Science Projects

Steel wool sparklers are ideal for creating light paintings. (Steve Halama) — Ignite steel wool to make a stunning spinning sparkler or to create incredible photographs and light paintings. All you need are a few common materials for this simple project. Make a Steel Wool Sparkler You probably have all the materials you need on hand, but if you don’t, they are […]

Spinning Steel Wool Sparkler

This entry was posted on February 18, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on February 26, 2019)

You can use the sugar in marshmallows as a fuel to make sparklers. (Carlos Dominguez) — Sparklers are simple handheld fireworks that produce sparks but don’t explode. They consist of a fuel, an oxidizer, metal powder for the sparks, and a binder to hold the ingredients together and hold it onto the stick. You can use a marshmallow as the fuel and binder to make marshmallow […]

Marshmallow Sparklers – Easy Fireworks Project

This entry was posted on February 16, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on March 1, 2019)

Fire Breathing Performer (TVR) — Fire breathing is a dramatic effect created when a person blows a spray of fuel over a flame. The result is a plume of flame jetting from the fire breather’s mouth. The effect is simple to achieve, but not so easy to do safely. Most performers use kerosene, lamp oil, […]

Fire-Breathing: How to Breathe Fire Safely

This entry was posted on January 30, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on February 9, 2019)

The nitrogen triiodide demonstration produces a loud sound and a cloud of purple vapor. — The nitrogen triiodide chemistry demonstration is a dramatic explosive reaction that produces sound and colored vapor. Crystals of iodine react with concentrated ammonia to precipitate nitrogen triiodide (NI3). The NI3 is then filtered out. When dry, the compound is so unstable that the slightest contact causes it to decompose into […]

How to Perform the Nitrogen Triiodide Chemistry Demonstration

This entry was posted on January 25, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 19, 2019)

These pH paper test strips were made using paper coffee filters that had been cut up into strips and dipped in red cabbage juice. The strips can be used to test the pH of common household chemicals. — It’s easy to make non-toxic pH paper test strips from red cabbage juice. This is a fun project for kids to do at home. If you calibrate the test strips, they are useful for a school lab. What You Need Basically, all you need is a red or purple cabbage, […]

How to Make Red Cabbage pH Paper

This entry was posted on January 25, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 19, 2019)

These calcium chloride crystals grew spontaneously in a container of DampRid. — Calcium chloride crystals are easy to grow. The clear crystals are thin, six-sided shards that sparkle brightly. Materials All you need is calcium chloride and water: Calcium chloride (CaCl2) Water (H2O) Calcium chloride is commonly used as road salt to remove ice, in moisture control products such as DampRid, and […]

Grow Calcium Chloride Crystals

This entry was posted on November 29, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on December 15, 2018)