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45 Cool Chemistry Experiments, Demos, and Science Fair Projects

Don’t forget your safety equipment!

Bunsen burners, colorful chemicals, and the possibility of a (controlled) explosion or two? Everybody loves chemistry experiments! We’ve rounded up the best activities, demos, and chemistry science fair projects for kids and teens. Try them in the classroom or at home.

Easy Chemistry Experiments and Activities for All Ages

Chemistry science fair projects.

These chemistry experiments and activities are all easy to do using simple supplies you probably already have. Families can try them at home, or teachers and students can do them together in the classroom.

Mix up some magic milk

Kids love this colorful experiment, which explores the concept of surface tension. This is one of our favorite chemistry experiments to try at home, since the supplies are so basic and the results are so cool!

Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow. You’ll definitely want to have extra Skittles on hand so your class can enjoy a few as well!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

Make elephant-sized toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” You can also add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for their plastic bottles.

Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

So simple and so amazing! All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and some water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test! Finally, have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table. This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results. This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done.

Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips. Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school yourself. This well-known activity demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases. Fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda. Fit the balloon over the top, shake the baking soda down into the vinegar, and watch the balloon inflate.

Learn more: Balloon Experiments

Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid/base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste and toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog. No need for canopic jars ; just grab some baking soda and get started.

Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

Set popcorn dancing

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

Learn more: Dancing Popcorn Experiment

Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Mentos and Coke Experiment

All of these chemistry experiments are perfect for using the scientific method. Form a hypothesis, alter the variables, and then observe the results! You can simplify these projects for younger kids, or add more complexity for older students.

Break apart covalent bonds

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

Break the covalent bond of H 2 O into H and O with this simple experiment. You only need simple supplies for this one. Turn it into a science fair project by changing up the variables—does the temperature of the water matter? What happens if you try this with other liquids?

Learn more: Breaking Covalent Bonds

Measure the calories in various foods

Are the calorie counts on your favorite snacks accurate? Build your own calorimeter and find out! This kit from Home Science Tools has all the supplies you’ll need.

Detect latent fingerprints

Forensic science is engrossing and can lead to important career opportunities too. Explore the chemistry needed to detect latent (invisible) fingerprints, just like they do for crime scenes!

Learn more: Fingerprints Project

Use Alka-Seltzer to explore reaction rate

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Easy

Tweak this basic concept to create a variety of high school chemistry science fair projects. Change the temperature, surface area, pressure, and more to see how reaction rates change.

Determine whether sports drinks really have more electrolytes than other beverages

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Advanced

Are those pricey sports drinks really worth it? Try this experiment to find out. You’ll need some special equipment for this one; buy a complete kit at Home Science Tools .

Turn flames into a rainbow

You’ll need to get your hands on a few different chemicals for this experiment, but the wow factor will make it worth the effort. Make it a science project by seeing if different materials, air temperature, or other factors change the results.

Discover the size of a mole

The mole is a key concept in chemistry, so it’s important to ensure students really understand it. This experiment uses simple materials like salt and chalk to make an abstract concept more concrete. Make it a project by applying the same procedure to a variety of substances, or determining whether outside variables have an effect on the results.

Learn more: How Big Is a Mole?

Cook up candy to learn mole and molecule calculations

This edible experiment lets students make their own peppermint hard candy while they calculate mass, moles, molecules, and formula weights. Tweak the formulas to create different types of candy and make this into a sweet science fair project!

Learn more: Candy Chemistry

Make soap to understand saponification

Take a closer look at an everyday item: soap! Use oils and other ingredients to make your own soap, learning about esters and saponification. Tinker with the formula to find one that fits a particular set of parameters.

Learn more: Saponification

Uncover the secrets of evaporation

Explore the factors that affect evaporation, then come up with ways to slow them down or speed them up for a simple science fair project.

Learn more: Evaporation

More Chemistry Experiment Science Fair Ideas

These questions and prompts can spark ideas for unique chemistry experiments:

• Compare the properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• Explore the impact of temperature, concentration, and seeding on crystal growth.
• Test various antacids on the market to find the most effective product.
• What is the optimum temperature for yeast production when baking bread from scratch?
• Compare the vitamin C content of various fruits and vegetables.
• How does temperature affect enzyme-catalyzed reactions?
• Investigate the effects of pH on an acid-base chemical reaction.
• Devise a new natural way to test pH levels (such as cabbage leaves).
• What’s the best way to slow down metal oxidation (the form of rust)?
• How do changes in ingredients and method affect the results of a baking recipe?

Like these chemistry experiments? Don’t miss STEM Activities for Kids of All Ages and Interests .

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70 Best High School Science Fair Projects in Every Subject

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68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions

Whether you’re a student eager to explore the wonders of chemical reactions or a teacher seeking to inspire and engage your students, we’ve compiled a curated list of the top 68 chemistry experiments so you can learn about chemical reactions.

While the theories and laws governing chemistry can sometimes feel abstract, experiments bridge the gap between these concepts and their tangible manifestations. These experiments provide hands-on experiences illuminating the intricacies of chemical reactions, molecular structures, and elemental properties.

1. Covalent Bonds

By engaging in activities that demonstrate the formation and properties of covalent bonds, students can grasp the significance of these bonds in holding atoms together and shaping the world around us.

Learn more: Covalent Bonds

2. Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration

Through this experiment, students can develop a deeper understanding of chemical properties, appreciate the power of chemical reactions, and ignite their passion for scientific exploration.

3. Make Hot Ice at Home

Making hot ice at home is a fascinating chemistry experiment that allows students to witness the captivating transformation of a liquid into a solid with a surprising twist.

4. Make a Bouncing Polymer Ball

This hands-on activity not only allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers but also encourages experimentation and creativity.

Learn more: Thought Co

5. Diffusion Watercolor Art

This experiment offers a wonderful opportunity for students to explore the properties of pigments, observe how they interact with water, and discover the mesmerizing patterns and textures that emerge.

Learn more: Diffusion Watercolor Art

6. Exploding Baggie

The exploding baggie experiment is a captivating and dynamic demonstration that students should engage in with caution and under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

Learn more: Exploding Baggie

7. Color Changing Chemistry Clock

This experiment not only engages students in the world of chemical kinetics but also introduces them to the concept of a chemical clock, where the color change acts as a timekeeping mechanism.

Learn more: Color Changing Chemistry Clock

8. Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees

By adjusting the concentration of the Borax solution or experimenting with different pipe cleaner arrangements, students can customize their crystal trees and observe how it affects the growth patterns.

Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees

9. How To Make Ice Sculptures

Through this experiment, students gain a deeper understanding of the physical and chemical changes that occur when water freezes and melts.

Learn more: Ice Sculpture

10. How to Make Paper

Through this hands-on activity, students gain a deeper understanding of the properties of cellulose fibers and the transformative power of chemical reactions.

Learn more: How to Make Paper

11. Color Changing Chemistry

Color changing chemistry is an enchanting experiment that offers a captivating blend of science and art. Students should embark on this colorful journey to witness the mesmerizing transformations of chemicals and explore the principles of chemical reactions.

12. Gassy Banana

The gassy banana experiment is a fun and interactive way for students to explore the principles of chemical reactions and gas production.

Learn more: Gassy Banana

13. Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment

This hands-on activity not only introduces students to the concepts of chemical leavening and heat-induced reactions but also allows for creativity in decorating and personalizing their gingerbread creations.

Learn more: Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment

14. Make Amortentia Potion

While the love potion is fictional, this activity offers a chance to explore the art of potion-making and the chemistry behind it.

Learn more: How to Make Amortentia Potion

15. Strawberry DNA Extraction

This hands-on experiment offers a unique opportunity to observe DNA, the building blocks of life, up close and learn about its structure and properties.

16. Melting Snowman

The melting snowman experiment is a fun and whimsical activity that allows students to explore the principles of heat transfer and phase changes.

Learn more: Melting Snowman

17. Acid Base Cabbage Juice

The acid-base cabbage juice experiment is an engaging and colorful activity that allows students to explore the pH scale and the properties of acids and bases.

By extracting the purple pigment from red cabbage leaves and creating cabbage juice, students can use this natural indicator to identify and differentiate between acidic and basic substances.

Learn more: Acid Base Cabbage Juice

18. Magic Milk

The magic milk experiment is a mesmerizing and educational activity that allows students to explore the concepts of surface tension and chemical reactions.

By adding drops of different food colors to a dish of milk and then introducing a small amount of dish soap, students can witness a captivating display of swirling colors and patterns.

Learn more: Magic Milk

19. Melting Ice with Salt and Water

Through this hands-on activity, students can gain a deeper understanding of the science behind de-icing and how different substances can influence the physical properties of water.

Learn more: Melting Ice with Salt and Water

20. Barking Dog Chemistry Demonstration

The barking dog chemistry demonstration is an exciting and visually captivating experiment that showcases the principles of combustion and gas production.

21. How to Make Egg Geodes

Making egg geodes is a fascinating and creative chemistry experiment that students should try. By using common materials like eggshells, salt, and food coloring, students can create their own beautiful geode-like crystals.

Learn more: How to Make Egg Geodes

22. Make Sherbet

This experiment not only engages the taste buds but also introduces concepts of acidity, solubility, and the chemical reactions that occur when the sherbet comes into contact with moisture.

Learn more: Make Sherbet

23. Hatch a Baking Soda Dinosaur Egg

As the baking soda dries and hardens around the toy, it forms a “shell” resembling a dinosaur egg. To hatch the egg, students can pour vinegar onto the shell, causing a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas.

Learn more: Steam Powered Family

24. Chromatography Flowers

By analyzing the resulting patterns, students can gain insights into the different pigments present in flowers and the science behind their colors.

Learn more: Chromatography Flowers

25. Turn Juice Into Solid

Turning juice into a solid through gelification is an engaging and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By exploring the transformation of a liquid into a solid, students can gain insights of chemical reactions and molecular interactions.

Learn more: Turn Juice into Solid

26. Bouncy Balls

Making bouncy balls allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers, such as their ability to stretch and rebound.

 27. Make a Lemon Battery

Creating a lemon battery is a captivating and hands-on experiment that allows students to explore the fundamentals of electricity and chemical reactions.

28. Mentos and Soda Project

The Mentos and soda project is a thrilling and explosive experiment that students should try. By dropping Mentos candies into a bottle of carbonated soda, an exciting eruption occurs.

29. Alkali Metal in Water

The reaction of alkali metals with water is a fascinating and visually captivating chemistry demonstration.

30. Rainbow Flame

The rainbow flame experiment is a captivating and visually stunning chemistry demonstration that students should explore.

31. Sugar Yeast Experiment

This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of fermentation but also allows them to witness the effects of a living organism, yeast, on the sugar substrate.

32. The Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction is a highly energetic and visually striking chemical reaction that students can explore with caution and under proper supervision.

This experiment showcases the principles of exothermic reactions, oxidation-reduction, and the high temperatures that can be achieved through chemical reactions.

33. Polishing Pennies

Polishing pennies is a simple and enjoyable chemistry experiment that allows students to explore the concepts of oxidation and cleaning methods.

34. Elephant Toothpaste

The elephant toothpaste experiment is a thrilling and visually captivating chemistry demonstration that students should try with caution and under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.

35. Magic Potion

Creating a magic potion is an exciting and imaginative activity that allows students to explore their creativity while learning about the principles of chemistry.

36. Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment

Through the color changing acid-base experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of chemical reactions and the role of pH in our daily lives.

Learn more: Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment

37. Fill up a Balloon

Filling up a balloon is a simple and enjoyable physics experiment that demonstrates the properties of air pressure. By blowing air into a balloon, you can observe how the balloon expands and becomes inflated.

38. Jello and Vinegar

The combination of Jello and vinegar is a fascinating and tasty chemistry experiment that demonstrates the effects of acid on a gelatin-based substance.

Learn more: Jello and Vinegar

39. Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction

This experiment not only provides a visual demonstration of the oxidation process but also introduces students to the concept of corrosion and the role of acids in accelerating the process.

Learn more: Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction

40. Dancing Rice

The dancing rice experiment is a captivating and educational demonstration that showcases the principles of density and buoyancy.

By pouring a small amount of uncooked rice into a clear container filled with water, students can witness the rice grains moving and “dancing” in the water.

Learn more: Dancing Rice

41. Soil Testing Garden Science

Soil testing is a valuable and informative experiment that allows students to assess the composition and properties of soil.

By collecting soil samples from different locations and analyzing them, students can gain insights into the nutrient content, pH level, and texture of the soil.

