's gravitational pull! Amaze your friends by squishing a hard-boiled egg into a bottle! Take a turn experimenting with the spin cycle of a hard-boiled egg versus a raw one. Turn the humble egg into an all-spinning, all-balancing plaything with these crazy eggs-periments. Make a splash with our reservoir of water tricks! Here's a fun and easy way to fly a kite. All objects—even you—are made of tiny particles called atoms. These atoms interact and create a charge that has some surprising results. Common household items create a dazzling decoration for your room. See science at work with simple household ingredients like oil, water, and food coloring. Learn about how sound travels. Try this stellar experiment. Try an experiment with chemical changes. Try making your own kaleidoscope. Try this experiment with a rock. || ||  || More >> || Here's a fun and easy way to fly a kite. See science at work with simple household ingredients like oil, water, and food coloring. All objects—even you—are made of tiny particles called atoms. These atoms interact and create a charge that has some surprising results. You can bet a friend that you can put your head through a hole in a file card—and win! Balance an egg on its end with some skillful coordination, a little salt—and maybe even a little help from the sun's gravitational pull! More >> Here's a fun and easy way to fly a kite. See science at work with simple household ingredients like oil, water, and food coloring. All objects—even you—are made of tiny particles called atoms. These atoms interact and create a charge that has some surprising results. You can bet a friend that you can put your head through a hole in a file card—and win! Balance an egg on its end with some skillful coordination, a little salt—and maybe even a little help from the sun's gravitational pull! Try making your own kaleidoscope. Amaze your friends by squishing a hard-boiled egg into a bottle! Common household items create a dazzling decoration for your room. Take small steps that make a big difference to the health of the planet. Try an experiment with chemical changes. Make a splash with our reservoir of water tricks! Try this experiment with a rock. Learn about how sound travels. Take a turn experimenting with the spin cycle of a hard-boiled egg versus a raw one. Turn the humble egg into an all-spinning, all-balancing plaything with these crazy eggs-periments. > Up, Up and Away with Bottles > If there is a force pushing in one direction, there is an equal force pushing in the opposite direction. This is what Isaac Newton said around 300 years ago. The rocket age is very modern, but the science which explains how rockets work was understood hundreds of years ago. Rockets burn in a fuel chamber shaped like a bottle with a neck pointing down. The burning fuel produces large amounts of gases expanded by heat. The gases are forced down through the neck at high speed, forcing the rocket up in the opposite direction. This fun activity explores this scientific principle using plastic bottles to make water rockets. Choose a large open area outside for this activity.
 * ====Balancing Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/bottledegg1_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking at an egg in hot water" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Bottled-eggsperiment"]]====Bottled Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/spinners_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: hand spinning an egg" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Spinning-eggsperiment"]]====Spinning Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/eggsperiments_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: finger squishing an egg next to a bottle of vinger; text reads "Eggs-Periments"" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Squishy-eggsperiment"]]====Squishy Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/act-water-experiments-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a girl shining a flashlight through a glass of water" link="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/trythis/trythis_water/floating-paper-clip.html"]]====National Geographic Kids: Experiment With Water Tricks====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/magnet_1_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: hand holding magnet and small kite" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Magnet"]]====Magnetic Pick Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/allchargedup-wigglywater-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a child holding a comb by a water faucet" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Wigglywater"]]====All Charged Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/motionocean-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a jar containing a plastic frog; "Create a Motion Ocean" text" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Motionocean"]]====Create a Motion Ocean====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/lavalamp-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: lava lamp; text reads "Make a Groovy Lava Lamp"" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Lavalamp"]]====Make a Groovy Lava Lamp====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/soundsgreat6-NGK0598-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy blowing across the tops of bottles" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Sounds-great"]]====Sounds Great—Bottled Music====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/starattract1-NGK0798-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy with an umbrella and arrows indicating motion" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Star-attractions"]]====Star Attraction====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/magicmixtures2-NGK1098-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking at two apple slices and a lemon half" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Magic-mixtures"]]====Magic Mixture—Apple Dunk====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/bedazzled1-9-NGK0101-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking into a kaleidoscope" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Be-dazzled"]]====Be Dazzled—Make Your Own