This collection of experiments will add joy to your science experience.
Share the fun of scientific experimentation with friends or family members.
Safety comes first. Be sure to follow each instruction carefully.
HAVE FUN!

Exploring Acids and Bases with Red Cabbage Exploring Acids and Bases with Red Cabbage
Use an indicator made from red cabbage juice to determine whether household products are acids or bases.
Exploring Acids and Bases with Red Cabbage
 
Build an Electric Motor Build an Electric Motor

Most plastics are made in factories, but here's one you can make at home.

Build an Electric Motor
Floating Soap Bubbles Floating Soap Bubbles
Use a heavier than air gas to suspend soap bubbles. This will allow you to more closely examine the unique properties of bubbles .
Floating Soap Bubbles
 
Chemmiluminescence - Cool Light Chemmiluminescence - Cool Light
Ever played with a Lightstick? In this activity you examine the chemiluminescent reaction that makes a Lightstick glow in the dark.
Chemmiluminescence - Cool Light
Dancing Raisins Dancing Raisins
Use ordinary clear soda to make raisins dance. Learn what's in soda that gives it fizz, and what causes things that are heavier than water to float.
Daning Raisins
 
Floating and Sinking Bowling Balls Floating and Sinking Bowling Balls
Will a bowling ball sink or float in water? The answer seems obvious, but this experiment will show otherwise.
Floating and Sinking Bowling Balls
Layered Liquids Chemmiluminescence - Cool Light
Use common liquids you can find around your house to make a density column and a rainbow in a glass.
Layered Liquids
 
Remove Tarnish From Silver Remove Tarnish From Silver
Clean the tarnish off of silverware. You don't need expensive cleaners, just this experiment.
Remove Tarnish From Silver
Build an Electric Motor Build an Electric Motor

Some wire, a couple of magnets, and a battery – and you can build your own electric motor.
Build an Electric Motor
 
Bernoulli's Principle Bernoulli's Principle
The power of wind is harnessed in this experiment. Suspend a balloon in air without using your hands!
Bernoulli's Principle
Rubber Bands and Heat Rubber Bands and Heat
In this activity you will examine the behavior of rubber as it is affected by heat, a form of energy.
Rubber Bands and Heat
 
Making Things Glow in the Dark Making Things Glow in the Dark
What makes certain materials "glow" under a black light? This experiment will tell you why.
Making Things Glow in the Dark
Candy Chromatography Candy Chromatography
The color of many candies come from dyes. This experiment will separate some of those dyes out using a process called chromatography.
Candy Chromatography
 
Fizzing and Foaming Fizzing and Foaming
With just a few household chemicals you can turn a glass of colored liquid into a froth that overflows its container.
Fizzing and Foaming
Needle Through a Balloon Needle Through a Balloon
What is the easiest way to pop a balloon? With a needle of course. Is there a way to put a needle into a balloon without popping it?
Needle Through a Balloon
 
Fireproof Balloon Fireproof Balloon

A fire can weaken the rubber in a balloon and cause it to burst. In this experiment you will find out how you can hold a balloon directly in a flame without breaking it.

 
Fireproof Balloon
Soft Water and Suds Soft Water and Suds

Many people have water softeners in their houses. What is the purpose of a water softener? What does it mean to have "hard" water?

Soft Water and Suds
 
The Collapsing Can The Collapsing Can

How much force does it take to crush an aluminum can? Is there a way to crush a can using only air pressure?

 
The Collapsing Can
Lumpy Liquids and Squishy Solids Lumpy Liquids and Squishy Solids

Have you ever turned a liquid into a solid just by tapping on it? In this experiment you will make a liquid that behaves in a very unpredictable way.
Lumpy Liquids and Squishy Solids
 
Sinking and Floating Soda Cans The Collapsing Can

Next time you're at a picnic, look at the soda cooler: some cans float, while others sink. Do this experiment to understand why.

Sinking and Floating Soda Cans
Blue Sky, Red Sunset Blue Sky, Red Sunset
Why does the sky look red during sunrises and sunsets? We can learn why during this experiment.
Blue Sky, Red Sunset
 
The Cartesian Diver The Cartesian Diver

Create a "cartesian diver" inside a 1 or 2 liter plastic bottle. This diver will sink or float on command!
The Cartesian Diver
Bending Water Bending Water
Static electricity can be a problem whenever the humidity is low. In this experiment you will use static electricity to "bend" water.
Bending Water
 
Egg in a Bottle Egg in a Bottle
Even though the egg is bigger than the opening of the bottle,  you can get the egg to go into the bottle without touching it.
Egg in a Bottle

NEW!! ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SOLUTIONS
  Build your own apparatus to test the electrical conductivity of solutions!  


More Experiments!!!

Here are some home experiments from friends of Professor Shakhashiri.

Here is a list of books
that contain experiments you can do at home.

You can order a videocassette of the Holiday Lecture here.

For more information contact SciFun@chem.wisc.edu