Learn more: Soil Testing Garden Science

42. Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime

Creating heat-sensitive color-changing slime is a captivating and playful chemistry experiment that students should try.

Learn more: Left Brain Craft Brain

43. Experimenting with Viscosity

Experimenting with viscosity is an engaging and hands-on activity that allows students to explore the flow properties of liquids.

Viscosity refers to a liquid’s resistance to flow, and this experiment enables students to investigate how different factors affect viscosity.

Learn more: Experimenting with Viscosity

44. Rock Candy Science

Rock candy science is a delightful and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By growing their own rock candy crystals, students can learn about crystal formation and explore the principles of solubility and saturation.

Learn more: Rock Candy Science

45. Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

Baking soda and baking powder have distinct properties that influence the leavening process in different ways.

This hands-on experiment provides a practical understanding of how these ingredients interact with acids and moisture to create carbon dioxide gas.

46. Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions Experiment

The endothermic and exothermic reactions experiment is an exciting and informative chemistry exploration that students should try.

By observing and comparing the heat changes in different reactions, students can gain a deeper understanding of energy transfer and the concepts of endothermic and exothermic processes.

Learn more: Education.com

47. Diaper Chemistry

By dissecting a diaper and examining its components, students can uncover the chemical processes that make diapers so effective at absorbing and retaining liquids.

Learn more: Diaper Chemistry

48. Candle Chemical Reaction

The “Flame out” experiment is an intriguing and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By exploring the effects of a chemical reaction on a burning candle, students can witness the captivating moment when the flame is extinguished.

49. Make Curds and Whey

This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of acid-base reactions but also offers an opportunity to explore the science behind cheese-making.

Learn more: Tinkerlab

50. Grow Crystals Overnight

By creating a supersaturated solution using substances like epsom salt, sugar, or borax, students can observe the fascinating process of crystal growth. This experiment allows students to explore the principles of solubility, saturation, and nucleation.

Learn more: Grow Crystals Overnight

51. Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks

The “Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks” experiment is an informative and practical chemistry activity that students should try.

By using simple tools like a multimeter or conductivity probe, students can measure the electrical conductivity of different sports drinks to determine their electrolyte content.

52. Oxygen and Fire Experiment

The oxygen and fire experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By observing the effects of oxygen on a controlled fire, students can witness the essential role of oxygen in supporting combustion.

53. Electrolysis Of Water

The electrolysis of water experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try.

Learn more: Electrolysis Of Water

54. Expanding Ivory Soap

The expanding Ivory Soap experiment is a fun and interactive chemistry activity that students should try. By placing a bar of Ivory soap in a microwave, students can witness the remarkable expansion of the soap as it heats up.

Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands

55. Glowing Fireworks

This experiment not only introduces students to the principles of pyrotechnics and combustion but also encourages observation, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the physics and chemistry behind.

Learn more: Glowing Fireworks

56. Colorful Polymer Chemistry

Colorful polymer chemistry is an exciting and vibrant experiment that students should try to explore polymers and colorants.

By combining different types of polymers with various colorants, such as food coloring or pigments, students can create a kaleidoscope of colors in their polymer creations.

Learn more: Colorful Polymer Chemistry

57. Sulfur Hexafluoride- Deep Voice Gas

This experiment provides a firsthand experience of how the density and composition of gases can influence sound transmission.

It encourages scientific curiosity, observation, and a sense of wonder as students witness the surprising transformation of their voices.

58. Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

Liquid nitrogen ice cream is a thrilling and delicious chemistry experiment that students should try. By combining cream, sugar, and flavorings with liquid nitrogen, students can create ice cream with a unique and creamy texture.

59. White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration

The White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration provides an engaging and visually captivating experience for students to explore chemical reactions and gases. By combining hydrochloric acid and ammonia solutions, students can witness the mesmerizing formation of white smoke.

60. Nitrogen Triiodide Chemistry Demonstration

The nitrogen triiodide chemistry demonstration is a remarkable and attention-grabbing experiment that students should try under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.

By reacting iodine crystals with concentrated ammonia, students can precipitate nitrogen triiodide (NI3), a highly sensitive compound.

61. Make a Plastic- Milk And Vinegar Reaction Experiment

Through the “Make a Plastic – Milk and Vinegar Reaction” experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of the chemistry behind plastics, environmental sustainability, and the potential of biodegradable materials.

Learn more: Rookie Parenting

62. Eno and Water Experiment

This experiment not only introduces students to acid-base reactions but also engages their senses as they witness the visible and audible effects of the reaction.

63. The Eternal Kettle Experiment

By filling a kettle with alcohol and igniting it, students can investigate the behavior of the alcohol flame and its sustainability.

64. Coke and Chlorine Bombs

Engaging in this experiment allows students to experience the wonders of chemistry firsthand, making it an ideal choice to ignite their curiosity and passion for scientific exploration.

65. Set your Hand on Fire

This experiment showcases the fascinating nature of combustion and the science behind fire.

By carefully following proper procedures and safety guidelines, students can witness firsthand how the sanitizer’s high alcohol content interacts with an open flame, resulting in a brief but captivating display of controlled combustion.

66. Instant Ice Experiments

The Instant Ice Experiment offers an engaging and captivating opportunity for students to explore the wonders of chemistry and phase changes.

By using simple household ingredients, students can witness the fascinating phenomenon of rapid ice formation in just a matter of seconds.

67. Coke Cans in Acid and Base

Engaging in this experiment allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the chemical properties of substances and the importance of safety protocols in scientific investigations.

68. Color Changing Invisible Ink

The Color Changing Invisible Ink experiment offers an intriguing and fun opportunity for students to explore chemistry and learn about the concept of chemical reactions.

Learn more: Research Parent

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Cool Chemistry Experiments

Cool chemistry experiments raise student interest in science and boost enthusiasm for learning. They are also a lot of fun! Here are some spectacular demonstrations and experiments to try.

Elephant Toothpaste

Elephant toothpaste is one chemistry experiment you shouldn’t miss. The experiment produces heaps of foam, which you can color or even form into shapes by using special containers. The classic version is a reaction between sodium or potassium iodide and peroxide. There is also a kid-friendly version that is safe for children (and adults) to touch.

Color Change Chemiluminescence

Most likely, you know about chemiluminescence from glow sticks , but there are more dramatic reactions you can try. For example, there is a cool chemistry experiment where you mix together chemicals, add peroxide, and the solution glows red and then glows blue . This experiment illustrates an exothermic reaction and a decomposition reaction.

Colored Fire Cool Chemistry Experiment

Making colored fire certainly qualifies as a cool chemistry experiment. Just choose the chemical for the color you want. Some of the chemicals are appropriate for making colored fire spray bottles , too. In addition to looking awesome, colored fire demonstrates the emission spectra of ions.

Copper and Nitric Acid Chemistry Experiment

The copper and nitric acid experiment is as easy as it gets, but it produces dramatic results that illustrate the metal activity series and coordination complexes. All you do is drop a piece of copper into nitric acid. The liquid changes from clear to blue-green and the reaction releases bubbles of reddish-brown vapor. Eventually, the liquid changes color to brown.

Sodium in Water Reaction

Sodium and other alkali metals react vigorously with water. The reaction become more vigorous as you move down the periodic table, so mixing sodium and water is the safest version of this chemistry experiment. You only use a tiny bit of the metal, yet it burns brightly and gives of sparks and flames. Sodium burns with a yellow flame, but other metals have their own characteristic colors. For example, potassium in water has a purple flame and rubidium in water has a red flame.

Chemical Traffic Light

The chemical traffic light is one of many color change chemistry demonstrations . It is a redox reaction where a solution changes red, green, and amber, like a traffic light. Temperature affects the rate of the color change, so it also illustrates principles of kinetics.

Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction is one of the more dramatic chemistry experiments. All you do is mix a metal and a metal oxide and ignite it. But, this is no ordinary fire. The reaction is very bright and extremely hot. It is the burning of metal, so it serves as an example of oxidation, combustion, and exothermic reactions.

Dancy Gummy Bear

The dancing gummy bear is a chemistry experiment featuring a gummy bear candy “dancing” in purple flames. But, you can use any candy. A related experiment involves dropping a bit of charcoal into a tube of molten potassium nitrate, making the charcoal dance . The project illustrates combustion, oxidation, exothermic reactions, and the flame test for potassium.

Sugar and Sulfuric Acid Cool Reaction

The sugar and sulfuric acid reaction has another name: the carbon snake. This is a dehydration reaction and decomposition reaction that breaks sugar molecules into elemental carbon, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and water. The result is a steaming column of black carbon rising from its container. The experiment smells of burning caramel and rotten eggs.

Flower Shop Reaction

The flower shop or odor of violets reaction does not look as cool as some of the other reactions on this list, but it definitely smells the best. The simple reaction involves mixing two common chemicals and applying heat, releasing a chemical that smells like violets. This experiment demonstrates a rearrangement reaction. Another cool effect is the way the molecule affects the sense of smell such that the fragrance never becomes overpowering or fades.

• Shakhashiri, Bassam Z. (1983).  Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry  (1st ed.). University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN: 978-0299088903.
• Summerlin, Lee R.; Borgford, Christie L., Ealy, Julie B. (1988).  Chemical Demonstrations: A Sourcebook for Teachers Volume 2 (2nd ed.). American Chemical Society. ISBN: 978-0841215351.

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Experiments

Try these with your students

Acid–base back titration | 16–18 years

Write balanced equations and calculate reacting masses and moles to find the limiting reagent

‘Gold’ coins on a microscale | 14–16 years

Practical experiment where learners produce ‘gold’ coins by electroplating a copper coin with zinc, includes follow-up worksheet

Toothpaste investigation: neutralisation reactions

Test the basicity of toothpastes and give context to neutralisation reactions

Qualitative tests for organic functional groups | practical videos | 16–18 students

Video and supporting resources to support a practical investigation to identify organic functional groups using a range of qualitative tests

Preparation of an organic liquid | practical videos | 16–18 students

Video and supporting resources to support practical work based on synthesis of an organic liquid, the experiment includes the stages of preparation, separation and purification

Electrochemical cells | practical videos | 16–18 students

Video and supporting resources to support electrochemistry practical work, including two microscale experiments, animation and cell diagrams

Rates of reaction | practical videos | 16–18 students

Video and supporting resources, includes an initial rate (iodine clock reaction) and continuous monitoring method (volume of gas)

Practical potions microscale | 11–14 years

Observe chemical changes in this microscale experiment with a spooky twist.

Microscale neutralisation and precipitation reactions | 11–14 years

Hone your learners’ observation skills with two microscale reactions: neutralising citric acid and creating a lead iodide precipitate

Antibacterial properties of the halogens | 14–18 years

Use this practical to investigate how solutions of the halogens inhibit the growth of bacteria and which is most effective

Equilibrium and Le Chatelier’s principle

Investigate the effects of concentration, pressure and temperature on equilibrium and explore Le Chatelier’s principle in this series of demonstrations.

Microscale technicians in trouble! investigation

Some solutions have been mixed up – help the technicians work out which is which

Rates of hydrolysis – practical videos | 16–18 students

Video resources and associated questions on the topic of hydrolysis of halogenoalkanes.

Redox – practical videos | 16–18 students

Video resources to support the teaching of popular classroom-based redox titrations.

Practical videos | 16–18 years

Videos of key practical techniques and apparatus for revision, flipped learning or remote teaching

Electrolysis of brine

In association with Nuffield Foundation

Use this colourful practical to introduce students to the electrolysis of brine, or sodium chloride solution. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The equilibrium between two coloured cobalt species

In this demonstration the equilibrium between two different coloured cobalt species is disturbed. Le Chatelier’s principle is used to predict a colour change.

