A Science2Life Creation

From chaos to calm – make your own mini ‘snow’storm then we wowed by static magic!

A fantastic demonstration which can be used to visualise the fact that like charges push against each other and opposite charges pull together.

It is also a fun and creativity demonstration that can be used to help explain how lightning is formed in clouds!

TRANSPARENT LATEX BALLOONS 10 PACK with a small bag of polystyrene beads

The charged balloon is rubbed on hair, causing the polystyrene beads inside to stick to the rubbed areas due to static electricity.

• Size: 30 cm (12 inches)
• 10 pack
• Transparent balloons
• Made from natural rubber latex
• Bag of polystyrene beads

STATIC ELECTRICITY DEMONSTRATION

Secrets for Success

• A balloon pump must be used to inflate the balloons as there is too much moisture in our breath. Water prevents the build-up of static charge.
• Don’t over inflate the balloon – you don’t want it to explode.
• Store your latex balloons away from sunlight, preferably in an opaque container. Sunlight and ozone combine to oxidise the surface of the balloon which then weakens the balloon.

Science in a Nutshell

When insulating materials – in this case the latex balloon and the polystyrene beads – rub against each other, they may become electrically charged. Electrons, which are negatively charged, are pulled from one material on to the other. The material that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. The material that loses electrons is left with an overall positive charge.

The rubber balloon loses its electrons to the polystyrene beads.

Scientific Sue holds a charged balloon to demonstrate static electric forces during an Intel science event for students.

Like charges repel each other – this is why the polystyrene beads spread out on the inside surface of the balloon.

Opposite charges attract – this is why the polystyrene beads stick to the surface of the balloon.

When the balloon is rubbed on hair, charges move from the hair to the balloon. The balloon and the hair then have opposite charges. When you slowly lift the balloon away from the hair the electric force of attraction is strong enough to lift the hair.

The size of this force decreases with distance so as you keep moving the balloon away from the hair the hair will eventually drop. However, when you then bring the balloon closer to the head the hair will then spring back up!

We also sell a wonderfully magical toy called a wandarama which uses electrostatic pushing forces to get tinsel shapes to fly about the room like magic! Want to find our more? Click on link.

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Pronunciation: /EV–ə–NES-koh

Description: Makes the target vanish.

Seen/mentioned: Used in Order of the Phoenix  by Snape to make Harry’s potions disappear from his cauldron.

Contents:

• 3 Opaque cups
  

  Magically appearing pop-up wands

• Death Eater Crystals  (Ooze Baff Crystals)
• Bottle of Unicorns Urine (Coloured water)
• Small spoon
• Pipette
• Stirrer
• 2 Small mixing cups
• Mixing bowl
• Labels

In this video Scientific Sue will show you how you can use Ooze Baff crystals in a very magical spell. A similar spell used by the Death Eaters in the Mr Potters Magical World. The death eaters suck up the souls of their victims – our ‘Death Eater Crystals (Ooze Baff crystals) suck up liquids! Use a little bit of science to find out how much the crystals suck up and still stay in a sticky solid format – then use that science in the Evanesco Spell. This video will take you through the steps you need to take to wow and confuse your audience – Science Magic – Fun Guaranteed!

The Science

Ooze baff crystals are an example of  water absorbing polymers.

A polymer is a molecule, made from joining together many small molecules called monomers. The word “polymer” can be broken down into “poly” (meaning “many” in Greek) and “mer” (meaning “unit”).

Sodium polyacrylate are the water absorbing polymers found in babies nappies – the crystals Scientific Sue uses in her first EVANESCO Spell in the video below.

Water absorbing polymers soak up water through a process called osmosis and they swell up. Some, like Ooze Baff, just absorb a small amount of water. Others, like the crystals in nappies absorb huge amounts of water.

The polymer chains have an elastic quality. The amount they stretch depends on the polymer. Ooze Baff makes a wonderful slime like substance, whilst the nappy powder makes a substance like slushy snow.

Most common synthetic polymers are said to be hydrophobic (water-fearing), which means that they do not absorb water. Examples of these polymers might include products such as plastic cups, bags, and plastic toys. There are also hydrophilic, or water-loving polymers. Many natural polymers such as cotton fibres are hydrophilic.

If you like this product you will love our Magic Snow!

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

With the inclusion of the arts component into STEM it makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 1 THE MAGICAL EVANESCO SPELL – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

TN Cosmic Ball Click this link to download our teaching notes.

