Science is Fun

10 Thirty-Minute Programs (Including 2 New Programs )
Grade(s):  7 - 12
Curriculum:  Science

SCIENCE IS FUN, features Dr, Shakhashiri of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, presenting dramatic and mysterious scientific demonstrations in fromt of a live audience to illustrate and teach scientific concepts.  Professor Shakashiri explains the "what" and "why" of the experiments and uses students from the audience as his helpers.  SCIENCE IS FUN is an excellent introductory or summary activity for various science units and would also serve as a good program to motivate students to conduct their own experiments.  All programs are self-contained and are non-sequential.  Explanations of these experiments are either given by the professor as he performs the experiment or they may be found in the teacher guide.

Teacher Guide:  A 24 page guide provides a written summary of the lesson, a vocabulary list, and background information for the teacher.

Program Contents

1.  Collapsing Cans & Glowing Liquids   (26:46)
These experiments begin with a brief reminder to the audience to always wear the proper safety protection and to be very observant when performing experiments. To illustrate this point, the instructor removes a dollar bill from his wallet and sticks it in a flame....   After gaining their attention, he begins a new series by heating a piece of sheet copper formed; Into the shape of a tent.  As the metal temperature increases he asks the onlookers to note any changes that they may see. As the surface discolors, he explains that these changes are the result of the formation of copper oxide on the metal's surface, resulting from a reaction of the copper and the oxygen present in the air. Next he covers the hot piece of copper with a large funnel and baths the copper in hydrogen gas. This causes a reaction and the copper oxide disappears making the metal look bright and shiny, similar to its appearance before heating. Switching to another experiment, he pours liquid nitrogen over a fully inflated helium-filled balloon. As the audiences watches, the balloon shrivels and becomes much smaller in size. Then, as if by magic, it slowly warms, expands, and floats away. The professor next presents several popular experiments shown in other programs in this series. These include: the formation of artificial fog using dry ice and warm water, making a silver Christmas tree ball, chemical alarm clocks, chemical oscillating reactions, turning a liquid into a gel, producing instant crystals, burning gas mixtures to produce both light and sound, and making chemical light from mixing liquids. .

2.  Liquid Rainbows and Flaming Volcanos. (26:46)
This instructional video begins with a demonstration of a magic trick where an seemingly ordinary book appears begin to burn as the book is opened. This trick stresses the point that combustion requires air, fuel, and heat, Next, an experiment demonstrates the effects of burning gases in a confined space, These explosions are shown in slow motion to help viewers see the various burning patterns of the different gases. In the next sequence, Dr. Shakhashiri performs an experiment that shows what happens as a baby wets a disposable diaper. Changing pace, he then performs an experiment which uses sugar and sulfuric acid to demonstrate that a chemical reaction may be recognized by a color change taking place during the reaction. This experiment flows smoothly into the next one, where a spectacular reaction using potassium permanganate, glycerin, aluminum, iron oxide, along with the other chemicals creates two very large "volcanoes,"  The professor concludes this section of the video by showing how color change in a liquid can indicate the presence of a reaction.

3.  Flames, Fogs and Fountains    (26:46)
In this video one experiment leads learners into identifying: differences in the visual and auditory characteristics of burning gases, and the differences in burning characteristics of several clear, colorless liquids. The University of Wisconsin college mascot, Bucky Badger, is asked to help with an experiment which concludes with a winning football sequence. Other experiments show graphic demonstrations of how artificial fog is produced using dry ice and warm water. The section concludes with an experiment showing how C02, can be poured on a flame to extinguish it. This video uses on-screen notes help explain several of the experiments. The final experiment answers the question, "How do you fill an upside down flask with water?" This t;ape also suggest several "At home experiments" for the audience which involves the preparation of acid and base indicator solutions using red cabbage and vinegar or

4.  Dancing Raisins and Golden Pennies    (26:46)
This lesson shows experiments that are aimed at stimulating learner curiosity about chemistry. For example: carbonated water floats raisins, intense cold to breaks balloons and flowers, and a indicator solution shows a chemical reaction. Other experiments include coating pennies with a zinc coating (golden pennies), demonstrating the heat absorbing property of water protecting a paper bag.

5.  Banana Hammers and Kitchen Capers    (26:46)
The instructor begins the demonstration by using super cold liquid nitrogen to freeze an ordinary banana, a toy rubber ball, and several fresh eggs. The fun begins when he uses the banana to hammer nails. He follows this with an experiment which most learner can do at home using common household products (honey, water, cooking oil, and isopropyl alcohol) to demonstrate the layering effect of these products, In the next experiment, he boils water in a very uncommon way without using heat, by reducing the surface air pressure on the liquid. In a related experiment, he causes a metal can to be crushed by reducing its internal pressure. He then demonstrates the effects of air pressure on a balloon, followed by using common kitchen products to demonstrate that shaking a substance does not always make it flow more easily. He concludes the presentation by showing that certain common substances can stick to and actually climb up a vertical surface.

6.  Flame Frolics & Bubble Adventures    (26:46)
Series of experiments to teach learners observational skills. The video begins with the instructor displaying what looks like a ordinary dollar bill. When ignited by a match, however, it immediately disappears without a trace of ash,. He then uses a clear colorless gas to blow up balloons and make soap bubbles which appear quite ordinary until they are ignited. They explode noisily and impressively in the darkened laboratory. He then compares two different clear, colorless gases, hydrogen and helium, when ignited in soap bubbles,

7.  Silver Trees and Orange Tornadoes   (26:46)
This video covers many of experiments shown in the other videos including: crushing cans, glowing liquids, oscillating reaction solutions, plating of metals, liquid tornadoes, and uphill siphons.

8.  Flashing Cash and Instant Ice Cream   (26:46)
This video covers a multitude of experiments shown in the other videos in this series including: burning gases, burning flash paper, sublimating dry ice, making C02 fogs, and shrinking balloons. The professor and a Trienci Treezc- ice crearn by using liquid nitrogen instead of ice. Finally, the combustibility of a fine powder is demonstrated with great visual effects.

New Programs

9.  Sound of Music (26:46)
Conducts many experiments showing how different tone and pitches are combined to make music.

10. Bubbles in the Kitchen  (26:46)
Uses common household items to illustrate and demonstrate various chemical reactions and compounds.

Broadcast Distribution Tip:  Treat the programs as "specials" and broadcast them every 4 - 6 weeks throughout the school years, or download all the programs at the beginning of the year so that the teacher has them when needed.