Precipitation reactions of lead nitrate

Compare the colours of various lead compounds to identify which would be good pigments in this microscale practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Some reactions of sulfur dioxide

Observe the reactions of sulfur dioxide with potassium manganate (IV), iodide/iodate mixture and indicator solution. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The determination of copper in brass

Try this microscale class practical to investigate how much copper there is in brass using nitric acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Microscale reactions of hydrogen sulfide

Observe the reactions of hydrogen sulfide with lead nitrate, silver nitrate and potassium manganate(VII) in this microscale practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Microscale reactions of ammonia

Try this practical to explore the reactions of ammonia with indicator solution, copper(II) sulfate solution and Nessler’s reagent. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Measuring density

By measuring the relative mass of seawater and tap water, students will be able to discover the density of these liquids. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The chemistry of thiosulfate ions

Sodium thiosulfate has several interesting reactions with a variety of chemicals. This experiment will let students explore and record these reactions. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Some reactions of nitrogen dioxide

Using a range of chemicals and solutions, students can create an experiment that will explore some of the reactions of nitrogen dioxide. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Testing acids and bases on a microscale

Test various substances with indicator solution and look for colour changes in this microscale class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Mass changes in chemical reactions

Perform two chemical reactions to see whether any mass changes occur in this microscale class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The oxidation of cyclohexanol by nitric acid

Perform a ring opening oxidation using nitric acid to produce the dicarboxylic acid, 1,6-hexanedioic acid (adipic acid) – and then use the solid crystals that form to determine a melting point. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Exploring the chemistry of chromium, molybdenum and tungsten

Discover how transition elements differ in aspects of colour, precipitate formation, changes in oxidation state and equilibria. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Brady’s test for aldehydes and ketones

Identify aldehydes and ketones using Brady’s reagent (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) in this microscale experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The chemical properties of phenol

Observe and interpret some of the chemical reactions of hydroxybenzene (phenol), by adding five different substances to a Petri dish, and noting down findings. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Preparing ethyne on a microscale

Generate ethyne gas with calcium carbide and test its properties in this microscale class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Observing chemical changes

Try this microscale practical to explore the chemical changes in displacement, redox and precipitation reactions. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Diffusion of gases on a microscale

Try this class practical to explore the diffusion of gases and how relative molecular mass affects rate of diffusion. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Redox chemistry with dichromate ions

Observe the colour changes that occur with the reduction of dichromate ions by hydrogen peroxide. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Oxidation states of iron

Compare the two main oxidation states of iron and consider explanations for differences in this microscale practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Microscale reactions of metals with acids

Try this class practical to explore reactivity series with various metals as they react with acids on a microscale. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Unsaturation test with potassium manganate(VII)

Use a solution of potassium manganate to test for unsaturation in organic compounds in this microscale practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Properties of group 2 elements

Microscale experiment where various anion solutions are added to drops of group 2 element cations. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Testing for unsaturation with bromine on a microscale

Try this class experiment to prepare elemental bromine and use it to test for unsaturation in organic compounds. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Oxygen and methylene blue

Reacting hydrogen peroxide, and potassium manganate together will produce detectable oxygen so by using methylene blue solution, and a gas generating apparatus students can test for the presence of oxygen in this practical. Includes kit list and safety instruction.

Synthesis of aspirin on a microscale

Use this class practical to produce aspirin in a microscale esterification reaction using phosphoric acid as a catalyst. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Energy changes in neutralisation

Study energy changes in two chemical reactions using thermometer strips to measure temperature in this experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Formation of TCP (2,4,6-trichlorohydroxybenzene)

Delve into preparing TCP by reacting hydroxybenzene (phenol) with chlorine gas, and create this distinctive smelling compound.

Investigating redox reactions on a microscale

Carry out two redox reactions and observe and interpret the results in this microscale class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The microscale synthesis of indigo dye

Carry out a microscale organic synthesis, the result of which will leave students with indigo dye. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The treatment of oil spills

Tackle the real-life environment problem of oil spills in your classroom, by creating and then treating a micro version of an oil event. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The microscale synthesis of azo dyes

Synthesise an azo dye, and use it to change the colour of cotton, with this class experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Sulfate and carbonate solubility of Groups 1 and 2

Try this microscale practical to explore the properties of elements in Groups 1 and 2 as they form various precipitates. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Exploring the properties of the carvones

Test the smell of each enantiomer of carvone and detect the differences

Measuring the amount of vitamin C in fruit drinks

Explore ascorbic acid in fruit drinks through titration in this experiment, with specimen results and calculations, stock solutions, and detailed notes included. 

Displacement reactions of metals on a microscale

Examine the reactions between various metals and metal salt solutions in this microscale class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Electrolysis using a microscale Hoffman apparatus

Investigate the electrolysis of sodium sulfate solution using a microscale Hoffman apparatus in this class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The chemistry of silver

Discover the properties of silver compounds with redox reactions, complex formation and colour/state changes. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Transition elements and complex compounds microscale experiment | 16–18 years

Try this microscale practical investigating the transition elements, complex formation and change in oxidation state. Includes kit list and safety instructions

Analysis of aspirin tablets on a microscale

Try this microscale class practical to analyse aspirin tablets and find out how much salicylic acid is present. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The temperature changes induced by evaporation

Explore the rate of evaporation for a trio of liquids, using just a temperature strip, and our worksheet. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Properties of stereoisomers

By soaking cotton wool in two limonene enantiomers, and adding a stereoisomer, students can explore the differences between each chemical and discuss how they each might react in different conditions. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Turning copper coins into ‘silver’ and ‘gold’

Perform what looks like alchemy with ordinary copper coins in this teacher demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The effect of temperature on solubility

Hot or cold, which water is better for soluble substances? Explore your finding from this practical into the effect of temperature on solubility. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Particles in motion?

Explore the movement of gas particles in this practical but reacting calcium carbonate with hydrochloric acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The reactivity of the group 2 metals

Compare group 1 and group 2 metals with this practical that shows their reactivity rates, where students can take control of their own observations and come to their own conclusions

Producing a foam

Explore foams and their properties in this experiment, so students learn how foam is produced and produce their own. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Electricity from chemicals

Use various metals, in pairs, and n electrolyte to form a cell. Then observe the formation of ions around the reactive metal, and compare the speed with which they form around the less reactive metal. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The electrolysis of solutions

Electricity is passed through various solutions and the products are identified. Includes kit list and safety instructions

The volume of 1 mole of hydrogen gas

Understand the volume of one mole of hydrogen gas through a magnesium and acid reaction, taking note of the temperature and pressure. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The effect of temperature on reaction rate

Discover more about collision theory in this practical, where a sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid mixture produce an interesting reaction. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The effect of concentration and temperature on reaction rate

Reaction rate can be altered by many things, in this practical students explore how temperature and concentration effect reaction in an closer look at kinetics. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Reacting elements with oxygen

Different members of the periodic table will exhibit different reactions when exposed to oxygen, often through heating. This practical supports students to understand the diversity of chemicals and their principles.

Creating an effervescent universal indicator ‘rainbow’

This quick practical uses existing chemicals in your learning space, for students to observe the effervescent reaction that causes universal indicator to create a ‘rainbow’ of colour. Kit list and safety instructions included.

The reaction of magnesium with steam

Plunge a burning magnesium ribbon into the steam above boiling water and allow the hydrogen that is formed to burn – or collect it over water and test it with a lighted spill.

Making a reaction tube

Guide students through this practical to create a reaction tube. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Properties of the transition metals and their compounds

Student discover the diversity of transition metals in this practical that puts their knowledge of these common elements to the test. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Disappearing ink

Explore the reaction between acids and bases as students create disappearing ink, in this favourite classroom practical.

Testing salts for anions and cations

A full range of chemicals will guide students into discovering how to identify the composition of unknown substances. Includes kit list and safry instructions. 

Rubber band experiment

A rubber band, a hairdryer, and a curious mind will see students discover the principles of heat based reactions. Includes kit list and safety instruction.

A Cartesian diver

An old favourite experiment, the Cartesian diver is easy for students to complete. Explore important ideas that build a foundation of knowledge. 

Chemistry and electricity

Create coloured writing from acids, alkali, and salt solution, all activated through electrolysis.

Compare the viscosity of thick and thin liquids in this experiment, which gets young learners exploring how viscosity alters the speed of an air bubble through the substances. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The oxidation states of vanadium

Introduce your students to the idea that different oxidation states of transition metal ions often have different colours, and that electrode potentials can be used to predict the course of the redox reactions. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Burning milk powder

Gather a Bunsen burner, and some common powdered milk to help students grasp the ideas of surface area and reaction rates. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

A visible activated complex

A simple demonstration of catalysis also introducing the idea of an activated complex and to allow discussion of the mechanism of catalysis. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Hydrogen peroxide decomposition using different catalysts

Collect a range of catalysts to explore the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, paying close attention to the varied reaction rates. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Competition for oxygen | reacting metals with oxides

Explore the reactions of metals when exposed to the oxide of another metal. When reactions like these occur, the two metals compete for the oxygen. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Electrolysis of potassium iodide solution

Find out how the electrolysis of a potassium iodide solution works with this practical. Includes kit list, and safety instructions. 

An alternative to using compressed gas cylinders

Getting gas under pressure allows exciting demonstrations such as igniting balloons filled with hydrogen gas. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Flame tests (the wooden splint method)

Find a new method to perform flame tests using wooden splints soaked in chlorides. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Making nylon: the ‘nylon rope trick’

The ‘nylon rope trick’ is a classic of chemistry classrooms, by mixing decanedioyl dichloride and in cyclohexane you can create a solution that will form nylon strings when floated on an aqueous solution of 1,6-diaminohexane. Kit list and safety instructions included.

Neutralisation circles

Support students to explore neutralisation circles in this experiment that can be performed with common chemistry classroom equipment. Kit list and safety instructions included. 

The methane rocket

Ignite methane with oxygen in a bottle, and amaze students with this methane rocket. Contains kit list and safety instructions.

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45 Cool Chemistry Experiments, Demos, and Science Fair Projects

Bunsen burners, colorful chemicals, and the possibility of a (controlled) explosion or two? Everybody loves chemistry experiments! We’ve rounded up the best activities, demos, and chemistry science fair projects for kids and teens. Try them in the classroom or at home.

Easy Chemistry Experiments and Activities for All Ages

These chemistry experiments and activities are all easy to do using simple supplies you probably already have. Families can try them at home, or teachers and students can do them together in the classroom.

Mix up some magic milk

Kids love this colorful experiment, which explores the concept of surface tension. This is one of our favorite chemistry experiments to try at home, since the supplies are so basic and the results are so cool!

Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow. You’ll definitely want to have extra Skittles on hand so your class can enjoy a few as well!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

Make elephant-sized toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” You can also add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for their plastic bottles.

Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

So simple and so amazing! All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and some water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test! Finally, have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table. This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results. This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done.

Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips. Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school yourself. This well-known activity demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases. Fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda. Fit the balloon over the top, shake the baking soda down into the vinegar, and watch the balloon inflate.

Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid/base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste and toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog. No need for canopic jars ; just grab some baking soda and get started.

Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

Set popcorn dancing

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

Chemistry Science Fair Projects

All of these chemistry experiments are perfect for using the scientific method. Form a hypothesis, alter the variables, and then observe the results! You can simplify these projects for younger kids, or add more complexity for older students.

Break apart covalent bonds

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

Break the covalent bond of H 2 O into H and O with this simple experiment. You only need simple supplies for this one. Turn it into a science fair project by changing up the variables—does the temperature of the water matter? What happens if you try this with other liquids?

Learn more: Breaking Covalent Bonds

Measure the calories in various foods

Are the calorie counts on your favorite snacks accurate? Build your own calorimeter and find out! This kit from Home Science Tools has all the supplies you’ll need.

Detect latent fingerprints

Forensic science is engrossing and can lead to important career opportunities too. Explore the chemistry needed to detect latent (invisible) fingerprints, just like they do for crime scenes!

Learn more: Fingerprints Project

Use Alka-Seltzer to explore reaction rate

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Easy

Tweak this basic concept to create a variety of high school chemistry science fair projects. Change the temperature, surface area, pressure, and more to see how reaction rates change.

Determine whether sports drinks really have more electrolytes than other beverages

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Advanced

Are those pricey sports drinks really worth it? Try this experiment to find out. You’ll need some special equipment for this one; buy a complete kit at Home Science Tools .

Turn flames into a rainbow

You’ll need to get your hands on a few different chemicals for this experiment, but the wow factor will make it worth the effort. Make it a science project by seeing if different materials, air temperature, or other factors change the results.

Discover the size of a mole

The mole is a key concept in chemistry, so it’s important to ensure students really understand it. This experiment uses simple materials like salt and chalk to make an abstract concept more concrete. Make it a project by applying the same procedure to a variety of substances, or determining whether outside variables have an effect on the results.

Learn more: How Big Is a Mole?

Cook up candy to learn mole and molecule calculations

This edible experiment lets students make their own peppermint hard candy while they calculate mass, moles, molecules, and formula weights. Tweak the formulas to create different types of candy and make this into a sweet science fair project!

Learn more: Candy Chemistry

Make soap to understand saponification

Take a closer look at an everyday item: soap! Use oils and other ingredients to make your own soap, learning about esters and saponification. Tinker with the formula to find one that fits a particular set of parameters.

