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Super Cool Crystalization

By Janice VanCleave

How to Make a Soda Slushy Super Cooled: An aqueous solution is super cooled when it is liquid at a below the freezing point of water (32oF (0 oC). Crystal:  Solid, 3-D matter made up of atoms, molecules, or ions in a regularly ordered pattern. Crystallization: The process of matter changing into a solid crystal state; Pressure: A […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: crystals, freezing soda

Alchemy

By Janice VanCleave

Gold

If It’s Yellow, It Must Be Gold In the past, some chemists believed that gold could be made from common materials. Some believed that since gold has a yellowish color, then yellow things, such as sulfur and even egg yolks could be changed into gold. These scientists are called alchemists. When working on a recipe […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: alchemist, alchemy

Fun Stuff

By Janice VanCleave

Looking for cheap inexpensive, fun, safe, engaging, yet educational activities for kids? Did I mention inexpensive? There is rarely a time that inexpensive entertainment isn’t on my list of things to look for. But even free boring ideas are too expensive because our time is very valuable. The ideas found in this section will be […]

Filed Under: Chemistry

Puns

By Janice VanCleave

A pun is a funny use of words. Puns can help kids to remember things they have studied. For example, after completing a studying about gravity, kids will know that gravity is a  force that pulls things toward the Earth’s surface–the ground. So they will see the humor in this pun: “This has been a […]

Filed Under: Chemistry

Crystals

By Janice VanCleave

Crystals are solids with particles arranged in a regular, repeating pattern with flat surfaces. Most solids are crystalline solids. The crystal diagram shown is of quartz, which is made of silicon dioxide, the same chemical found in sand.  Without any impurities, quartz is colorless and transparent. Impurities, such as iron,  give quartz crystals a pink […]

Filed Under: Chemistry, General Science Tagged With: crystal unit cells, crystals, halite crystals, ice crystals, Me on a glacier, pink quartz, quartz

Chameleon Chemicals

By Janice VanCleave

Have you ever seen a mood ring that seemingly changes colors in response to your mood? Or, maybe you have seen T-shirts, toys, and even thermometers that change colors in response to temperature changes. All of these color changes, even the mood ring, change colors due to special chemicals, called thermochromic chemicals. Two types of […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: dipolar, leuco dye, photochromic, reversible leuco dyes, Thermochromic liquid crystals

Photochromic Ink

By Janice VanCleave

LCR Hallcrest Photochromic Ink Slurries are a mixture of microcapsules containing a water soluble solvent and a photochromic leuco dye plus water. The slurries are a thick ink. A binding chemical is added to the ink slurries to aid in adhering the dye to surfaces. The part of the PC leuco dye responsible for color is […]

Filed Under: Chemistry

Magic Color Changing Stickers

By Janice VanCleave

Magic Color Changing Heat Sensitive Stickers Magic TLC Dot Stickers- Just touch the TLC stickers and magically you’ll see a rainbow of colors. The TLC dots are coated with liquid crystals. See TLC Stickers in the sidebar for information about liquid crystals, science experiment project ideas and  DIY projects. Magic HAT Stickers- Thermochromic HAT stickers are […]

Filed Under: Chemistry, thermochromic dyes Tagged With: CAT stickers, HAT stickers, thermochromic, TLC stickers

Chemical Changes

By Janice VanCleave

flask-blue-liquid-gas

Another name for chemical change is chemical reaction. A chemical change (chemical reaction) is the process by which one or more substances change to form one or more new substances. Reactant(s): The one or more starting substances. Product(s) : New substance or substances produced. The form for writing an equation for a chemical reaction is: […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: chemical reactions, product, reactant

Polymer: How to Make Slime

By Janice VanCleave

Start by collecting materials needed: Materials:2 mixing bowlsmeasuring cupElmer’s white school gluetap waterfood coloringstirring spoon What to Do 1. Make a Glue Solution:In one of the mixing bowls add 1/2 cup (4-oz bottle of Elmer’s White School Glue) with 1/2 cup of tap water. Add 5 drops of food coloring. Stir Well. FYI: If you […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: polymers, slime

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Welcome to Janice’s Science Extravaganza!

The spoon hanging from the string vibrates when struck and these vibrations are transmitted through the string and the sound is amplified by the plastic cups. ABOUT ME: Hi, I am Janice VanCleave, author of 50 best-selling science experiment books for children ages 4 through high school. I taught science for 27 years. MORE.....

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