Wizardly_Science_Certificate_With_Logo

Certificate of Wizardy Science – Cosmic Ball

Watch it Glow. Hear it Buzz. Feel the Science!

What’s Included:

• 1 x Cosmic Energy Ball

• Magical Science Worksheet & Teaching Notes

This dazzling little globe is more than a toy—it’s a hands-on science demo that wows kids and adults alike! When you touch both metal strips on the ball, it lights up with a red glow and buzzes like something straight out of a wizard’s lab.

Perfect for classrooms, science parties, Hallowe’en events, or kids who love weird and wonderful gadgets.

Whether you’re a teacher introducing circuits or a parent sparking curiosity at home, this energy ball is a safe, exciting way to explore:
Conductivity
Electrical currents
Complete circuits
Human chains as wires!

For Educators:
The included teaching notes turn this gadget into a complete lesson. Use it to test which materials conduct electricity, act as switches, or break circuits.

For Families & Curious Kids:
Follow the fun worksheet and become the Chief Wizard in your very own circuit circle. It’s part magic, part science, and 100% fun!

Used in My Magical Science & Engineering Show
Get a taste of the live experience with this show-stopping prop. In the show, we use this to demonstrate how humans can become part of an electrical circuit—complete with applause-triggered magic!

Wizardly_Science_Certificate_With_Logo

The post COSMIC ENERGY BALL – Scientific fun at your finger tips appeared first on Science2Life.

• 10 balloons with inflation tubes
• Assorted colours
• Approximately 26cm when uninflated

A Little bit of Science – Let’s make this rocket fly in a straight line!

NISF Funky Forces Show

Observing

• Develop children’s powers of observation using their senses
• Communicating
• talk with adults and other children
• ask questions
• Investigating
• explore
• predict
• experiment

What you need:

• String
• Sticky tape
• A plastic straw
• A balloon (not blown up)

What to do:

Thread the straw onto the string.  Tie the string across the room so that it is quite tight and high up.  Blow up the balloon and hold the end closed so that it stays inflated.  Using sellotape or double sided stickers, attach the balloon to the straw so that it hangs underneath the string.  Let the balloon go and it should fly across the room.

Nuts & Bolts 

• Packet of rocket balloons
• Helium canister
• Metre stick
• Empty box e.g. one that holds printing paper
• Stick on Velcro
• Scissors

Secrets for Success

Blow up a balloon. Discuss what is happening to its shape in between puffs.

What are you putting into the balloon? Air

What is the air made up of? A mixture of gases – mainly nitrogen and oxygen molecules.

The gas molecules act a bit like children in a bouncy castle – every time one hits the side a force is exerted on that side.

The more puffs the higher the number of molecules inside pushing on the sides of the balloon – the air pressure inside the balloon is higher than the air pressure outside.

For the brave amongst you … keep blowing up the balloon until it bursts! At this point the air pressure inside the balloon is too high for the balloon. The skin has been weakened so much it tears and bursts very quickly.

Repeat but this time when the rocket balloon is really long, remove the mouth piece and let it go.

Discuss its motion. Do it again this time filling it with Helium gas…

Now repeat with 2 balloons, one filled with air and the other with helium, release them at the same time after a countdown.

As well as going faster the helium rocket makes a sound with a higher pitch. Why is this? See below

Science in a Nutshell

Balloons are fantastic toys which allow us to easily illustrate energy changes, Newton’s Laws of Motion as well as the properties of materials. When you start blowing into a balloon the balloon starts to get bigger, the skin starts to stretch to facilitate the added air, the air pressure inside the balloon increases. Potential energy is stored in this stretched rubber. We can use this energy to demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed just changed from one form to another.

If you just keep blowing into the balloon there will come a point when the pressure inside the balloon is too high for the rubber material to support it. The skin weakens rapidly and the balloon bursts. The stored potential energy is then mainly converted into sound energy but also into the kinetic energy of the moving pieces of the broken balloon and a little bit of heat energy.

If you have students who are really scared of loud noises you could just blow up the balloon and release it, the rocket balloons are specially made for this activity and plus they make lots of noise as they fly around the room gradually getting smaller and smaller. As they move they sometimes gain height, which means they gain gravitational potential energy, this is converted back into motion energy as they fall again.

When you let go of the neck of the balloon why does the balloon move forwards? Remember Newton stated that for a body to move there needs to be resultant force acting on that body in the direction of the motion. What pushes the balloon forwards? It is not, as some text books say, the air leaving the neck of the balloon. That gas is moving in the opposite direction and pushes on the gas molecules in the air behind it. The gas exiting the balloon is moving in the opposite direction to the direction the balloon is moving in!! So how can it push the balloon forward? The answer is it can’t!! So, what does?