Learn more: Saponification

Uncover the secrets of evaporation

Explore the factors that affect evaporation, then come up with ways to slow them down or speed them up for a simple science fair project.

Learn more: Evaporation

More Chemistry Experiment Science Fair Ideas

These questions and prompts can spark ideas for unique chemistry experiments:

• Compare the properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• Explore the impact of temperature, concentration, and seeding on crystal growth.
• Test various antacids on the market to find the most effective product.
• What is the optimum temperature for yeast production when baking bread from scratch?
• Compare the vitamin C content of various fruits and vegetables.
• How does temperature affect enzyme-catalyzed reactions?
• Investigate the effects of pH on an acid-base chemical reaction.
• Devise a new natural way to test pH levels (such as cabbage leaves).
• What’s the best way to slow down metal oxidation (the form of rust)?
• How do changes in ingredients and method affect the results of a baking recipe?

Like these chemistry experiments? Don’t miss STEM Activities for Kids of All Ages and Interests .

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10 Cool Chemistry Experiments

ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

• Projects & Experiments
• Chemical Laws
• Periodic Table
• Scientific Method
• Biochemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Medical Chemistry
• Chemistry In Everyday Life
• Famous Chemists
• Activities for Kids
• Abbreviations & Acronyms
• Weather & Climate
• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

Chemistry is king when it comes to making science cool. There are many interesting and fun projects to try, but these 10 chemistry experiments might be the coolest.

Whether you want to witness color transformations with copper and nitric acid or create a foam spectacle with hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide, there's something here to spark curiosity in everyone. There's even a famous chemical reaction that will emit blue light and a characteristic barking or woofing sound.

Copper and Nitric Acid

When you place a piece of copper in nitric acid , the Cu 2+ ions and nitrate ions coordinate to color the solution green and then brownish-green. If you dilute the solution, water displaces nitrate ions around the copper, and the solution changes to blue.

Hydrogen Peroxide with Potassium Iodide

Affectionately known as elephant toothpaste , the chemical reaction between peroxide and potassium iodide shoots out a column of foam. If you add food coloring, you can customize the "toothpaste" for holiday-colored themes.

Any Alkali Metal in Water

Any of the alkali metals will react vigorously in water . How vigorously? Sodium burns bright yellow. Potassium burns violet. Lithium burns red. Cesium explodes. Experiment by moving down the alkali metals group of the periodic table. 

Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction essentially shows what would happen if iron rusted instantly, rather than over time. In other words, it's making metal burn. If the conditions are right, just about any metal will burn. However, the reaction usually is performed by reacting iron oxide with aluminum:

Fe 2 O 3  + 2Al → 2Fe + Al 2 O 3  + heat and light

If you want a truly stunning display, try placing the mixture inside a block of dry ice and then lighting the mixture.

Coloring Fire

 SEAN GLADWELL / Getty Images

When ions are heated in a flame, electrons become excited and then drop to a lower energy state, emitting photons. The energy of the photons is characteristic of the chemical and corresponds to specific flame colors . It's the basis for the flame test in analytical chemistry , plus it's fun to experiment with different chemicals to see what colors they produce in a fire.

Make Polymer Bouncy Balls

Who doesn't enjoy playing with bouncy balls ? The chemical reaction used to make the balls makes a terrific experiment because you can alter the properties of the balls by changing the ratio of the ingredients.

Make a Lichtenberg Figure

A Lichtenberg figure or "electrical tree" is a record of the path taken by electrons during an electrostatic discharge. It's basically frozen lightning. There are several ways you can make an electrical tree.

Experiment with 'Hot Ice'

Hot ice is a name given to sodium acetate, a chemical you can make by reacting vinegar and baking soda. A solution of sodium acetate can be supercooled​ so that it will crystallize on command. Heat is evolved when the crystals form, so although it resembles water ice, it's hot.

Barking Dog Experiment

The Barking Dog is the name given to a chemiluminescent reaction involving the exothermic combination of either nitrous oxide or nitrogen monoxide with carbon disulfide. The reaction proceeds down a tube, emitting blue light and a characteristic "woof" sound.

Another version of the demonstration involves coating the inside of a clear jug with alcohol and igniting the vapor. The  flame front proceeds down the ​bottle , which also barks.

Dehydration of Sugar

When you react sugar with sulfuric acid , the sugar is violently dehydrated. The result is a growing column of carbon black, heat, and the overwhelming odor of burnt caramel.

Easy Science Experiments

Want something less extravagant but still fun? These easy science experiments are doable with items you likely already have at home—from creating invisible ink with baking soda to making homemade ice cream in a plastic bag.

• Exothermic Reaction Examples - Demonstrations to Try
• 10 Amazing Chemical Reactions
• Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration
• Elephant Toothpaste Chemistry Demonstration
• How to Make Copper Acetate from Copper
• Easy Chemistry Experiments to Do at Home
• 10 Cool Chemistry Demonstrations for Educators
• Understanding Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
• Corrosive Definition in Chemistry
• What Does Reactivity Mean in Chemistry?
• Kid-Friendly Elephant Toothpaste Demo
• Equation for the Reaction Between Baking Soda and Vinegar
• Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids
• Baking Soda Science Projects
• Metal Projects That Help You Explore Chemistry
• Pictures of Chemicals

Free Printable Chemistry Worksheets for 9th Year

Chemistry-focused, discover an extensive collection of free printable Science worksheets for Year 9 students, created by educators to enhance learning and reinforce key concepts in Chemistry.

Recommended Topics for you

• endothermic and exothermic processes
• chemical bonds
• periodic table
• solutions and mixtures
• stoichiometry
• alkenes and alkynes
• heat transfer and thermal equilibrium
• acids and bases
• states of matter and intermolecular forces
• redox reactions and electrochemistry
• organic chemistry
• solids liquids and gases
• chemical equilibrium
• equilibrium constant and reaction quotient
• acid base reactions
• electrolysis and faradays law
• atoms and molecules
• electronic structure of atoms
• alkanes cycloalkanes and functional groups
• elements and compounds

Explore Chemistry Worksheets by Grades

• kindergarten

Explore Chemistry Worksheets for year 9 by Topic

Explore other subject worksheets for year 9.

• social studies

Explore printable Chemistry worksheets for 9th Year

Chemistry worksheets for Year 9 are an essential resource for teachers looking to engage their students in the fascinating world of science. These worksheets cover a wide range of topics, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, and the periodic table, providing a comprehensive foundation for students to build upon as they progress through their science education. By incorporating these worksheets into their lesson plans, teachers can ensure that their students develop a strong understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of chemistry. Furthermore, these worksheets can be used as a valuable assessment tool, allowing teachers to monitor their students' progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed. In conclusion, Chemistry worksheets for Year 9 are a must-have resource for any science teacher looking to inspire and educate their students.

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65 Amazing Chemistry Experiments for Kids

Chemistry is so much fun, and we have tons of cool chemistry experiments to share with you. Like our awesome physics experiments , we decided we needed to put together a list of fun chemistry projects kids can do at home or in the classroom. Check out these examples of easy chemical reactions below!

Easy Chemistry Projects For Kids

Here you will find over 30 simple chemistry experiments for kindergarten, preschoolers, and elementary kids to enjoy at home or in the classroom. The only difficulty will be deciding which science experiment you want to try.

Below you will find a fun mixture {no pun intended} of chemistry activities that include chemical reactions, mixing saturated solutions, acid and bases , exploring the solubility of both solids and liquids, growing crystals, making slime, and so much more!

Our science experiments are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, and quick to do, most activities take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete, and are heaps of fun.

Plus, our supply lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home. Any of these chemistry experiments below would be great for chemistry at home.

Chemistry At Home

Can you do cool chemistry experiments at home? You bet! Is it hard? Nope!

What do you need to get started? Simply get up, walk into the kitchen, and start rummaging through cupboards. You will surely find some or all of the supplies you will need for these chemistry projects below.

Check out our list of must-have simple supplies for a science kit and a slime kit .

These chemistry experiments work well with multiple age groups, from preschool to elementary and beyond. Our activities have also been readily used with special needs groups in high school and young adult programs. Provide more or less adult supervision depending on your kids’ abilities!

Read on to find out our favorite chemistry experiments you can do in the classroom or at home that are totally doable and make sense for kids in grades K-5! You can also review our lists for specific grades below.

• Toddler Science
• Preschool Science
• Kindergarten Science
• Elementary Science
• Middle School Science

Suggestion: Make a lemon battery for older kiddos and explore a lemon volcano with younger kiddos!

Chemistry For Preschoolers

Let’s keep it basic for our younger or junior scientists! Chemistry is all about how different materials are put together and what they are made up of, like atoms and molecules.

What can you do with your youngest scientists? While working 1-1 or in a very small group is ideal, you can explore chemistry in a few fun ways that don’t require a lengthy setup or a lot of directions to follow. Do NOT overcomplicate the ideas!

Take, for example, our very first baking soda science experiment (age 3). So simple to set up, but so lovely to watch the amazement on my son’s face.

Check out these fun ways for preschoolers to explore science…

• Make liquid mixtures! Mix water and oil in a jar, let it rest, and observe what happens.
• Make solid mixtures! Mix two solid items and observe the changes!
• Mix a solid and a liquid! Add ice to a drink and observe the changes!
• Make a reaction! Set up a tray with baking soda in small cups and colored vinegar in small cups with pipettes. Mix and observe!
• Make oobleck ! Mix cornstarch and water for a weird and messy science activity.
• Explore characteristics of things! Use new science words to describe how different materials feel. Explore squishy, hard, rough, smooth, wet, etc…

Much of preschool science is about you sharing new experiences with them that are relatable and simple. A sk questions, share new words, and offer verbal prompts to get them to communicate with you about what they see!

Grab this FREE Chemistry Experiments Pack to get started!

Chemistry Science Fair Projects

Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these fun chemistry experiments into a science project? Then you will want to check out these helpful resources.

• Easy Science Fair Projects
• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas

Bonus: States of Matter Experiments

Explore solids, liquids, and gasses through various simple science experiments. Plus look for a fantastic free printable pack to go along with your states of matter lesson plans.

65 Chemistry Experiments You Want To Try

We have divided our chemistry experiments below into chemical reactions, acids, and bases, chromatography, solutions, polymers, and crystals. You’ll find that some experiments also explore concepts in physics .

Chemical Reactions

A chemical reaction is a process where two or more substances react together to form a new chemical substance. This might look like a gas formed, cooking or baking, milk souring, etc.

Sometimes a physical change occurs, like our popcorn experiment or melting crayons, rather than a chemical change . However, these experiments below are all great examples of chemical change, where a new substance is formed.

CHECK OUT: Examples Of Physical Change and Chemical Change Examples

Can chemical reactions happen safely at home or in the classroom? Absolutely! This is one of the most fun parts of chemistry for kids, and you will find lots of ideas below for safe chemical reactions you can do with your junior scientists.

Why Do Apples Turn Brown?

Acid Rain Experiment

Alka Seltzer Rockets

Baking Soda Vinegar Bottle Rocket

Lava Lamp Experiment

Egg In Vinegar Experiment

Tie Dye Art

G reen Penny Experiment

Milk and Vinegar

Seashells With Vinegar

Bread In A Bag

Photosynthesis

Yeast and Hydrogen Perioxide

Invisible Ink

Elephant Toothpaste

Acids And Bases

Acids and bases are important for many chemical processes in everyday life. An acid has hydrogen ions and can donate protons. Acids taste sour and have a pH from 0 to 7. Vinegar and citric acid are examples of acids.

Bases are molecules that can accept hydrogen ions. They have a pH higher than seven and can taste bitter. Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda and ammonia are examples of bases. Learn more about the pH scale.

Vinegar and baking soda experiments are classic acid-base reactions. You’ll also find experiments that use an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. We have so many fun variations that your kids will love to try! Check out these acid-base chemistry experiments below.

Citric Acid and Baking Soda

Baking Powder Reaction

Bottle Rocket

Lemon Volcano Experiment

Egg in Vinegar Experiment

Dancing Corn

Balloon Experiment

Cabbage pH Experiment

Fizzy Lemonade

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

Salt Dough Volcano

Watermelon Volcano

Snow Volcano

Lego Volcano

Fizzing Slime Volcano

Dying Eggs With Vinegar

Chromatography

Chromatography is a technique that involves the separation of a mixture into its parts so you can see each one individually.