Kaleidoscope====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/rockon1-NGK0998-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration shows a cartoon boy looking at a glass containing a bubbling rock" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Rock-on"]]====Rock On—Fizzy Fun====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/magnet_1_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: hand holding magnet and small kite" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Magnet"]]====Magnetic Pick Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/lavalamp-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: lava lamp; text reads "Make a Groovy Lava Lamp"" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Lavalamp"]]====Make a Groovy Lava Lamp====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/allchargedup-wigglywater-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a child holding a comb by a water faucet" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Wigglywater"]]====All Charged Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/betchacan_legacy_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Image: a hand cutting an index card and a boy holding a paper ring around his head" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Paper-cutting-trick"]]====Paper-Cutting Trick====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/balancingact_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: boy and girl looking at an egg" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Balancing-eggsperiment"]]====Balancing Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/NGKids/SiteAssets/img/spacer.gif width="103" height="33" caption="Most Recent" link="javascript:show('most_recent')"]] || [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/NGKids/SiteAssets/img/spacer.gif width="96" height="33" caption="Top Rated" link="javascript:show('top_rated')"]] ||  ||
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/magnet_1_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: hand holding magnet and small kite" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Magnet"]]====Magnetic Pick Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/lavalamp-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: lava lamp; text reads "Make a Groovy Lava Lamp"" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Lavalamp"]]====Make a Groovy Lava Lamp====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/allchargedup-wigglywater-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a child holding a comb by a water faucet" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Wigglywater"]]====All Charged Up====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/betchacan_legacy_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Image: a hand cutting an index card and a boy holding a paper ring around his head" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Paper-cutting-trick"]]====Paper-Cutting Trick====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/balancingact_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: boy and girl looking at an egg" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Balancing-eggsperiment"]]====Balancing Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/bedazzled1-9-NGK0101-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking into a kaleidoscope" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Be-dazzled"]]====Be Dazzled—Make Your Own Kaleidoscope====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/bottledegg1_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking at an egg in hot water" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Bottled-eggsperiment"]]====Bottled Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/motionocean-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a jar containing a plastic frog; "Create a Motion Ocean" text" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Motionocean"]]====Create a Motion Ocean====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/ozone_hole_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration shows a globe featuring Antarctica covered by a large patch representing the ozone hole" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Green"]]====Living in a Green World====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/magicmixtures2-NGK1098-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy looking at two apple slices and a lemon half" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Magic-mixtures"]]====Magic Mixture—Apple Dunk====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/act-water-experiments-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a girl shining a flashlight through a glass of water" link="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/trythis/trythis_water/floating-paper-clip.html"]]====National Geographic Kids: Experiment With Water Tricks====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/rockon1-NGK0998-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration shows a cartoon boy looking at a glass containing a bubbling rock" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Rock-on"]]====Rock On—Fizzy Fun====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/soundsgreat6-NGK0598-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy blowing across the tops of bottles" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Sounds-great"]]====Sounds Great—Bottled Music====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/spinners_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: hand spinning an egg" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Spinning-eggsperiment"]]====Spinning Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/eggsperiments_tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: finger squishing an egg next to a bottle of vinger; text reads "Eggs-Periments"" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Squishy-eggsperiment"]]====Squishy Eggs-periment====
 * [[image:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/NGKids/Image/starattract1-NGK0798-tn.jpg width="150" height="100" caption="Illustration: a boy with an umbrella and arrows indicating motion" link="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Activities/FunScience/Star-attractions"]]====Star Attraction====
 * =Up, Up and Away with Bottles=