The demonstration I use to illustrate this paradox is ‘borrowed’ from a physics lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast – so my thanks are given. You will need a cardboard box, some Velcro, scissors and a long stick. The box needs to be open at the top and with the help of the scissors one of the narrower sides needs to be cut down the middle from the top to the bottom and then the bottom edges also cut, leaving you with two flaps.

With a piece of cardboard taken from the top of the box make a rectangular strip 10 cm in width and the same height as the box. Add Velcro hooks to the insides of the flaps and Velcro loops to the strip of cardboard in a fashion that will allow you to close the flaps securely. With them closed, place the box on a bench, or the floor, and with the aid of the stick quickly hit the inside walls. Note if one wall is hit more frequently than the others the box will move in that direction. You want to hit the walls so that there is no overall movement of the box – this represents the molecules of air hitting the insides of the tied balloon.

The pressure due to the collisions of the many billions of molecules in the balloon acts in all directions equally. However, when you open your flaps by removing the Velcro strip, the pressure now does not act equally. This is the same as untying the neck of the balloon.

When you now hit inside the box the forward hits are now not balanced by the backward hits which means you have a resultant force acting forwards, so the box will move forwards.

The balloon moves forwards due to the resultant force from the air molecules still trapped inside of it!

Now to the sounds the balloons make – When we talk, sound is produced by passing air over our vocal cords (flaps of tissue in our throats) causing them to vibrate. The vibrating vocal cords make the air around them vibrate and this makes sound. We can change our voice by changing the shape of our throat and mouth, allowing us to make different sounds for different words. Our voice comes out in the form of waves, and it is the frequency of these waves that makes a high note sound high and a low note sound low.

But our voices aren’t quite this simple. You know how different instruments sound different even if they’re playing the same note? That’s down to ‘timbre’. Our voices have a timbre too – they are not just one pure note but a mixture of lots of different waves of different frequencies. When air moves through our throats, it vibrates and you end up with lots of resonant frequencies, or harmonics, which sound different between different people. Someone can sound all squeaky at the same pitch as someone else who sounds normal depending on the harmonics of their voice (explaining why some people sound great during a karaoke session and others, well, they just don’t).

Now the fun bit is when we start thinking about what happens if we breathe helium- which now not recommended as the gas in helium cylinders is a mixture of gases (one being methane) due to the rising cost of helium gas Sound waves behave differently depending on what they are trying to move through. Normally, we breathe air, which is a mixture of gases containing mainly nitrogen and some oxygen. Sound waves generated by our vocal cords move through air at a constant speed of around 350 metres per second.

But helium is less dense than the air we normally breathe and this means that sound waves travel through it much faster than usual (around 900 metres per second) during the short time that they are making their way through the throat and out of the mouth. The pitch of our voice isn’t actually altered, but the timbre or quality of the voice is. Basically, the fast-moving, higher frequency sounds have more power as they float about in your throat, and the lower frequencies get a bit lost. So, our voices end up sounding flat and you talk something like Donald Duck.

In this demo the vibrating neck of the rocket balloons are used to represent our vocal cords. The note from the balloon filled with air is lower than the one that was filled with helium. The fact that the helium balloon moves faster and falls to the ground first is another way of highlighting the fact that the atoms in this gas are moving much faster than the molecules in air.

DELIVERY

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The delivery date stated is indicative and subject to availability, payment authorisation, verification and processing.

In case your product(s) is not delivered due to an incorrect or invalid address, or other reason outside of our control, we will not be able to process any claims. However, we will notify you if it is returned to us.

RETURNS

• Return or exchange requests can be made within 10 days of the delivery date.
• To return or exchange any items, please email us at scientificsue@science2life.com, clearly mentioning your order number and our customer support team will guide you on the process.
• To be eligible for return, products must be in the exact condition you received them in. All packaging material must be undamaged and unused with the price tags intact.
• Orders can be cancelled before dispatch. If the order has already been dispatched, cancellation fees might be charged.
• Due to the nature of the products that we sell, we will not be able to replace or refund unwanted items if they have been opened or any seals are broken.
• The refund will not include the import duties or the cost of delivery or return postage.
• If your refund is approved, then it will automatically be credited to the original method of payment, within 7-10 days.
• Science2Life reserves the right to alter and enforce this Return and Refund Policy at any time without having to serve a prior notice to users.

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