This marker and paper chromatography lab uses chromatography to separate the pigments in a black marker.

Or set up a leaf chromatography experiment to find the hidden pigments in the leaves in your backyard!

A solution is a mixture of 2 or more solutes dissolved in a solvent up to its solubility limit. It most often refers to liquids, but solutions, gases, and solids are also possible.

A solution will have its components evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Chemistry experiments involving solutions are great for kids. Gather liquids you commonly find in your kitchen, oil, water, detergent, etc., and explore what dissolves.

What dissolves in water?

Gummy Bear Experiment

Skittles Experiment

Dissolving Candy Canes

Dissolving Candy Fish

Dissolving Candy Hearts

Paper Towel Art

Floating M Experiment

Fireworks In A Jar

Homemade Salad Dressing

Magic Milk Experiment

Ice Cream In A Bag

A polymer is a huge molecule made up of many smaller molecules layered together in repeating patterns called monomers. Putty, slime, and cornstarch are all examples of polymers. Learn more about the science of slime polymers .

Making slime is great for at-home chemistry and is also tons of hands-on fun! It’s also a classic middle school science demonstration for the classroom. Here are a few of our favorite slime recipes to get you started.

Putty Slime

Fluffy Slime

Borax Slime

Slime with Liquid Starch

Galaxy Slime

Cornstarch Slime

Cloud Slime

Slime with Clay

Clear Glue Slime

Magnetic Slime

Explore polymers with a simple cornstarch and water mixture. Check out these fun variations of oobleck below.

Rainbow Oobleck

Dr Seuss Oobleck

Snowflake Oobleck

Candy Heart Oobleck

A crystal is a solid material with a highly ordered internal structure of atoms, molecules, or ions held together by chemical bonds.

Grow crystals and observe them by mixing up a super-saturated solution and leaving it for several days to let the crystals form.

Simple to grow and taste-safe, a sugar crystals experiment is more accessible for younger kids, but you can also try growing borax crystals for older kids.

Check out our fun theme variations of growing crystals too!

Sugar Crystal Experiment

Grow Borax Crystals

Crystal Snowflakes

Rainbow Crystals

Grow Salt Crystals

Crystal Seashells

Crystal Leaves

Crystal Flowers

Crystal Hearts

Edible Geodes

Egg Shell Geodes

More Helpful Science Resources

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• Science Supplies List
• Science Tools for Kids

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

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Chem 9 Experiments

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• 1: Measurements in the Laboratory (Experiment) All measuring devices are subject to error, making it impossible to obtain exact measurements. Students will record all the digits of the measurement using the markings that we know exactly and one further digit that we estimate and call uncertain. The uncertain digit is our best estimate using the smallest unit of measurement given and estimating between two of these values. These digits are collectively referred to as significant figures.
• 2: Paper Chromatography of Gel Ink Pens (Experiment) Chromatography is a method of physically separating mixtures into its individual components and is used to identify unknown components in mixtures. There are several types of chromatography; all types employ a mobile phase or eluent (liquid or gas), which is forced through a stationary phase (a solid or semi-solid). Mixtures are separated because some components will be more attracted to the stationary phase while some components will be more attracted to the mobile phase.
• 3: The Properties of Oxygen Gas (Experiment) Oxygen is one of the most abundant elements on this planet. Our atmosphere is 21% free elemental oxygen. Oxygen is also extensively combined in compounds in the earths crust, such as water (89%) and in mineral oxides. Even the human body is 65% oxygen by mass.   The objectives of this laboratory are: To generate (and collect) oxygen gas via the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. To investigate the properties of oxygen, particularly as an agent of combustion.
• 4: Detection and Absorption of Ultraviolet Light (Experiment) Solar energy (sunlight) contains light we can see, and some we cannot. Visible light has wavelengths of 750 to 400 nm. Ultraviolet (UV) light has shorter wavelengths, cannot be seen, and has higher energy. Infrared (IR) radiation is the major source of heat for Earth. Though UV is a fraction of sunlight, it can be damaging to living organisms. All of these are forms of energy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• 5: Flame Tests and Atomic Spectra (Experiment) The objectives of this lab are to: Perform flame tests of metal cations in order to observe their characteristic colors, Perform calculations to determine the frequency and energy of the emitted photons. Relate these results to the types of electronic transitions occurring in these elements. Observe and understand line emission spectra of atoms using gas-discharge tubes. Practice writing electron configurations for these (and other) elements.
• 6: Lewis Structures and Molecular Shapes (Experiment) Non-metal atoms bond covalently, resulting in the formation of either neutral molecules or polyatomic ions. A covalent bond is formed when non-metal atoms share their valence electrons, which they do in order to achieve filled valence orbitals like their nearest noble gas neighbor. This means that most bonded non-metal atoms will acquire a total of eight valence electrons via the sharing process – often referred to as the octet rule.
• 7: Electrical Conductivity of Aqueous Solutions (Experiment) Electrical conductivity is based on the flow of electrons. Highly ionized substances are strong electrolytes. Strong acids and salts are strong electrolytes because they completely ionize (dissociate or separate) in solution. The ions carry the electric charge through the solution thus creating an electric current. The current, if sufficient enough, will light one or both LEDs on a conductivity meter, shown at right.
• 8: Acid, Bases and pH (Experiment) The objectives of this laboratory are: Set up and show how to use a pH indicator Determine the pH of common solutions Understand pH differences of acids and bases Learn to use a laboratory pH meter Understand relationship between pH and H+ ion concentration
• 9: Single Replacement Reactions and Batteries (Experiment) During a chemical reaction both the form and composition of matter are changed. Old substances are converted to new substances, which have unique physical and chemical properties of their own.
• 10: Double Replacement Reactions (Experiment) Reactions that can be classified as double replacements include precipitation reactions, neutralization reactions and gas forming reactions.
• 11: Synthetic Polymers and Plastics (Experiment) The word “polymer” means “many units”. A polymer can be made up of many repeating units, which are small monomer molecules that have been covalently bonded. Figure 1 (from Chemistry in Context) shows a single monomer, and a polymer made of identical monomers linked together. A polymer can contain hundreds of monomers, totaling thousands of atoms.  Plastic is a type of synthetic polymer. Currently, more than 60,000 plastics are manufactured for industrial and commercial purposes.
• 12: Making Soap - Saponification (Experiment) Soap making has remained unchanged over the centuries. The ancient Roman tradition called for mixing rain water, potash and animal tallow.

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Easy Chemistry Experiments for Kids

October 19, 2021 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

When I think back to my own childhood and school days, I don’t remember any chemistry experiments until secondary school, which is a shame because there are so many wonderfully visual easy chemistry experiments for kids that can be done at home or in school with young children.

I’ve put together a collection of my favourite examples, do let us know if you try any.

  Please remember young children should be supervised at all times.

Chemistry Experiments for Kids in the Kitchen

Exploding sandwich bags .

I did struggle a little when we tried this as the reaction happens so fast, but  Steve Spangler has a nifty method where he traps the vinegar in a second smaller bag, which you then have to burst to get the reaction started.

Inspiration laboratories add a twist by adding some colour and making  firework pictures at the same time.

Blow Up a Balloon

This is a super simple demonstration or experiment that has never failed me, and all you need is a container with a small neck, a balloon and either an alka seltzer or an effervescent vitamin tablet. The alka seltzer or vitamin tablet reacts with water to release bubbles of carbon dioxide filling the jar and then blowing up the balloon.

Blow up a balloon with alka seltzer

Find out how to blow up a balloon with lemon juice and baking soda.

Colourful Milk

Make a lovely, colourful display using milk, food colouring and vinegar.

Oil, Food Colouring and Water Exploration Table

My oil, water and food colouring exploration table is brilliant for even very young children. For older children, try a more structured approach, they could measure the amount of vinegar and baking soda needed to make the reaction spill over the top of the beaker or try dropping tiny amounts of coloured water into the oil.

Density Rainbow Jar

Learn about the tricky concept of density and make a beautiful demonstration density jar .

Simple Density Jar

If you don’t want to make as many layers as we have, why not try this smaller version and try to find an object to float on each layer?

Lemon Volcanoes

This lemon volcano from Babble Dabble Do is a great alternative to the traditional volcano and is handy as the lemon already contains acid.

Clean coins

Did you know you can clean coins with vinegar ?

Colourful Chemistry Experiments

Make your own ph indicator.

Test the pH of vinegar and baking soda with a red cabbage indicator . What do you think might happen if you blow into the indicator?

Dissolving Skittles

Watching the colour dissolve from skittles or M & Ms dissolve into water is a lovely, quick, visual activity.

Chemistry Experiments for Kids Outside

Giant bubbles.

Who doesn’t love a giant bubble ? Red Ted Art makes bubble making look easy in this great video. Remember, the mixture gets better the longer you leave it, so allow plenty of time.

Make a Square Bubble

All you need to make a square bubble is a square frame. If you don’t have plastic pieces to use, pipe cleaners also work well.

Coke and Mento Reaction

The infamous coke and mento reaction is super easy and very impressive to watch. Try comparing the size of the geyser using diet and full sugar cola or using different types of fizzy drinks.

Can you design something which allows the mentos to drop in as soon as you remove the lid?

Elephants Toothpaste

Fun at Home with Kids makes elephants toothpaste   look super simple, but do be careful with the hydrogen peroxide and take appropriate precautions.

Film Canister Rockets

Film canister rockets are easy, inexpensive and great fun. All you need is a film canister, an effervescent vitamin tablet and some water. Experiment with different amounts of water and tablets to find the most explosive combination.

Make a Volcano

Find out how to make a volcano erupt with sand, snow or papier mache. A baking soda volcano is a brilliant classic chemistry experiment every kid should try at least once!

Chemistry Separation Methods

Bicycle centrifuge.

Did you know you can use bike wheels as a very basic centrifuge ?

Stone and Gravel Filter

Learn about filters by making a filter with stones , gravel and sand.

Filter Paper Chromatography

Take on the role of a detective with some fun filter paper chromatography .

Can you think of any more amazing chemistry experiments for kids?

Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

June 15, 2021 at 5:04 pm

these ideas are great i picked two to do at my moms house the skittles in water and coke with mentos my mom might not let me do the coke bootle and mentos but she might let me do the skittles i will let you know if it works if it does i give this website a 10/10

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 37 cool science experiments for kids to do at home.

General Education

Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids at home or for class? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of 37 of the best science experiments for kids that cover areas of science ranging from outer space to dinosaurs to chemical reactions. By doing these easy science experiments, kids will make their own blubber and see how polar bears stay warm, make a rain cloud in a jar to observe how weather changes, create a potato battery that'll really power a lightbulb, and more.

Below are 37 of the best science projects for kids to try. For each one we include a description of the experiment, which area(s) of science it teaches kids about, how difficult it is (easy/medium/hard), how messy it is (low/medium/high), and the materials you need to do the project. Note that experiments labelled "hard" are definitely still doable; they just require more materials or time than most of these other science experiments for kids.

#1: Insect Hotels

• Teaches Kids About: Zoology
• Difficulty Level: Medium
• Messiness Level: Medium

Insect hotels can be as simple (just a few sticks wrapped in a bundle) or as elaborate as you'd like, and they're a great way for kids to get creative making the hotel and then get rewarded by seeing who has moved into the home they built. After creating a hotel with hiding places for bugs, place it outside (near a garden is often a good spot), wait a few days, then check it to see who has occupied the "rooms." You can also use a bug ID book or app to try and identify the visitors.

• Materials Needed
• Shadow box or other box with multiple compartments
• Hot glue gun with glue
• Sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, bits of yarn/wool, etc.

#2: DIY Lava Lamp

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions
• Difficulty Level: Easy

In this quick and fun science experiment, kids will mix water, oil, food coloring, and antacid tablets to create their own (temporary) lava lamp . Oil and water don't mix easily, and the antacid tablets will cause the oil to form little globules that are dyed by the food coloring. Just add the ingredients together and you'll end up with a homemade lava lamp!

• Vegetable oil
• Food coloring
• Antacid tablets

#3: Magnetic Slime

• Teaches Kids About: Magnets
• Messiness Level: High (The slime is black and will slightly dye your fingers when you play with it, but it washes off easily.)

A step up from silly putty and Play-Doh, magnetic slime is fun to play with but also teaches kids about magnets and how they attract and repel each other. Some of the ingredients you aren't likely to have around the house, but they can all be purchased online. After mixing the ingredients together, you can use the neodymium magnet (regular magnets won't be strong enough) to make the magnetic slime move without touching it!

