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©2016 Steve Spangler Inc. All Rights Reserved • Englewood, CO 80110 • (800)223-9080 • SteveSpanglerScience.com

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ST. PATRICK’S DAYEXPERIMENT GUIDE

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2©2016 Steve Spangler Inc. All Rights Reserved • Englewood, CO 80110 • (800)223-9080 • SteveSpanglerScience.com

Everything in this kit has been thoroughly tested and is not considered to be hazardous if used with adult supervision. That’s right… the activities in this kit require adult supervision. This kit is not intended to be popped open and tossed at a kid with the instruction, “Have fun.” Instead, you might want to use this opportunity to interact with a few ankle-biters and learn a little science at the same time.

Remember that this is a science kit and science can be messy. There are liquids, so you will get wet. Stuff falls on the floor… so you’ll need to clean it up so people don’t slip and fall. Don’t put chemicals in your eyes or ears and don’t eat your experiment. Trust us, they don’t taste good and it’s a bad thing to do. The bottom line is that this science kit requires adult supervision and common sense – simple concepts that ensure a fun and safe experience.

SAFETY!

When you think of leprechauns, images of little green guys with their funny shoes and buckets of gold instantly come to mind. In recent years, St. Patrick’s Day has become more than just a special day to wear something green. St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a day to enjoy traditional Irish food, share stories, sing songs, dye everything imaginable green, and even try to catch one of those little leprechauns in a homemade trap. Here’s your chance to learn some of the secrets of the leprechauns that are guaranteed to amaze your friends.

WHAT IS THIS GUIDE ALL ABOUT?

Great teachers never miss the opportunity to create a learning experience out of something that kids love – and that’s exactly what this experiment guide is all about, connecting some fun science with a great holiday. The activities all have a great “gee-whiz” factor while introducing children to some cool scientific principles in a sneaky way. It’s important to read through the brief instructions that accompany each activity to get the “flavor” and story before you begin.

We’ve created a section in the write-up for each activity called “St. Patrick’s Secrets” – this is where you’ll find secret tips and tricks behind the idea of Leprechaun Magic. If you’re preserving the element of “magic,” you’ll want to keep this information to yourself.

A WORD ABOUT THIS EXPERIMENT GUIDE


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RAINBOWTEST TUBE

4

1 - 2hours


1

2Fill each cup with warm water. Allow crystals to sit for a few hours or wait

until the crystals have fully grown.

Add one color of jelly crystals to each cup.

WHAT YOU NEED

WATER BABY SODA BOTTLE (OR TEST TUBE)

THREE CUPS JELLY CRYSTALS - RED, BLUE & YELLOW

ADULT SUPERVISION


4Replace cap, turn the baby soda

bottle over and let it sit for a few days.

3Fill the baby soda bottle with the three colors of crystals, one at a time.

Your reward is a rainbow in a bottle.Hey, maybe a leprechaun left somegold under the cap!


HOW DOES IT WORK?When you first look at the Rainbow Tube, the color mixing is caused by light passing first through one color and then through the other. After a day or two (if you’ve really stuffed the tube), you’ll see both the purple and green bands getting wider. The colored water in the blue crystals mixes with the colored water in the yellow crystals and makes green colored water. The gel takes the new color and you have a green crystal.

So, What’s a Polymer Anyway?Everything in the world is made up of tiny groups of atoms called molecules. Some molecules are very large and others are small. A single molecule is called a monomer - “mono” means one and “-mer” is the suffix for unit. So, a monomer is a molecule of a single unit. If the prefix “poly” means many, then a polymer is a large molecule made up of many smaller, identical molecules that are joined together. Some polymers are made up of millions of monomers.

Now that we know what a polymer is, what can a polymer do? Polymers play a large role in our everyday lives. Synthetic polymers have a multitude of uses from something as simple as a Styrofoam coffee cup to plastics, adhesives, fabrics, paints, rubber, polyester, gelatin, or even a life-saving artificial heart valve. The world as we know it today could not exist without these long chains of molecules called polymers.


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TACO SAUCEPENNY CLEANER


Spread it out .

