Chemistry Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 7)

The Chemistry of Clean: Make Your Own Soap to Study Soap Synthesis

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Soap comes in many varieties and forms—from bars to bottles to boxes. The uses for soaps are just as expansive—from cleaning our hands, hair, and faces to a variety of household cleaning jobs, such as dishes or laundry. One thing all these different soaps have in common is their chemical origin; they were all made by mixing fat or oil with a strongly basic solution, such as lye. In this chemistry science project, you will carry out the chemical steps needed to transform coconut oil… Read more

The Effect of Temperature on Chemical Reaction Time

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Alka-Seltzer® tablets fizzle furiously when dropped into water. The moment the tablet starts dissolving, a chemical reaction occurs that releases carbon dioxide gas. In this science project, you can even measure how long and loudly your tablet fizzes using a smartphone equipped with a sensor app. Do you think you can make Alka-Seltzer fizz faster or more loudly by changing the temperature of the water? How big of a difference in the rate of a chemical reaction can temperature make? Read more

Chemical Reactions: What is Plastic Made From?

Video Lesson Grade: 6th-8th

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Chemical reactions can result in interesting products! In this lesson, students learn how plastics are made by conducting a polymerization reaction in a simple milk-to-plastic transforming experiment. During their experiments, students will be able to compare the physical properties of their reactants (milk and vinegar) and their resulting organic casein polymer. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.

Colorful Patterns in Melting Ice

STEM Activity

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Have you ever wondered why ice cubes in your cold drink become gradually smaller, or why their surface becomes smoother as they melt? Does ice always melt this way? In this activity, you will use water balloons to create giant ice balls and observe how they melt. Can you predict the effect a bit of salt will have on your giant ice ball? Read more

Crime Scene Chemistry: Determine the Identity of an Unknown Chemical Substance

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Picture this situation: An elderly woman is rushed to the hospital complaining of severe abdominal pain, tinnitus, and lethargy. Suspecting a drug interaction, the emergency room doctor starts questioning her. The doctor learns that the woman takes no medicines except aspirin for her arthritis. Since she cannot swallow pills well she takes a powdered form of aspirin which she buys in bulk and keeps in a plastic container in her kitchen next to her baking goods. She had just finished a day of… Read more

Explore the Mixing Behavior of Liquids

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why some liquids mix together easily, like when you mix different juices to make a fruit punch, while others do not mix at all, like oil and water? What happens to liquids when they are mixed depends on their mixing behavior. Some liquids blend, whereas others form separate layers. If you do it right, you can even stack liquids on top of each other just like solid objects! Want to see for yourself? In this science project, you will investigate the mixing behavior of… Read more

How Blue is Your Sports Drink?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you read the list of ingredients in foods and drinks before you buy them at the grocery store? If you do, you may have noticed that many of the items, especially colored drinks, contain dyes with names such as FD&C Blue 1, Red 40, or Yellow 5. But how much dye is needed to create all these colors? In this chemistry science project, you will build a simple spectrophotometer that is able to measure the concentration of colored chemicals in solutions. You will test your device by measuring… Read more

Make Your Own Fizzy Lemonade

STEM Activity

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Did you know that the soda company Coca-Cola makes over 3,500 different types of soda to distribute around the world? If you tried a different one every day, it would take you over 9 years to try them all! Do you think you would like octopus-flavored soda? What about cheese-flavored soda? If you travel far enough around the world, you’ll find those and many other flavors that may seem exotic in the U.S. Although the flavors might differ, one thing that all sodas have in common is the… Read more

Make Your Own Markers

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you ever wonder how markers are made? Where do all of those colors come from? Many of the colorful dyes we use come from plants. Could you create vibrant colored natural dyes? Could you turn these dyes into art supplies? You can! In this science project, become a scientist and engineer and make your own marker using homemade plant dye! Read more

Make Your Own Shampoo and Test How It Performs!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you love it when your hair is nice and fresh? The key to keeping your hair nice and clean is to use a good shampoo. But with so many different products in the store, how do you know which one works best for you? In this science project, you will put a variety of shampoos to the test, including your own homemade organic shampoo recipes. Do you think these will perform better than a store-bought product? Read more

Chemistry Projects, Lessons, Activities (186 results)

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