• Liquid starch
• Adhesive glue
• Iron oxide powder
• Neodymium (rare earth) magnet

#4: Baking Soda Volcanoes

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions, earth science
• Difficulty Level: Easy-medium
• Messiness Level: High

Baking soda volcanoes are one of the classic science projects for kids, and they're also one of the most popular. It's hard to top the excitement of a volcano erupting inside your home. This experiment can also be as simple or in-depth as you like. For the eruption, all you need is baking soda and vinegar (dishwashing detergent adds some extra power to the eruption), but you can make the "volcano" as elaborate and lifelike as you wish.

• Baking soda
• Dishwashing detergent
• Large mason jar or soda bottle
• Playdough or aluminum foil to make the "volcano"
• Additional items to place around the volcano (optional)
• Food coloring (optional)

#5: Tornado in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Weather
• Messiness Level: Low

This is one of the quick and easy and science experiments for kids to teach them about weather. It only takes about five minutes and a few materials to set up, but once you have it ready you and your kids can create your own miniature tornado whose vortex you can see and the strength of which you can change depending on how quickly you swirl the jar.

• Glitter (optional)

#6: Colored Celery Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Plants

This celery science experiment is another classic science experiment that parents and teachers like because it's easy to do and gives kids a great visual understanding of how transpiration works and how plants get water and nutrients. Just place celery stalks in cups of colored water, wait at least a day, and you'll see the celery leaves take on the color of the water. This happens because celery stalks (like other plants) contain small capillaries that they use to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.

• Celery stalks (can also use white flowers or pale-colored cabbage)

#7: Rain Cloud in a Jar

This experiment teaches kids about weather and lets them learn how clouds form by making their own rain cloud . This is definitely a science project that requires adult supervision since it uses boiling water as one of the ingredients, but once you pour the water into a glass jar, the experiment is fast and easy, and you'll be rewarded with a little cloud forming in the jar due to condensation.

• Glass jar with a lid
• Boiling water
• Aerosol hairspray

#8: Edible Rock Candy

• Teaches Kids About: Crystal formation

It takes about a week for the crystals of this rock candy experiment to form, but once they have you'll be able to eat the results! After creating a sugar solution, you'll fill jars with it and dangle strings in them that'll slowly become covered with the crystals. This experiment involves heating and pouring boiling water, so adult supervision is necessary, once that step is complete, even very young kids will be excited to watch crystals slowly form.

• Large saucepan
• Clothespins
• String or small skewers
• Candy flavoring (optional)

#9: Water Xylophone

• Teaches Kids About: Sound waves

With just some basic materials you can create your own musical instrument to teach kids about sound waves. In this water xylophone experiment , you'll fill glass jars with varying levels of water. Once they're all lined up, kids can hit the sides with wooden sticks and see how the itch differs depending on how much water is in the jar (more water=lower pitch, less water=higher pitch). This is because sound waves travel differently depending on how full the jars are with water.

• Wooden sticks/skewers

#10: Blood Model in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Human biology

This blood model experiment is a great way to get kids to visual what their blood looks like and how complicated it really is. Each ingredient represents a different component of blood (plasma, platelets, red blood cells, etc.), so you just add a certain amount of each to the jar, swirl it around a bit, and you have a model of what your blood looks like.

• Empty jar or bottle
• Red cinnamon candies
• Marshmallows or dry white lima beans
• White sprinkles

#11: Potato Battery

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity
• Difficulty Level: Hard

Did you know that a simple potato can produce enough energy to keep a light bulb lit for over a month? You can create a simple potato battery to show kids. There are kits that provide all the necessary materials and how to set it up, but if you don't purchase one of these it can be a bit trickier to gather everything you need and assemble it correctly. Once it's set though, you'll have your own farm grown battery!

• Fresh potato
• Galvanized nail
• Copper coin

#12: Homemade Pulley

• Teaches Kids About: Simple machines

This science activity requires some materials you may not already have, but once you've gotten them, the homemade pulley takes only a few minutes to set up, and you can leave the pulley up for your kids to play with all year round. This pulley is best set up outside, but can also be done indoors.

• Clothesline
• 2 clothesline pulleys

#13: Light Refraction

• Teaches Kids About: Light

This light refraction experiment takes only a few minutes to set up and uses basic materials, but it's a great way to show kids how light travels. You'll draw two arrows on a sticky note, stick it to the wall, then fill a clear water bottle with water. As you move the water bottle in front of the arrows, the arrows will appear to change the direction they're pointing. This is because of the refraction that occurs when light passes through materials like water and plastic.

• Sticky note
• Transparent water bottle

#14: Nature Journaling

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, scientific observation

A nature journal is a great way to encourage kids to be creative and really pay attention to what's going on around them. All you need is a blank journal (you can buy one or make your own) along with something to write with. Then just go outside and encourage your children to write or draw what they notice. This could include descriptions of animals they see, tracings of leaves, a drawing of a beautiful flower, etc. Encourage your kids to ask questions about what they observe (Why do birds need to build nests? Why is this flower so brightly colored?) and explain to them that scientists collect research by doing exactly what they're doing now.

• Blank journal or notebook
• Pens/pencils/crayons/markers
• Tape or glue for adding items to the journal

#15: DIY Solar Oven

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy

This homemade solar oven definitely requires some adult help to set up, but after it's ready you'll have your own mini oven that uses energy from the sun to make s'mores or melt cheese on pizza. While the food is cooking, you can explain to kids how the oven uses the sun's rays to heat the food.

• Aluminum foil
• Knife or box cutter
• Permanent marker
• Plastic cling wrap
• Black construction paper

#16: Animal Blubber Simulation

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, zoology

If your kids are curious about how animals like polar bears and seals stay warm in polar climates, you can go beyond just explaining it to them; you can actually have them make some of their own blubber and test it out. After you've filled up a large bowl with ice water and let it sit for a few minutes to get really cold, have your kids dip a bare hand in and see how many seconds they can last before their hand gets too cold. Next, coat one of their fingers in shortening and repeat the experiment. Your child will notice that, with the shortening acting like a protective layer of blubber, they don't feel the cold water nearly as much.

• Bowl of ice water

#17: Static Electricity Butterfly

This experiment is a great way for young kids to learn about static electricity, and it's more fun and visual than just having them rub balloons against their heads. First you'll create a butterfly, using thick paper (such as cardstock) for the body and tissue paper for the wings. Then, blow up the balloon, have the kids rub it against their head for a few seconds, then move the balloon to just above the butterfly's wings. The wings will move towards the balloon due to static electricity, and it'll look like the butterfly is flying.

• Tissue paper
• Thick paper
• Glue stick/glue

#18: Edible Double Helix

• Teaches Kids About: Genetics

If your kids are learning about genetics, you can do this edible double helix craft to show them how DNA is formed, what its different parts are, and what it looks like. The licorice will form the sides or backbone of the DNA and each color of marshmallow will represent one of the four chemical bases. Kids will be able to see that only certain chemical bases pair with each other.

• 2 pieces of licorice
• 12 toothpicks
• Small marshmallows in 4 colors (9 of each color)
• 5 paperclips

#19: Leak-Proof Bag

• Teaches Kids About: Molecules, plastics

This is an easy experiment that'll appeal to kids of a variety of ages. Just take a zip-lock bag, fill it about ⅔ of the way with water, and close the top. Next, poke a few sharp objects (like bamboo skewers or sharp pencils) through one end and out the other. At this point you may want to dangle the bag above your child's head, but no need to worry about spills because the bag won't leak? Why not? It's because the plastic used to make zip-lock bags is made of polymers, or long chains of molecules that'll quickly join back together when they're forced apart.

• Zip-lock bags
• Objects with sharp ends (pencils, bamboo skewers, etc.)

#20: How Do Leaves Breathe?

• Teaches Kids About: Plant science

It takes a few hours to see the results of this leaf experiment , but it couldn't be easier to set up, and kids will love to see a leaf actually "breathing." Just get a large-ish leaf, place it in a bowl (glass works best so you can see everything) filled with water, place a small rock on the leaf to weigh it down, and leave it somewhere sunny. Come back in a few hours and you'll see little bubbles in the water created when the leaf releases the oxygen it created during photosynthesis.

• Large bowl (preferably glass)
• Magnifying glass (optional)

#21: Popsicle Stick Catapults

Kids will love shooting pom poms out of these homemade popsicle stick catapults . After assembling the catapults out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons, they're ready to launch pom poms or other lightweight objects. To teach kids about simple machines, you can ask them about how they think the catapults work, what they should do to make the pom poms go a farther/shorter distance, and how the catapult could be made more powerful.

• Popsicle sticks
• Rubber bands
• Plastic spoons
• Paint (optional)

#22: Elephant Toothpaste

You won't want to do this experiment near anything that's difficult to clean (outside may be best), but kids will love seeing this " elephant toothpaste " crazily overflowing the bottle and oozing everywhere. Pour the hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and dishwashing soap into the bottle, and in the cup mix the yeast packet with some warm water for about 30 seconds. Then, add the yeast mixture to the bottle, stand back, and watch the solution become a massive foamy mixture that pours out of the bottle! The "toothpaste" is formed when the yeast removed the oxygen bubbles from the hydrogen peroxide which created foam. This is an exothermic reaction, and it creates heat as well as foam (you can have kids notice that the bottle became warm as the reaction occurred).

• Clean 16-oz soda bottle
• 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide
• 1 packet of dry yeast
• Dishwashing soap

#23: How Do Penguins Stay Dry?

Penguins, and many other birds, have special oil-producing glands that coat their feathers with a protective layer that causes water to slide right off them, keeping them warm and dry. You can demonstrate this to kids with this penguin craft by having them color a picture of a penguin with crayons, then spraying the picture with water. The wax from the crayons will have created a protective layer like the oil actual birds coat themselves with, and the paper won't absorb the water.

• Penguin image (included in link)
• Spray bottle
• Blue food coloring (optional)

#24: Rock Weathering Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Geology

This mechanical weathering experiment teaches kids why and how rocks break down or erode. Take two pieces of clay, form them into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, leave one out while placing the other in the freezer overnight. The next day, unwrap and compare them. You can repeat freezing the one piece of clay every night for several days to see how much more cracked and weathered it gets than the piece of clay that wasn't frozen. It may even begin to crumble. This weathering also happens to rocks when they are subjected to extreme temperatures, and it's one of the causes of erosion.

• Plastic wrap

#25: Saltwater Density

• Teaches Kids About: Water density

For this saltwater density experiment , you'll fill four clear glasses with water, then add salt to one glass, sugar to one glass, and baking soda to one glass, leaving one glass with just water. Then, float small plastic pieces or grapes in each of the glasses and observe whether they float or not. Saltwater is denser than freshwater, which means some objects may float in saltwater that would sink in freshwater. You can use this experiment to teach kids about the ocean and other bodies of saltwater, such as the Dead Sea, which is so salty people can easily float on top of it.

• Four clear glasses
• Lightweight plastic objects or small grapes

#26: Starburst Rock Cycle

With just a package of Starbursts and a few other materials, you can create models of each of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Sedimentary "rocks" will be created by pressing thin layers of Starbursts together, metamorphic by heating and pressing Starbursts, and igneous by applying high levels of heat to the Starbursts. Kids will learn how different types of rocks are forms and how the three rock types look different from each other.

• Toaster oven

#27: Inertia Wagon Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Inertia

This simple experiment teaches kids about inertia (as well as the importance of seatbelts!). Take a small wagon, fill it with a tall stack of books, then have one of your children pull it around then stop abruptly. They won't be able to suddenly stop the wagon without the stack of books falling. You can have the kids predict which direction they think the books will fall and explain that this happens because of inertia, or Newton's first law.

• Stack of books

#28: Dinosaur Tracks

• Teaches Kids About: Paleontology

How are some dinosaur tracks still visible millions of years later? By mixing together several ingredients, you'll get a claylike mixture you can press your hands/feet or dinosaur models into to make dinosaur track imprints . The mixture will harden and the imprints will remain, showing kids how dinosaur (and early human) tracks can stay in rock for such a long period of time.

• Used coffee grounds
• Wooden spoon
• Rolling pin

#29: Sidewalk Constellations

• Teaches Kids About: Astronomy

If you do this sidewalk constellation craft , you'll be able to see the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt in the daylight. On the sidewalk, have kids draw the lines of constellations (using constellation diagrams for guidance) and place stones where the stars are. You can then look at astronomy charts to see where the constellations they drew will be in the sky.