Put a little taco sauce on each side of each penny.1

WHAT YOU NEED

TACO SAUCE DIRTY PENNIES A SMALL PLATE

ADULT SUPERVISION

Let them sit for awhile.

2Use a paper towel to clean them off.


Now clean the other side.

See the difference!

Try cleaning a penny using the individual ingredients in taco sauce. Can you determine what the cleaning agent is?

3


HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Taco Sauce Penny Cleaner is a great example of a science fair project. First, you ask a question - does taco sauce really clean pennies? You find that it does and then you ask another question - What is it in the taco sauce that causes it to clean pennies? You run multiple tests and isolate one variable at a time to see if the vinegar, the tomato paste, the salt, or the water is the real cleaning agent for the pennies. Guess what... nothing cleans the penny. Now what do you do? You ask another question - Could a combination of ingredients cause the cleaning action? Again, you isolate the variables to eventually reach the conclusion that the combination of the vinegar and salt cleans the pennies. If you want to do this experiment for your own science fair project, but don’t want to do the same thing, try one of these possibilities: Compare the cleaning power of taco sauce, lemon juice, and other acidic substances on tarnished pennies. Which is most effective and why? Test the cleaning power of taco sauce on different tarnished metals, using pennies as your control and the other metals as your variables. The Taco Sauce Penny Cleaner experiment clearly shows scientific inquiry in motion and meets all of the requirements of a great science fair project.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

The clear winner is the mixture of vinegar and salt. Neither vinegar nor salt by itself cleaned the pennies, but when they were mixed together something happened. The chemistry behind the reaction is somewhat complicated but very interesting. When the salt and the vinegar are mixed together, the salt dissolves in the vinegar solution and breaks down into sodium and chloride ions. The chloride ions then combine with the copper in the penny to remove the tarnish or copper oxide from the surface of the penny. It is also well known that a mixture of lemon juice and salt does a good job in removing tarnish from metals and works very well on pennies. By themselves, the salt and vinegar do very little in the way of removing the coating of copper oxide on the penny, but together these ingredients make a great cleaning agent. Now you know the cleaning power of taco sauce!


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SALT WATERDENSITY STRAWS


2Add approximately 9 ouncesof water to each cup and stir.

Add teaspoons of salt to the cups in the amounts shown. 1 tsp - 2 tsp - 3 tsp - 4 tsp - 5 tsp - 6 tsp

1

WHAT YOU NEED

SALTWATER

TEASPOON MEASURER CUPS

COLOR FIZZERS STRAW

TEST TUBES ADULT SUPERVISION

Stir it up!


3

4

Transfer the liquidsto deeper containers.

Color the water using whatever dye you prefer.

This is what it might look like.

Starting with the water containing the least salt, dunk the straw in the water and cap the straw’s end with your thumb.


Dunk it in the next color and quickly uncap and recap the straw to grab just a little of each color.

This is what the final straw should look like!


HOW DOES IT WORK?

This dramatic salt water density change can be experienced in real life. While humans will (sort of) float in the oceans of the world, we really float in lakes like Utah’s Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea in Israel and the West Bank.

So density explains why the liquids stack atop each other inside of the straw, but how do the liquids stay in the straw? That has to be water wizardry! You expect the solutions to pour out of the straw as you remove the straw from being submerged. However, thanks to cohesion (like molecules attracting each other) and adhesion (different molecules attracting each other), there is surface tension at the bottom of the straw. The surface tension is strong enough to hold the solutions in the straw… as long as air pressure isn’t added to the equation. That’s why you need your thumb to cap the straw. This removes air pressure from pushing down on the solutions in the straw. Remove your thumb and the equalized pressure forces the solutions out.

FUN FACT —

Density is the measurement of how much “stuff” is packed into a specific space. That’s how we get the equation for density: Density = Mass (stuff) ÷ Volume (space). Nearly every substance and material imaginable has a different density. This is especially the case for the solutions you make out of salt and water.By varying the amount of salt in the solution but keeping the water constant at 9 oz, you create solutions that have different densities. The more salt is mixed into a water-based solution, the higher the density of that solution.

