Chemistry Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 16)

Study Chirality with a Homemade Polarimeter

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Some molecules can be either left- or right-"handed." The left- and right-handed molecules have the same number and type of atoms, and their chemical structures look identical, but they are actually mirror images of each other. Many naturally occurring molecules have this property, called chirality. Chiral molecules can interact with polarized light in an interesting way—they rotate the plane of polarization. This chemistry science fair project describes how to make a homemade polarimeter… Read more

The Science of Frescoes

STEM Activity

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Have you ever looked at pictures of murals on buildings from hundreds of years ago and wondered how they were created? Fresco is a type of painting that has been used for thousands of years and involves painting on wet lime plaster. This activity explores one aspect of the science behind this unusual technique. See how science can help you become a more versatile artist! Read more

What To Do About CO₂?

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th-12th

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Where does CO₂ come from and how does excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect the ocean and aquatic life? In this lesson students are introduced to the carbon cycle and explore pH and acidification with hands-on experiments. They then connect their experimental data with real-world data to evaluate claims about carbon dioxide and ocean acidification. Finally, students are introduced to how different companies and research groups are using green chemistry to build carbon capture… Read more

A Simple Sourness Detector

STEM Activity

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Have you ever wondered why some foods or drinks taste sour, whereas others do not? You might know that your tongue is picking up all kinds of flavors, including salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. But what makes something taste sour? The sour taste is actually influenced by the pH and acids present in foods. In this activity, you will find out how sour different foods are by testing foods and drinks for the presence of acids with baking soda. What do you think is the sourest food you can find in… Read more

A Soluble Separation Solution

STEM Activity

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Have you ever mixed sand and salt together and wondered how you could separate them again? If you had to separate them, would you have nightmares of tiny tweezers, a magnifying glass and hours spent picking grains of salt and sand apart? Don't be afraid, there is another way! Using the differences in solubility between salt and sand, you can find the simple "solution" to this problem. Read more

Algae String Chemistry and Design

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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These lessons use open-ended exploration to introduce students to biopolymers and the chemistry behind cross-linking. Students will draw inspiration from biology and use authentic scientific practices to design and create colorful string creations from a natural polymer, alginate. Learning Objectives Students will: Engage in authentic science practices through open-ended exploration. Create a string using polymers harvested from living algae. Manipulate the properties of a… Read more

Baking Soda Weight Loss

STEM Activity

Baking soda is not only great for cooking; it is also a useful chemical for science projects. You have probably heard about and maybe even used the baking soda/vinegar reaction to make volcanos erupt, shoot bottle rockets up in the air, or to detect acids and bases. However, there are many more chemical reactions that you can explore with the help of baking soda. One of them is called a decomposition reaction, which makes baking soda lose weight! Want to find out how it works? Then try this… Read more

Best Wand for Big Bubbles

STEM Activity

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Have you ever tried to blow a bubble, and no matter how hard you try, the bubble just will not form? Why does this happen? Why do bubbles form at all, and why is it harder to blow bubbles sometimes? In this activity, we will explore the limits of how big our bubbles can get! Read more

Capable Carbon Filters

STEM Activity

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Do you filter your tap water before drinking? Maybe at home you have a water filter on your faucet, in the fridge, or use special pitchers that have a filter unit in them. You have probably heard in commercials that these filters are supposed to make your water cleaner and safer to drink. But have you ever wondered what, exactly, these filters are doing and if the water is really cleaner in the end? Find out about the cleaning power of water filters in this activity; but for results you can… Read more

Does It Sink or Float? Depends on the Soap!

STEM Activity

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If you’ve ever had to wash dishes, you know that the right dish soap can make a dirty job a lot easier. Have you ever wondered how dish soap is able to clean dishes so much more effectively than water alone? Like many household cleaners, dish soap is a surfactant – it helps break up leftover food on plates by making it easier for food particles to dissolve in water. The dish soap also breaks up the water molecules themselves, which leads to some pretty interesting kitchen science… Read more

Chemistry Projects, Lessons, Activities (187 results)

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