• Sidewalk chalk
• Small stones
• Diagrams of constellations

#30: Lung Model

By building a lung model , you can teach kids about respiration and how their lungs work. After cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle, you'll stretch a balloon around the opened end and insert another balloon through the mouth of the bottle. You'll then push a straw through the neck of the bottle and secure it with a rubber band and play dough. By blowing into the straw, the balloons will inflate then deflate, similar to how our lungs work.

• Plastic bottle
• Rubber band

#31: Homemade Dinosaur Bones

By mixing just flour, salt, and water, you'll create a basic salt dough that'll harden when baked. You can use this dough to make homemade dinosaur bones and teach kids about paleontology. You can use books or diagrams to learn how different dinosaur bones were shaped, and you can even bury the bones in a sandpit or something similar and then excavate them the way real paleontologists do.

• Images of dinosaur bones

#32: Clay and Toothpick Molecules

There are many variations on homemade molecule science crafts . This one uses clay and toothpicks, although gumdrops or even small pieces of fruit like grapes can be used in place of clay. Roll the clay into balls and use molecule diagrams to attach the clay to toothpicks in the shape of the molecules. Kids can make numerous types of molecules and learn how atoms bond together to form molecules.

• Clay or gumdrops (in four colors)
• Diagrams of molecules

#33: Articulated Hand Model

By creating an articulated hand model , you can teach kids about bones, joints, and how our hands are able to move in many ways and accomplish so many different tasks. After creating a hand out of thin foam, kids will cut straws to represent the different bones in the hand and glue them to the fingers of the hand models. You'll then thread yarn (which represents tendons) through the straws, stabilize the model with a chopstick or other small stick, and end up with a hand model that moves and bends the way actual human hands do.

• Straws (paper work best)
• Twine or yarn

#34: Solar Energy Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy, light rays

This solar energy science experiment will teach kids about solar energy and how different colors absorb different amounts of energy. In a sunny spot outside, place six colored pieces of paper next to each other, and place an ice cube in the middle of each paper. Then, observe how quickly each of the ice cubes melt. The ice cube on the black piece of paper will melt fastest since black absorbs the most light (all the light ray colors), while the ice cube on the white paper will melt slowest since white absorbs the least light (it instead reflects light). You can then explain why certain colors look the way they do. (Colors besides black and white absorb all light except for the one ray color they reflect; this is the color they appear to us.)

• 6 squares of differently colored paper/cardstock (must include black paper and white paper)

#35: How to Make Lightning

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity, weather

You don't need a storm to see lightning; you can actually create your own lightning at home . For younger kids this experiment requires adult help and supervision. You'll stick a thumbtack through the bottom of an aluminum tray, then stick the pencil eraser to the pushpin. You'll then rub the piece of wool over the aluminum tray, and then set the tray on the Styrofoam, where it'll create a small spark/tiny bolt of lightning!

• Pencil with eraser
• Aluminum tray or pie tin
• Styrofoam tray

#36: Tie-Dyed Milk

• Teaches Kids About: Surface tension

For this magic milk experiment , partly fill a shallow dish with milk, then add a one drop of each food coloring color to different parts of the milk. The food coloring will mostly stay where you placed it. Next, carefully add one drop of dish soap to the middle of the milk. It'll cause the food coloring to stream through the milk and away from the dish soap. This is because the dish soap breaks up the surface tension of the milk by dissolving the milk's fat molecules.

• Shallow dish
• Milk (high-fat works best)

#37: How Do Stalactites Form?

Have you ever gone into a cave and seen huge stalactites hanging from the top of the cave? Stalactites are formed by dripping water. The water is filled with particles which slowly accumulate and harden over the years, forming stalactites. You can recreate that process with this stalactite experiment . By mixing a baking soda solution, dipping a piece of wool yarn in the jar and running it to another jar, you'll be able to observe baking soda particles forming and hardening along the yarn, similar to how stalactites grow.

• Safety pins
• 2 glass jars

Summary: Cool Science Experiments for Kids

Any one of these simple science experiments for kids can get children learning and excited about science. You can choose a science experiment based on your child's specific interest or what they're currently learning about, or you can do an experiment on an entirely new topic to expand their learning and teach them about a new area of science. From easy science experiments for kids to the more challenging ones, these will all help kids have fun and learn more about science.

What's Next?

Are you also interested in pipe cleaner crafts for kids? We have a guide to some of the best pipe cleaner crafts to try!

Looking for multiple different slime recipes? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Want to learn more about clouds? Learn how to identify every cloud in the sky with our guide to the 10 types of clouds .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa) .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

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Unit 1: Body Systems

Introduction to the six body systems

Learning goal 1: Students will understand that the Digestive System breaks food down to nutrients that are able to pass into the blood and removes wastes.

Learning goal 2: Students will understand the Respiratory System brings oxygen into the body and removes carbon dioxide.

Learning goal 3: Students will understand the Circulatory System uses blood vessels to transport nutrients to cells of the body and to remove wastes.

Scientific Inquiry Practice

Learning goal 4: Students will understand the Excretory System removes waste from the body and includes the Urinary System that filters waste from the blood.

Learning goal 5: Students will understand that the coordination of all body systems is carried out by the Nervous and Endocrine systems.

Learning goal 6: Students will understand the Immune System protects the body from pathogens and their toxins

Unit 2: Energy - Electricity, Sound, and Light

Assessment: Experimental investigation (circuits and resistance)and in-class Test (Heat, Light , Sound)

LG 2: Students will be able to explain light energy transfer through different mediums using wave and particle models (ACSSU182)

I will make some notes on the board for this topic. I have not found a resource which covers the theory in a way I am happy with. Old school style.

LG 2: Understand how sound is transmitted and used to communicate and entertain.

Revision for mid-unit test

3. Electricity

LG: Understand electricity as a form of energy (static and moving charges).

4. Thermal Energy and Heat

LG1: Understand the different forms of heat energy and how it transfers from object to object.

Term 3: Chemistry

Assessment: Examination in week 7, Experiment report (EEI) due week 9.

LG 1 - I understand that all matter is made of atoms which are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons

Atomic structure

Radiation and Isotopes

LG 2 - I understand that chemical reactions involve rearranging atoms to form new substances

The next three worksheets are easy "review" worksheets or serve as an introduction to the terms molecule, compound, mixture, pure substance.

LG 3 - Students will understand that chemical reactions including combustion and the reaction of acids are important in both non-living and living systems and involve energy transfer

Will have to make up a worksheet for the two sites above which will direct students in the process of making notes. In addition you could get students to make similies, analogies or metophors. The metaphor which one student created: " respiration is the fire inside of you ".

Revision sheets and ANSWERS

LG 4 - Students will be able to investigate the reaction of different acids with a metal.

This learning goal and the success criteria are covered entirely by the students extended experimental investigation below.

The following resources refer to older assignments from 2020 and 2019

TERM 4 - Unit 4: Ecology and Earth systems

There is not a huge amount of work in week 1 as we need to adjust to the new online format I am trialing. 1st step is gain familiarity with the OneNote and stileapp. This week is mainly about some basic geology of the earth and rocks that you need for this course.

Learning goal 1: Success Criteria 1 to 4

The first video and quiz serve as an introduction to the unit and are not directly covered in the Success Criteria

Learning goal 1: SC 2 to 6 - yes, there is some overlap with week one.

We have a short week (2 lessons) this week so I have removed one activity for you and moved one to next week. I will show you how to get your Onenote work done as a printout this week.

Summary of week 2 - you should know the difference between continental drift and plate tectonics and recal two two main types of plates and what happens at veriuos plate boundaries. You will have completed 2 sets of notes in OneNote and 2 activities in the stileapp.

NOTE: The following resources are not currently being used for (online) learning, but are related to the week 2 work on plate tectonic / continental drift learning goal.

The terms constructive and Destructive are alternative ways of describing plate boundaries. Brief notes - Divergent = constructive, Convergent (subduction) = destructive

This is a shorter week due to the public holiday, as we have only two lessons - so there is less work below than in previous weeks. For some of you who have been working hard that means less to do and a chance to relax a little. However for those students who have not completed activites in previous weeks this is an opportunity to catch up.

Summary of week 3 - you should know the the relationship between plate boundaries and earthquakes and volcanoes. You will have completed 1 lesson, and 1 quiz in the stileapp, watched one video, and completed one word doc which you inserted as a printout in your homework tab in the OneNote.

NOTE: The following resources are not currently being used for (online) learning, but are related to the week 3 work - some provide information specific to australia and th pacific region.

Our exam is next week!

Summary of week 4 - You should have completed one page directly in the OneNote, have downloaded two docs, completed them and inserted into pages in the OneNote. No stile activities this week. You should have downloaded and completed the revision sheet, and we should have done a couple of hands-on activities in Friday's lesson.

NOTE: The following resources are not currently being used for (online) learning, but are related to the week 4 work.

Our exam this week, so a short week of theory on our new topic Ecosystems. This week is an intro to Ecosystems and abiotic and Biotic factors. You will have covered some of the basics, mainy food webs and food chains in year 7. This week is mainly a recap of existing knowledge as you need to know all the basics to do well in your assessment at the end of term. There are three activities in your OneNote as an intro to Ecosystems and one stileapp lesson to complete.

Learning goal 2 (3 weeks): Students will understand that ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment, matter and energy flow through these systems

This week will be some work on Biotic relationships and then a focus on the flow of energy and matter within ecosystems. Much of this knowledge and understanding assumes you remember some basic knowledge of food chains and food webs. You will find some food web work this week to check you are back in the groove.

There is one Stile app activity and 3 activities listed below to complete, along with a set of notes you should store in your OneNote.

Summary of week 6 - you should have a good understanding of the biotic relationships within an Ecosystem, and be up to date with food chains and food webs (all the terms and language). You will have completed 1 lesson in the stileapp, watched one video, and completed three pages in the OneNote.

The resources below are not compulsory activities for this week, but I would normally use several of them in face to face teaching. Students, you do not have to complete these activities.

# Group work / collaborative learning - Teacher to lead a discussion of the idea of ecosystems, "we hear it all the time, so we all have some idea". Groups to brainstorm what are the most improtant elements in an ecosystem, rank 1 to 5, groups put answers on the board. Teacher lead class discussion of key elements.

This week we have 3 stile activities, and each is not so long. There is also a video to watch and answer some questions from, some notes to make from a website, and a quiz to complete.

In 2022 this work will not need to be copmpleted

The resources below covers tolerance curves, which are ecological models, but not directly matched to this SC. However tolerance curves are very important in the A level of the assignment

SC 15: I can investigate how ecosystems change as a result of events such as bushfires, droughts and floods

Basically some notes here on the immediate changes due to natural disasters and then contrast with adaptations of species who have adapted to continual cycle of natural disasters

SC 16: I can investigate how models can be used to predict changes in population due to environmental changes

SC 17: I can describe the impacts of human activity on an ecosystem from a range of different perspectives

Yr 9 SCIENCE: Downloads and links

Right click, "open in new tab", to see detail of this map.

By Greg Skomal / NOAA Fisheries Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Brocken Inaglory (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

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Solar Storm Intensifies, Filling Skies With Northern Lights

Officials warned of potential blackouts or interference with navigation and communication systems this weekend, as well as auroras as far south as Southern California or Texas.

By Katrina Miller and Judson Jones

Katrina Miller reports on space and astronomy and Judson Jones is a meteorologist.

A dramatic blast from the sun set off the highest-level geomagnetic storm in Earth’s atmosphere on Friday that is expected to make the northern lights visible as far south as Florida and Southern California and could interfere with power grids, communications and navigations system.

It is the strongest such storm to reach Earth since Halloween of 2003. That one was strong enough to create power outages in Sweden and damage transformers in South Africa.

The effects could continue through the weekend as a steady stream of emissions from the sun continues to bombard the planet’s magnetic field.

The solar activity is so powerful that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors space weather, issued an unusual storm watch for the first time in 19 years, which was then upgraded to a warning. The agency began observing outbursts on the sun’s surface on Wednesday, with at least five heading in the direction of Earth.

“What we’re expecting over the next couple of days should be more significant than what we’ve seen certainly so far,” Mike Bettwy, the operations chief at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said at a news conference on Friday morning.

For people in many places, the most visible part of the storm will be the northern lights, known also as auroras. But authorities and companies will also be on the lookout for the event’s effects on infrastructure, like global positioning systems, radio communications and even electrical power.

While the northern lights are most often seen in higher latitudes closer to the North Pole, people in many more parts of the world are already getting a show this weekend that could last through the early part of next week.