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1

Try testing this experiment with fewer marshmallows.

Start pumping the pressurizing pump and observe what happens.

Attach the pressurizing pump to the bottle.

Fill the bottle 3/4-full with green marshmallows.

WHAT YOU NEED

SMALL GREEN MARSHMALLOWS PRESSURIZING PUMP

PLASTIC SODA BOTTLEADULT SUPERVISION

You have probably seen or heard of several different variations of this classic experiment. Try this awesome twist on our classic growing marshmallow science project to show how a leprechaun might use their ‘magic’ to hide their treats on St. Patrick’s Day. For more information, take a look at the next activity in this guide to learn one of the classic variations.

LEPRECHAUNMARSHMALLOWS

HOW DOES IT WORK?Pumping the Fizz-Keeper forces molecules of air into bottles, just like inflating a tire. While marshmallows are in the bottle, this increased air pressure makes the marshmallows shrink. Why? It’s because marshmallows are just sugar and air. In fact, marshmallows are comprised of about 40-60% air. When the air pressure inside the bottle is increased beyond regular atmospheric pressure, the higher pressure squeezes the air inside the marshmallows into a smaller space. As a result, the marshmallows appear to shrink and get smaller.

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WHAT YOU NEED

THIS TEMPLATESCISSORS

GLUE STICK A HOLE PUNCH

STRING ADULT SUPERVISION

Here is a variation of a classic experiment. Try this awesome new way to add a little luck and make a fun St. Patrick’s Day.

As you well know, leprechauns are a remarkably tricky bunch. Since they’re so tricky, you’ve probably never heard of anyone successfully finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. With the Spinning Disk Illusion, however, you can beat the leprechauns at their own game. The spinning images will create the phenomenon necessary to uncover the well-hidden pot of gold secrets that the leprechauns use.

For more information, take a look at the next activity in this guide to learn one of the classic variations.

APPEARINGPOT OF GOLD

1

Turn one disk upside down and glue them back to back lining up the black dots.3

2Put glue on the back of one of the discs.

Cut out the template found on the next page.

5

Punch a hole in the disk next to each black dot.

Cut two 12” pieces of string and tie them through the holes.

Twist the strings then pull them tight and watch what happens!

4

6

18

Make your own!

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WHAT YOU NEED

BOX OF CORNSTARCHLARGE BOWL

WATERFOOD COLORING

SPOONSMALL, PLASTIC TOY

ZIPPER LOCK BAGADULT SUPERVISION


If there’s one thing that leprechauns can’t resist, it’s a bunch of shiny coins. Since you just learned how to clean pennies using taco sauce, you have exactly what you need to lure some tiny, green men. Now you need to figure out a way to trap them. We’ve got just the thing... Green Quicksand. Once you’ve perfected the mixture, we’ll help you set up a foolproof leprechaun trap.

For more information, take a look at the next activity in this guide to learn one of the classic variations of quicksand.

LEPRECHAUNTRAP

3

2

1

Continue to add cornstarch and water in small amounts until you

get a mixture that feels like honey.

Use your hands or a spoon to stir the mixture.

Pour 4 oz of cornstarch into the large bowl , then slowly add 1/2 cup of colored water.

Add 3-5 drops of food coloring to a standard pitcher of water.


WHAT YOU NEED

CLEAN, SHINY COINSGREEN QUICKSANDCHIP-AND-DIP BOWL

(YOU CAN ALSO USE TWO BOWLS)CARDBOARD

VARIOUS CRAFT SUPPLIESADULT SUPERVISION

3

21

Leprechauns are small, so you might want to construct a ladder for them. Cardboard is an abundant and easy-to-use material.

On the night of March 16th, set up your leprechaun trap where you know you’ll lure some leprechauns.

Pour the Green Quicksand into the “chip” portion of the chip-and-dip bowl.

Place your shiny pennies in the “dip” portion of a chip-and-dip bowl.

Now you have made your quicksand concoction, follow the steps below to devise the perfect way to catch leprechauns the night before St. Patrick’s Day!


