Simple experiments

Our young scientist really enjoys creating new potions by experimenting with mixing different substances together to see what happens.  He always has a bottle of 'Sol's do everything potion' on hand to add a few drops of when required for important experiments or to magically transform something into something else.  This special potion contains all sorts and actually smells very pleasant!  At our house, we go through lots of bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and food colouring!  He also has an ideas book in which he records all his beautiful plans for inventions, experiments and concoctions.  He draws and we write down verbatim the grand plans.  What a treasure this book is!

Two simple experiments we have tried recently.

We added a half cup vinegar  and a dash of bicarbonate of soda to a narrow necked glass bottle, then quickly stuck a balloon over the bottle opening, then watched the balloon inflate.  Good fun!

A while back, using this same glass bottle, we added a half cup vinegar and a dash of bicarbonate of soda then quickly stuck a cork in the bottle.  Watch the cork shoot right out and the vinegar spurt out!  We had such fun with this one day, we had vinegar all over the kitchen walls and table.  We should have done this outside!!!

We tried the old egg in the bottle experiment.  Boil an egg, remove shell.  Add very hot water to an appropriately sized neck glass jar/bottle and swirl around for a minute or so to heat the glass. Place the egg on the top and watch it slide into the bottle.  We tried the same thing using lit matches.  I lit three or so matches, quickly dropped them in the bottle and placed the egg over the bottle opening then watch it slide into the bottle.  The children are intrigued by this!

(I remembered to give the 'never play with matches warning').  Of course, it is fun finding ways to get the egg out of the bottle afterwards too!  It should slide out again if you quickly turn the bottle upside down.  If not, a spoon or knife edge can help ease it out.