As Friday turned to Saturday in Europe, people across the continent described skies hued in a mottling of colors.

Alfredo Carpineti , an astrophysicist, journalist and author in North London, saw them with his husband from the rooftop of their apartment building.

“It is incredible to be able to see the aurora directly from one’s own backyard,” he said. “I was hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of green on the horizon, but it was all across the sky in both green and purple.”

Here’s what you need to know about this weekend’s solar event.

How will the storm affect people on Earth?

A geomagnetic storm watch or warning indicates that space weather may affect critical infrastructure on or orbiting near Earth. It may introduce additional current into systems, which could damage pipelines, railroad tracks and power lines.

According to Joe Llama, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, communications that rely on high frequency radio waves, such as ham radio and commercial aviation , are most likely to suffer. That means it is unlikely that your cellphone or car radio, which depend on much higher frequency radio waves, will conk out.

Still, it is possible for blackouts to occur. As with any power outage, you can prepare by keeping your devices charged and having access to backup batteries, generators and radio.

The most notable solar storm recorded in history occurred in 1859. Known as the Carrington Event, it lasted for nearly a week, creating aurora that stretched down to Hawaii and Central America and impacting hundreds of thousands of miles of telegraph lines.

But that was technology of the 19th century, used before scientists fully understood how solar activity disrupted Earth’s atmosphere and communication systems.

“That was an extreme level event,” said Shawn Dahl, a forecaster at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. “We are not anticipating that.”

Unlike tornado watches and warnings, the target audience for NOAA’s announcements is not the public.

“For most people here on planet Earth, they won’t have to do anything,” said Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

The goal of the announcements is to give agencies and companies that operate this infrastructure time to put protection measures in place to mitigate any effects.

“If everything is working like it should, the grid will be stable and they’ll be able to go about their daily lives,” Mr. Steenburgh said.

Will I be able to see the northern lights?

It is possible that the northern lights may grace the skies this week over places that don’t usually see them. The best visibility is outside the bright lights of cities.

Clouds or stormy weather could pose a problem in some places. But if the skies are clear, even well south of where the aurora is forecast to take place, snap a picture or record a video with your cellphone. The sensor on the camera is more sensitive to the wavelengths produced by the aurora and may produce an image you can’t see with the naked eye.

Another opportunity could be viewing sunspots during the daytime, if your skies are clear. As always, do not look directly at the sun without protection. But if you still have your eclipse glasses lying around from the April 8 event, you may try to use them to try to spot the cluster of sunspots causing the activity.

How strong is the current geomagnetic storm?

Giant explosions on the surface of the sun, known as coronal mass ejections, send streams of energetic particles into space. But the sun is large, and such outbursts may not cross our planet as it travels around the star. But when these particles create a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field, it is known as a geomagnetic storm.

NOAA classifies these storms on a “G” scale of 1 to 5, with G1 being minor and G5 being extreme. The most extreme storms can cause widespread blackouts and damage to infrastructure on Earth. Satellites may also have trouble orienting themselves or sending or receiving information during these events.

The current storm is classified as G5, or “extreme.” It is caused by a cluster of sunspots — dark, cool regions on the solar surface — that is about 16 times the diameter of Earth. The cluster is flaring and ejecting material every six to 12 hours.

“We anticipate that we’re going to get one shock after another through the weekend,” said Brent Gordon, chief of the space weather services branch at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Why is this happening now?

The sun’s activity ebbs and flows on an 11-year cycle, and right now, it is approaching a solar maximum. Three other severe geomagnetic storms have been observed so far in the current activity cycle, which began in December 2019, but none were predicted to cause effects strong enough on Earth to warrant a watch or warning announcement.

The cluster of sunspots generating the current storm is the largest seen in this solar cycle, NOAA officials said. They added that the activity in this cycle has outperformed initial predictions .

More flares and expulsions from this cluster are expected, but because of the sun’s rotation the cluster will be oriented in a position less likely to affect Earth. In the coming weeks, the sunspots may appear again on the left side of the sun, but it is difficult for scientists to predict whether this will cause another bout of activity.

“Usually, these don’t come around packing as much of a punch as they did originally,” Mr. Dahl said. “But time will tell on that.”

Jonathan O’Callaghan contributed reporting from London.

An earlier version of this article misstated the radio frequencies used by cellphones and car radios. They are higher frequencies, not low.

How we handle corrections

Katrina Miller is a science reporting fellow for The Times. She recently earned her Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago. More about Katrina Miller

Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter for The Times who forecasts and covers extreme weather. More about Judson Jones

What’s Up in Space and Astronomy

Keep track of things going on in our solar system and all around the universe..

Never miss an eclipse, a meteor shower, a rocket launch or any other 2024 event  that’s out of this world with  our space and astronomy calendar .

A celestial image, an Impressionistic swirl of color in the center of the Milky Way, represents a first step toward understanding the role of magnetic fields  in the cycle of stellar death and rebirth.

Scientists may have discovered a major flaw in their understanding of dark energy, a mysterious cosmic force . That could be good news for the fate of the universe.

A new set of computer simulations, which take into account the effects of stars moving past our solar system, has effectively made it harder to predict Earth’s future and reconstruct its past.

Dante Lauretta, the planetary scientist who led the OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve a handful of space dust , discusses his next final frontier.

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Science News

Explore a map of the next 15 total solar eclipses.

In case you miss this year’s solar eclipse, there are 14 more in the next 20 years

This map of eclipse paths from 2024 to 2044 reveals that Australia hit the jackpot: Over just 11 years, the continent (lower right) will see four total solar eclipses — in 2028, 2030, 2037 and 2038.

Alley Interactive, A. Buki

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By Christopher Crockett

April 4, 2024 at 12:00 pm

It’s never too soon to start thinking about the next solar eclipse.

On April 8, the moon’s shadow will sweep across North America , bringing a total solar eclipse over the homes of more than 30 million people ( SN: 1/4/24 ). But even as the shadow departs the continent in eastern Canada, the stage will be getting set for the next total eclipse. And the one after that. And the one after that.

That’s because there’s an order underpinning the mechanics that lead to any eclipse. The breathtaking celestial event is driven by the relentless, repeating rhythms of the Earth’s and moon’s motions. And that means that eclipses of all kinds — not just total solar ones — are predictable across millennia.

Thanks to that predictability, it’s possible to precisely map upcoming solar eclipses. To make this interactive map, Science News relied on NASA’s “Five millennium canon of solar eclipses”  database, a detailed accounting of every solar eclipse from 2000 B.C. to A.D. 3000.

That time span encompasses nearly 12,000 solar eclipses, roughly 3,200 of which are total eclipses. Showing them all would be a bit much. Instead, we show the tracks of the next 15 total solar eclipses, from 2024 to 2044.

In the map, the path for nearly every eclipse (differentiated by color) is marked with three lines: the northern- and southernmost edges of the band in which people will see a total eclipse and the centerline of that band. Along that line, totality lasts longer than near the edges. People in a wide swath to either side of each outer band will be able to see a partial eclipse.

Clicking on a path will offer up some details about that eclipse: The date, the time (in Universal Time ) at which the sun will be eclipsed the longest, the duration of that maximum extent and the width of the eclipse path. And typing a city, landmark or address into the map’s search bar will zoom to that spot, so you can see if any eclipses are due to visit any of your favorite haunts.

And for this year’s eclipse, clicking on any of the white flags along the path will reveal the exact time (also in Universal Time) and duration of totality at that spot.

There is one eclipse here that is a bit unusual. That one will pass through eastern Siberia on April 9, 2043 . On the map, only one line appears — the southernmost limit of totality — because the centerline doesn’t intersect with Earth’s surface. In this “noncentral eclipse,” the centerline and the whole northern half of the shadow will miss Earth entirely, cast off into the depths of space.

Hardcore eclipse fans, intent on seeing every kind imaginable, might want to plan for that one. The next noncentral total eclipse won’t happen until 2459 .

More Stories from Science News on Space

A weaker magnetic field may have paved the way for marine life to go big

NASA’s budget woes put ambitious space research at risk

Scientists are getting closer to understanding the sun’s ‘campfire’ flares

‘Humanity’s spacecraft’ Voyager 1 is back online and still exploring

Separating science fact from fiction in Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ 

Pluto’s heart-shaped basin might not hide an ocean after all

Our picture of habitability on Europa, a top contender for hosting life, is changing

Jupiter’s moon Io may have been volcanically active ever since it was born

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What are the most powerful climate actions you can take? The expert view

Voting tops the list for the world’s leading climate scientists in a year when billions of voters go to the polls

• Climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target
• ‘Hopeless and broken’: why the scientists are in despair

Many people, faced with the worsening impacts of the climate emergency, want to know what they can do personally to fight global heating. The Guardian asked hundreds of the world’s top climate scientists for their views.

What is the most effective action individuals can take?

Most experts (76%) backed voting for politicians who pledge strong climate measures, where fair elections take place . The recommendation is powerful in a year when voters in countries including the US, UK, India, the EU, Mexico and South Africa and more all go to the polls.

“I feel the reason behind the lack of response to date is the nervousness of politicians,” said Prof Bill Collins, at the University of Reading in the UK. “Polls suggest voters are actually more willing for governments to take stronger climate action.” Another expert highlighted the danger of a second Donald Trump presidency to climate action.

The survey sought the view of every contactable lead author and review editor of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 2018, with 380 of 843 responding. Overall the scientists were extremely pessimistic about the prospects of holding global temperature rises below internationally agreed targets.

“The science is there, but the lack of will of politicians worldwide is retarding climate change [action],” said Prof Alexander Milner, at the University of Birmingham in the UK.

What about reducing flying?

The second choice for most effective individual action, according to the experts, was reducing flying and fossil-fuel powered transport in favour of electric and public transport. This was backed by 56%, and two-thirds said they had cut their own number of flights.

Flying is the most polluting activity an individual can undertake and makes up a large part of the carbon footprint of the rich. Globally it is a small minority of people who drive aviation emissions, with only about one in 10 flying at all . Frequent-flying “super emitters” who represent just 1% of the world’s population cause half of aviation’s carbon emissions, with US air passengers having by far the biggest carbon footprint among rich countries.

Can eating less meat help?

Meat production has a huge impact on the environment . Most people in wealthy countries already eat more meat than is healthy for them and more than 60% of the scientists said they had cut their own meat consumption. Almost 30% of the experts said eating less meat was the most effective climate action, while a similar proportion backed cutting emissions from heating or cooling homes, by installing heat pumps, for example.

Is protesting an effective form of climate action?

Almost a quarter of the scientists said they had participated in climate protests, as citizens who are deeply worried about global heating. This included scientists from every continent, including those from the US, Argentina, Germany, Bangladesh, Kenya and Australia.

Having fewer children was backed by 12% of the experts but many made further suggestions. Everyone should “talk about climate as the leading existential threat to societal stability”, said one. Shifting savings or pension funds away from fossil fuel investments and towards green ones was also mentioned by multiple experts.

Prof Vanesa Castán Broto, at the University of Sheffield in the UK, suggested a blunt action for one particular group: “Stop working for the fossil fuel industry.” And a scientist from Cameroon advocated avoiding products responsible for deforestation, such as some beef, timber and cocoa.

Can individual action really help?

Many of the experts were clear on the limits. “It can only go so far. Deep, rapid cuts in carbon emissions from oil and gas, as well as other sectors such as transport, are needed, which are outside the control of the average individual,” said Dr Shobha Maharaj, a climate impacts scientist from Trinidad and Tobago.

“Individual action can only amount to a drop in the bucket – only systemic changes will be sufficient,” said Prof David Wrathall, at Oregon State University in the US. But Prof Hiroyuki Enomoto, at Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research, said that while individual actions have a small impact, they are important in increasing collective awareness of the problem.

Are the scientists walking the talk themselves?

Yes. Many foresee catastrophic levels of global heating and are shifting their focus away from the physics of the climate system towards action that slows global heating and work that protects people against the climate impacts they now see as unstoppable.

“I work more on projects with vulnerable communities so they improve their adaptation to climate change, whose impacts we already experience and which will increase in the future,” said Prof Carolina Vera at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Numerous scientists said they had given their time as expert witnesses in legal cases on climate change and others said they were helping groups to develop new climate policies.

Maharaj now chooses to spend at least half her time turning science into action, as the science director of a company implementing responsible reforestation. “There are so many people on the ground who care and who want to make a difference; that is truly encouraging and really drives me,” she said.

• Ethical and green living
• Climate crisis
• Climate science
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• Greenhouse gas emissions

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