GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With kids home from school due to the Arctic air, parents may be looking for ideas that don’t involve leaving the house.
These four experiments involve ingredients most households already have on hand, minimal time outside and plenty of fun and learning.
INSTANT SNOW
A memorable and educational experiment that shows up in social media feeds every year is instant snow, in which boiling water is tossed out the door into the freezing air. Safety is key here. An adult should handle the boiling water and it may be best to have the children watch from a window.
What you will need:
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Temperature colder than 20 degrees
Instructions:
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Boil water and carefully pour it into the insulated cup or thermos.
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Choose an open area where the wind is calm so the water doesn’t blow back toward the house
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Toss the water quickly but carefully, away from any people or buildings. It should evaporate instantly and freeze before it hits the ground, creating a burst of snow
Explain the science:
When the hot water hits the much colder air, it cools down rapidly, creating a snow burst effect.
FROZEN BUBBLES
Another fun experiment that involves supercooling is creating frozen bubbles. You will want to be ready to take a photo of these, as they likely won’t last long.
What you will need:
Instructions:
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It may work best to mix the bubble solution with a bit of cold water to create more durable bubbles.
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Step outside (the kids can watch from the window for this) and dip the end of the wand into the solution. Gently blow a bubble.
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The bubble should freeze quickly, creating an ice crystal formation chain reaction.
Explain the science:
Extreme cold speeds up the freezing process, turning water droplets into solid ice crystals. Soap creates a flexible surface for the water to freeze on, which shows the volume of a gas trapped in a liquid state.
SNOW VOLCANO
This is a great time to make a snow volcano, which requires a few items from the pantry and fresh snow.
What you will need:
Instructions:
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Pile up snow around the cup or bottle, leaving only the opening at the top exposed
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Fill the bottle or cup about 1/3 of the way with baking soda. Add a little dish soap to make the eruption foamier.
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Mix the vinegar with a few drops of food coloring in a separate container.
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Pour the vinegar mixture into the bottle and stand back.
Explain the science:
The baking soda reacts with vinegar, which is an acid, to create carbon dioxide gas, causing the eruption.
SALTWATER ART
The cold can be a great time for the kids to show off their creativity by making saltwater art.
What you will need:
Instructions:
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Cut a piece of cardboard into any shape.
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Dissolve a generous amount of salt in water to create paint.
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Use the brushes to create designs on the cardboard with the saltwater solution.
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Leave the cardboard outside and watch it freeze.
Explain the science:
As the water freezes, the salt lowers the freezing point where it is brushed onto the cardboard, disrupting the formation of ice crystals and creating frosty, unique patterns.
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