Simple Science experiment for grade 6

[diannescruffy]

DS has to produce a Science experiment and guess what, it is due tomorrow . They were told to google it and he tells me every experiment has been taken. Anyone have any ideas? TIA.

Regards,
Dianne

[Tinks]

Make a Lava Lamp. This demostrates that oil and water can/can't mix.

In a plastic bottle put some water, colour it with some food dye then pour in a few centimetres of oil. The oil will float on the top. Once the water is still and the oil is sitting on top sprinkle some salt over the oil and the oil will fall down to the bottom of the bottle in balls. As the salt dissolves the oil balls will float back up to the top. It looks pretty cool.

I have a link for this if you like. I don't know if I can post it here so PM me if you need it.

[Nelle]

I can't remember what it is that causes water to travel along paper towel....osmosis? I remember Dad showing us that as kids, putting some paper towel upright in a glass of coloured water and watching the water go up. Is that too simple?

What about a mento in...hmm...is it fizzy drink? That would be impressive? Or even shaking up a bottle of fizzy drink and explaining why that happens. Vinegar and bicarb? Rubbing your hands together (or some things together) and explaining friction and how the transfer of movement energy produces heat energy?

I'm sure we can come up with something, every single science experiment ever can't possibly be taken!

ETA: Hey THAT is cool Tinks, and much less mess than mine. Why does it do that?

[AliBaby]

What topic is he learning about in science?

[Little Chicken]

Do you have some colourless nail polish remover (must have acetone in it). Draw a sizeable dot on the bottom of some paper with some ink (preferably black), and put that end into a small dish of the nail polish remover, it should carry the ink up the paper with it and seperate it into it's seperate colours. Shows how chromatography works.

[diannescruffy]

You guys are awesome. Tinks, does your link explain why the salt makes the oil fall down? Nelle the mentos in fizzy sounds good too, does anyone know why it does what it does?

Regards,
Dianne

[Tinks]

ETA: Hey THAT is cool Tinks, and much less mess than mine. Why does it do that?

Because water is more dense than oil. The oil sticks to the salt which weighs the oil down so it falls to the bottom of the bottle with the salt. As the salt disolves the oil rises back up to the top because it's lighter than water.

[Sopdet]

Sorry to sound opinionated - but why isn't your DS doing this himself? Why are you bailing him out?

[Beach Mama]

The mentos and fizzy drink can take an eye out so be careful! Also cornflour and water mixed together to make gloop is good - kids make a big batch of it and then they can softly put their hands in it and if they punch it hard, it is firm on top.

There is one with milk and food colouring but I can't for the life of me remember what now. Off to think, loved teaching grade 5/6 for years especially on science day!