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CORNSTARCHMONSTERS


3Mix it up.

2Add the water.

WHAT YOU NEED

1/4 CUP OF CORNSTARCH1/2 CUP OF WATER

BOWLPLASTIC WRAP

SPEAKERADULT SUPERVISION

1Put the cornstarch into the bowl.

Try rolling the mixture into a ball. When you stop, it becomes a liquid again.


5 Pour the cornstarch mixture onto the speaker.

Play music or a tone through the speaker.

6

If you punch the solution, it turns to a solid!

4Place plastic wrap over the speaker.


HOW DOES IT WORK?You probably noticed that lower frequencies (the sounds of an explosion or bass in a song) subjected the mixture to much more movement. Knowledge about sound waves, however, might lead you to believe that it should be the exact opposite. The higher pitched sounds have a higher frequency (meaning there are more vibrations per second). But more vibrations don’t equal more movement of the non-Newtonian fluid. Instead, it is the lower pitched (lower frequency) sounds that cause the mixture to shake. Although there are fewer vibrations per second at lower pitches, these frequencies cause more motion in the speaker cones.

How does glop act like a solid sometimes and a liquid at other times?

Actually this glop is an example of what is called a Non-Newtonian fluid - a fluid that defies Isaac Newton’s law of viscosity. All fluids have a property known as viscosity. It is the measurable thickness or resistance to flow in a fluid. Honey and ketchup are liquids that have a high resistance to flow. When I think of viscosity, I always remember the television commercial of the child who is patiently waiting for the ketchup to flow out of the bottle and onto the hamburger bun. Be thankful that the viscosity of ketchup is greater than that of water the next time you are sitting across the table from somebody who is pounding on the bottom of the ketchup bottle that’s aimed at you.

Newton stated that the viscosity of a fluid can be changed only by altering the fluid’s temperature. For example, motor oil or honey flows more easily when you warm it, and becomes very thick when it gets cold. So, a Non-Newtonian fluid has the same dependence on temperature, but its viscosity can be changed by applying pressure. When you squeeze a handful of glop, its viscosity increases so it acts like a solid for a split second. When you release pressure, the glop behaves just like a liquid.

Ironically, the cornstarch will not stay mixed with the water indefinitely. Over time, the grains of cornstarch will separate from the water and form a solid clump at the bottom of the plastic storage bag. It is for this reason that you must not pour this mixture down the drain. It will clog the pipes and stop up the drain. Pour the mixture into a zipper-lock bag and dispose of it in the garbage.

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DISAPPEARINGMONEY

25


Fill the glass with water.3

2Place the plate on top of the glass.

WHAT YOU NEED

A COINDRINKING GLASS

WATERA PLATE

ADULT SUPERVISION

1Place the glass on top of the coin. You should still be able to see the coin through the glass.

Putting the plate on top forces you to look at the coin through the side of the glass and not above.

26


Notice how the coin seems to disappear.

4Place the plate back over the glass.

Can you see the coin?

HOW DOES IT WORK?The trick behind the Disappearing Money experiment is the refraction of light. Images that we see are all light rays that reach our eyes. When these light rays travel through air, they experience little or no refraction or bending. That’s why you can still see the penny through the side of the empty glass. When you poured water into the glass, it was as though the penny had disappeared, but it was really just some bending light rays. After traveling through the water and the side of the glass, none of the light from off the coin was able to reach your eyes. Refraction occurs because of the molecules in the substance that the light rays are passing through. Gas molecules are spread out. This is why little to no refraction occurs. However, when light rays pass through a substance such as water, the refraction is greater because the molecules are closer together. Any light passing through it is scattered in all directions. So when the light rays are bouncing off of the money through the water, they are refracted and cannot make it to your eyes. In fact, the glass also refracts the light even more! The image ends up being projected near the top of the glass. You would be able to see it... if the saucer were not strategically placed on the glass.

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In our long line of “magical” science, we introduce the Magic Leprechaun Rollback Can. The Magic Rollback Can appears to be a normal, empty can of coffee or oats, but after you roll it along the ground a little ways and watch it come back, you’ll be wondering just how it works. Is it the leprechaun’s magic or could it be the power of science? Follow the steps in the following experiment and use the template found on the next page to complete this project of wonder!