You will need

 * plastic PET bottle
 * bicycle pump
 * water
 * rubber stopper to firmly fit inside the neck of the bottle
 * inflating nozzle like those used for inflating basketballs
 * cardboard carton with hole to support neck of bottle

What to do
With an adult to help, drill a hole in the rubber stopper to fit the inflating nozzle. Attach the nozzle to the pump. Fit the stopper and nozzle firmly into the neck of the bottle. Place the bottle upside down on the cardboard carton - your launch pad! Pump air into the bottle until the air pressure inside forces the stopper out of the bottom. What happens to the bottle? Try it again, but this time put some water into the bottle before fitting the stopper. Pump air into the bottle until the air pressure forces the stopper out of the bottom. This time, water and air are forced down through the neck. This causes a force pushing the bottle up. How high did the water rocket go? Try different amounts of water. What is the best amount of water to make the rocket go high? Design fins for your water rocket. Do they improve the flight of the rocket? CAUTION: Do not make any point at the top of the rocket — this could be dangerous. From: Fun 'n' Science Activity Book, published by Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre.

=Musical Coathanger=

You will need

 * wire coathanger
 * cotton thread

What to do
Tie a 50 cm length of cotton thread on each end of a wire coathanger. Wrap the other end of each thread around your forefingers. Bend over so the coathanger can swing freely and bump it against a wall or chair.

What do you hear?
Try it again, but this time with your forefingers in your ears! Try bumping it against different objects. Bend the coathanger into various shapes. Does this make any difference to the sound you hear? When you bump the coathanger, it shakes or vibrates, making a noise. The noise is louder when your fingers are in your ears because the vibrations travel better through the tight cotton threads than through the air. Next time you're in the bath, put one ear under the water while tapping a spoon on the side of the bath. Notice how much better the tapping noise travels through the water. From: Science Toys and Activities, published by Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre. =Salt, soil and seeds=

You will need

 * 2 cups
 * cotton wool
 * 10 wheat seeds
 * salt

What to do
Cover the bottom of two cups with cotton wool. Sprinkle some salt over the bottom of one cup. Label this cup “salt added”. Place five wheat seeds in each cup. It helps if you place the seeds with their grooved side upwards. Wet the cotton wool in both cups and put in a light place. Keep the seeds moist — you could cover the cups with clear plastic wrap to prevent the seeds from drying out. Within four or five days, the seeds should begin to grow. Which seeds begin to grow first — the seeds with or without salt? Observe the seeds growing for a few more days. What difference do you see?

Think about it
The increasing amount of salt in the soil (salination) is one of Australia's biggest environmental problems. In 1990, 50 000 km2 of land were affected by salinity. This area is almost the same as the whole state of Tasmania! Salts occur naturally in the soil and are carried by water. If the underground water level is close to the surface, the soil becomes too salty for many plants to grow. Tree planting programs can help reduce this problem. So too can the planting of crops which grow well in salty soils (salt tolerant).

Explore more
Experiment with different amounts of salt to find out how much will stop wheat from growing. Try putting salt on the wheat seeds after they have sprouted. Try growing different types of seeds. Which plants will grow in salty soil? =Pepper Scatter=

Don't sneeze!

You will need

 * tray, plate or dish
 * pepper
 * soap
 * liquid detergent

What to do
Put some water into a clean tray, plate or dish. Sprinkle some pepper on top of the water. With a cake of soap, touch the water. What happens to the pepper? What happens when you take the soap away? Rinse the tray thoroughly to remove traces of soap. Put some water into the tray and sprinkle some pepper on top. Place a drop of detergent on the water. What happens to the pepper?

Think about it
Surface tension on water makes a strong 'skin' which is tight and not very elastic. The pepper stays on the water until soap or detergent touches the skin. Soap and detergent reduce the attractive forces between water molecules — that is, they reduce surface tension. The skin stretches, scattering the pepper.

Explore more
Use a toothpick dipped in detergent to touch a water drop resting on waxed paper. What happens?