Practical Science Ideas

Here is a quick Vine of a homemade battery or voltaic cell. Its some copper coins, cardboard soaked in vinegar and zinc washers all connected together to make a cell (copper coin then cardboard then zinc then copper coin and so on). As you can see in the video we have generated enough electricity to light an LED and power a calculator, generating over 4 volts! How to survive the zombie apocalypse and power your torch!

Love this, really simple Lenz law demo, we have some aluminum blocks and a row of neodymium magnets. Watch as the eddy currents slow the magnets down. Think this is much better than the copper tubes as you can see the magnets much more clearly. For more about Lenz law go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenz%27s_law

Mitosis in a garlic root, taken from our recent Biology course for science technicians. You should be able to see a few spider like cells which show metaphase where the chromosome's are lining up and attaching to a spindle. Could be anaphase as well.

Electrolysis of potassium iodide, using phenolphthalein to indicate the alkali products and starch to show iodine is produced on the other side.

http://ncsu.edu/project/chemistrydemos/Kinetics/BriggsRauscher.pdf

Trailing a new microbiology practical to share with teachers and technicians its the effect of metals on bacteria (in this case bacillus subtilis). After 24 hours on a pour plate you can see the zones of inhibition around zinc and brass. Maybe old brass knobs would be best in hospitals is a question to ask and investigate. Its called the oligodynamic effect.

The elephant toothpaste demonstration, this one was slightly to close! Great decomposition reaction of 100vol hydrogen peroxide (irritant) about 30ml, washing up liquid (10ml), food colouring and then around 10ml of saturated potassium iodide solution. In that order and all in a clamped 2 litre bottle. Need to do a risk assessment as its gets very hot and can stain!   

Movement of ions in a Petri dish a fantastic demonstration from the RSC http://media.rsc.org/Classic%20Chem%20Demos/CCD-43.pdf

Alternative behaviour in woodlice from left to right to left to right finding its way out of the maze, only some species do it though.

The wonderful Helen Rose and her egg trick, lots of physics going on (I'm led to believe)

Magic milk experiment, full fat milk, a few drops of food colouring and a cotton bud with some washing up liquid on and hey presto! Looking at fats/lipids and detergents.

The amazing density bottle, two plastics and two liquids any guesses?

Infra red signal from remote control, not visible to naked eye but can see it through a camera phone.

Cytoplasmic streaming in an elodea leaf, captured with a microscope and motic cam via the projector. See the chloroplasts move!

Coffee whitener flames a great chemistry/biology demonstrations. Looking at energy from food and particle size/combustion. From our NQT summer school.

From our PGCE summer school, sending a "shock" down a line from a Van der graaff but only charging up one person.

A new diffusion demo called the "pink panther breath". Ammonia gas in the bottom bottle and water with phenolphthalein in the top bottle, with only a piece of filter paper in between.