ST. PATRICK’SROLLBACK CAN

28

A

B

Cut along dotted lines, then connect sides A and B using glue or tape. Then adhere to your rollback can.

29


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MAGICROLLBACK CAN

30


Tape the battery to the center of the rubber band so it looks like this.

3

2With adult supervision, carefully poke a hole through the lid and bottom of

the can with the screwdriver.

WHAT YOU NEED

AN EMPTY PEANUT CANA SCREWDRIVER

A 9V BATTERYA RUBBER BAND

TAPETWO PAPER CLIPS

ADULT SUPERVISION

1Place the lid on the bottom of the can.


4Carefully push one end of the rubber band through the hole in the bottom of the can and

secure it with a paper clip.

5 Stretch the rubber band and repeat step four with the other side of the band and lid.

Roll the can away and it should come back to you!

6

This is what it should look like.


HOW DOES IT WORK?The Magic Rollback Can is a great example of transfer of energy. When you roll the can, it has kinetic energy. As it slows down, the energy is transferred into potential energy within the twisted rubber band inside the can. The twisted rubber band’s potential energy is then transferred back to the can in kinetic energy as it untwists. The secret to all this energy transfer comes from the weight that you’ve taped to the rubber band inside the can. While the weight is being pulled down by gravity, it is also being subjected to a twisting force from the rubber band. So long as the force being exerted by gravity on the weight can resist the twisting rubber band’s force on the weight (meaning the weight is not moved by the rubber band), the rubber band will continue to twist. Once all of the kinetic energy from the rolling can has been exhausted by converting to heat (friction) or potential energy (twisted rubber band), the can stops rolling and the weighted rubber band is able to unwind. Because of the weight in the middle of the rubber band, only the ends of the loop are able to unwind and, therefore, the can begins to roll backwards.


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SHARPIE PENCOLOR SCIENCE


Transfer the alcohol to the dropper bottle.3

2Secure the cloth with a rubber band.

WHAT YOU NEED

PLASTIC CUPRUBBER BAND

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOLSHARPIE® PENS

PIECE OF COTTON FABRICDROPPER BOTTLE

ADULT SUPERVISION

1Drape the cotton cloth over the cup.

4Decorate the clothwith Sharpie pens.


5 Put 15 - 20 droplets of alcohol in the center of your design and let it go for a couple minutes.

Heat set your designs by placing all fabric pieces in the dryer for about 15 minutes on a normal heatsetting.

6

Try adding alcohol to different spots in the design and observe what happens.

Let your designs dry 3 - 5 minutes.


HOW DOES IT WORK?

OBSERVATIONS

TAKE IT FURTHER!

This is really a lesson in the concepts of solubility, color mixing, and the movement of molecules. The Sharpie markers contain permanent ink, which will not wash away with water. Permanent ink is hydrophobic, meaning it is not soluble in water. However, the molecules of ink are soluble in another solvent called rubbing alcohol. This solvent carries the different colors of ink as it spreads in a circular pattern from the center of the drip.

Who hasn’t colored on themselves with marker at some point, just to find out it doesn’t always come off very well? Teachers and parents, if you want a great way to tie science to children’s literature while showing what happens when your body becomes an art canvas, read a story called Purple, Green, and Yellow by Robert Munsch. In the story, the main character colors on herself and everyone around her using “super indelible never come off till you’re dead and maybe even later” markers. Sharpie markers fit that description, unless you know the rubbing alcohol secret. Combine the story with the magic of color science to create an engaging science learning experience for kids.

Enjoy experimenting with various patterns, dot sizes, and color combinations. Instead of using dots, try drawing a small square with each side being a different color, or use primary colors to draw a geometric shape and accent it with dots of secondary colors. Half circles, wavy lines, and polygons all make unique patterns when rubbing alcohol travels across the ink. Your designs are only limited by your imagination. Try as many different patterns as you like. The secret is to keep your patterns small and in the center of the design area on the cup.

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