How do i always get myself into these things? [UPDATE: thanks for the help OT]

[TheChort]

and it needs to last about 30 minutes
All i have so far are:
- Fill up a balloon with water. Put a lighter under it and watch it not pop
- Baking soda + vinegar (but i feel like that was only impressive in 2nd grade)
- Fill a glass with water, put a piece of paper on top and flip it over

Any ideas guys?


***Update****

I gotta say things went pretty well. The kids were really impressed. Thanks to all for the great suggestions, especially to 5to1baby1in5 for the Bill Nye website.
In my half hour slot I did the following experiments:

1. I had cut up a bunch of 'flowers' with four petals out of regular paper. I told the kids to fold each of the petals into the middle. Then they put the flower on its back on the water and they saw the petals open.

2. I blew up two balloons, one with water and one with air. I held a lighter under each, and lo and behold, the one with water didnt pop. Just to spice things up, I made one of the girls stand under the balloon with water as i held a lighter to it.

3. I showed them that a pebble and a large rock will fall at the same rate, even when thrown from a height of 20 ft.

4. I made them use the surface tension in a cup of water to make a paperclip float. Those that were successful got the bonus of me putting a few drops of soap in the cup and watching the paperclip immediately fall to the bottom.

5. And as my finale, Mentos + Diet Coke (8 mentos pieces)

 

[mugs]

Sodium + water

 

[mugs]

Oh, you could suck an egg into a bottle with fire

 

[Specop 007]

You need to kick it up a notch. While the stuff you have is good, play around with other things too.
Magnesium. Sodium. Aluminum powder, iron filings. Fire impresses everyone from the young to the old.
Hell even flour, blown into a gas inside a coffee can with a candle burning will give enough boom to blow the top off the can.

 

[Kirby]

anything with fire.....

 

[CarlKillerMiller]

I had to do this last year. I made goop for them, they loved it.

Give each kid an equal measurement of white glue and starch. Pour it into a bag for them, then have the kids mix it up with their hands. You can add a few drops of food coloring. They get a fun silly putty type material, you get the knowledge of a job well done.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Magnesium. Sodium. Aluminum powder, iron filings. Fire impresses everyone from the young to the old.

Thermite?

 

[Specop 007]

Check unitednuclear.com (Too lazy to link), they have a list of good experiments you can perform. Check under "chemisty experiments" on the left hand menu.

 

[blinblue]

They would probably like Coke+Mentos

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Magnesium. Sodium. Aluminum powder, iron filings. Fire impresses everyone from the young to the old.

Thermite?

As one example, yes. Obviously you do this outside. I cant stress "outside" enough.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: blinblue
They would probably like Coke+Mentos

I prefer hookers and blow, but then I am a bit older then 6th grade.

 

[Drakkon]

borax + glue = slime
cornstach+water = liquid into solid

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: blinblue
They would probably like Diet Coke+Mentos

:thumbsup:

 

[TheChort]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
You need to kick it up a notch. While the stuff you have is good, play around with other things too.
Magnesium. Sodium. Aluminum powder, iron filings. Fire impresses everyone from the young to the old.
Hell even flour, blown into a gas inside a coffee can with a candle burning will give enough boom to blow the top off the can.

im trying to go with more household materials on this one. The sodium is not really an option.
i didn't know iron filings burn
I'll check the website you gave for other stuff

 

[middlehead]

My 9th grade science teacher did something that encased our hands in fire but didn't hurt. I don't remember the specifics of it, though.

 

[LordMorpheus]

make thermite and melt through the engine block of their teacher's car!

 

[lokiju]

One thing I remember seeing on Mr. Wizard as a kid was...

Take a (clear) bowl fill like 1/4 or 1/2 with water.

Take a soda bottle cap and place it upside down so it floats in the water.

Take a few matches and light them, place then in floating soda bottle cap.

Place clear glass cup upside down over cap in the bowl.

Watch all the water get sucked from the bowl into the upside down cup.

I did it a few times as a kid and it worked fine.

 

[Glavinsolo]

D batteries, speaker wire, 10cent light bulbs. You have yourself a conductor.

 

[ArchCenturion]

There is a density experiment if i remember right. I think its like water, oil, rubbing alcohol.

Dye the water blue, then pour in some Olive oil (yellowish) then then carefully pour on the dyed rubbing alcohol.

This should give you three layers of liquids. Then you can show them how some things can mix and form compound solutions or whatever, i dont remember.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: TheChort

Originally posted by: Specop 007
You need to kick it up a notch. While the stuff you have is good, play around with other things too.
Magnesium. Sodium. Aluminum powder, iron filings. Fire impresses everyone from the young to the old.
Hell even flour, blown into a gas inside a coffee can with a candle burning will give enough boom to blow the top off the can.

im trying to go with more household materials on this one. The sodium is not really an option.
i didn't know iron filings burn
I'll check the website you gave for other stuff

Iron filings have to be mixed up.

Go with the flour in a coffee can for a coool, safe explosion.

 

[ArchCenturion]

You could also do the 9v battery on steel wool thing, thats cool, i dunno what it proves though. Just fun.

 

[BooGiMaN]

how exactly did you get yourself into this...were you trying to impress someone and told them you had done this before?

why isnt the teacher doing the experiments instead of someone that is asking for advice from pyros on an internet forum....

 

[BoomerD]

Hmmm, household items?

Powdered pool chlorine and brake fluid makes a pretty impressive demonstration of spontaneous combustion. DO THIS OUTSIDE!! But then again, I'm not sure you'd want to teach a bunch of 6th graders this trick...

 

[Fenixgoon]

WHITE PHOSPHOROUS!

 

[Electric Amish]

Erlenmeyer Flask + zinc + HCL + balloon stretched over the opening + fire = Boom