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Exploring Materials: Liquid Crystals
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In this activity, learners discover that the way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.
Liquid Body Armor
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In this activity, learners explore how nanotechnology is being used to create new types of protective fabrics.
Divers
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Learners experiment with a 2-liter plastic bottle containing water and four “divers." The divers consist of open, transparent containers with the opening points downward.
Gummy Shapes
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In this activity, learners use chemistry to “self-assemble” gummy shapes. Learners discover that self-assembly is a process by which molecules and cells form themselves into functional structures.
Ice Melt
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In this activity, learners will explore basic information about thermodynamics by experimenting with ice. Learners will compare ice melting rates on metal pans or plastic cutting boards.
The Three Basic States (Phases) of Matter
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This activity was designed for blind learners, but all types of learners can explore the three states of matter by examining tactile models that illustrate the characteristics of particles in each sta
Introduction to the New Chain Gang
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In this activity, learners use pop-beads to understand the characteristics and properties of polymer chains.
Cool Hot Rod
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If you have access to a copper metal tube, this activity does a great job demonstrating what happens to matter when it's heated or cooled. This activity requires some lab equipment.
Snow Day!
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In this activity (on pages 4-5), learners make fake snow by adding water to the super-absorbant chemical from diapers, sodium polyacrylate.
Rubber Band Thermodynamics
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In this demonstration, learners explore the thermal properties of rubber. Learners investigate whether a rubber band contracts or expands when heated.
Feeling Pressured
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In this activity, learners (at least three) work together to explore the effects of atmospheric pressure.
What Smart Metal!
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In this activity (pages 3-4), learners investigate the properties of smart materials, which are materials that respond to things that happen around them.
Soaring Satellites
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Working in small teams, learners try to build a satellite that can float for at least five seconds in the marked area of a vertical wind tube.
Salts & Solubility
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In this online interactive simulation, learners will add different salts to water and then watch the salts dissolve and achieve a dynamic equilibrium with solid precipitate.
Lava Lamps
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Learners observe working lava lamps to understand how they work (included in PDF link).
Exploring the Nanoworld with LEGO Bricks: Structures at the Nanoscale
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In this activity (pages 7-16), learners model various crystal structures with LEGOs. This activity also contains additional links that explain how to create other crystal structures.
Critical Angle
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In this optics activity, learners examine how a transparent material such as glass or water can actually reflect light better than any mirror.
Yeast Balloons: Can biochemistry blow up a balloon?
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Using yeast, sugar, and water, learners create a chemical reaction which produces carbon dioxide (CO2) gas inside a 2-liter bottle. They use this gas to inflate a balloon.
Ice Fishing
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In this activity, learners will use string and salt to lift an ice cube out of a glass of water. Salt depresses the freezing point of water, allowing it to melt around the string and refreeze.
Tired Weight
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Yes, you can weigh your car by figuring out your wheel's tire pressure combined with the "tire's footprint." You'll need someone with a car, driver's license, and safety in mind.