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Science Experiments You Can Do at Home

You should be able to find the materials you need around the house, or purchase them without spending a fortune. Examples include combs, balloons, baking soda, vinegar, cyclotrons (OK, just kidding :)...

Physics: Electrostatics

Have you ever noticed a crackle when you pull off a sweater? Have you ever had your hair stick to your face after combing? What about seeing a balloon stick to the wall after it has been rubbed? All these effects are caused by static electricity. Static electricity is the imbalanced charges of matter. It was the Greeks who first noticed that when they rubbed a piece of amber, it attracted small pieces of paper. The greek word for amber is elektron, and it is from this that we get our words electron and electricity.

Picking Up Paper Bits with a Comb

Tear some paper into small pieces and put the down on a table. Comb your hair. Move the comb close to the paper pieces. The pieces of paper should jump up to the comb!

Deflecting Water with a Comb

Turn on a water tap so that the water flows in a narrow stream. Comb your hair. Move the comb close to the water but don't let it touch. You should see the water stream move towards the comb!

Explanation

Sticking Balloons to the Wall

Blow up a balloon, and rub it on your hair. Touch the balloon to the wall or ceiling. It should stick there!

Physics: Hydrostatics

Cartesian Diver

A Cartesian diver is a classic science experiment, named for René Descartes, in which an eye dropper or other container open only at the bottom (the "diver") is placed in a much larger container with flexible walls, such as a 2-liter soft drink bottle, and adjusted so it barely floats at the top of the water in the larger container.

When the larger container is squeezed, the air inside the diver is compressed, reducing the overall displacement or buoyancy of the diver, which then sinks. One reason for using an eye dropper is that air cannot readily escape the end of the dropper, due to surface tension, however a pen cap can also be used.

Kitchen Chemistry (& Physics)

We'll raid the larder and have some science fun!

Funny Custard

I've been the custard maker in my family for years, but had no idea how funny it could be till I saw an episode of Brainiacs where they filled a swimming pool (a very small one) with industrial custard - and ran around on it! I'd forgotten about it till the next time I made custard and forgot to put the sugar in...

Pour some custard powder (or cornflour) into a bowl. Slowly add water and stir it in. Continue until the dry powder had gone and the goop is nice and thick. It looks like a paste but behaves like a solid if you move anything through it quickly!

Explanation