Last term we discussed many serious scientific topics, the dangers associated with
conducting experiments and their impact
on the society. I would like to ask you to share your own experiences. Have you
ever tried to do your own (more or less ;) ) scientific experiments just for
fun? I mean the ones which are not very serious and probably are never going to
change the world, because scientists have been aware of their results for many
years, but you want to try it yourself anyway. If you did, what was it exactly?
If you didn’t, have you ever wanted to do something like that?
As a child
I used to do a lot of such silly experiments, probably the first one was
growing various crystals. I remember especially the copper sulphur crystals
(see growing crystals). Don’t you think they remind the
colour of some energy drinks? I do – and this is probably why I am afraid to
drink them :) . When I was a little bit older I was fascinated by the idea of making
ferrofluid at home. Ferrofluid is a magnetic liquid used in some loudspeakers
and in the so called “magnetic sculptures”. There are numerous recipes
describing how to prepare it (for instance
this one)
. I wanted to use a home-made ferrofluid for my presentation at school. I did
it and...well, I have to say that it was an interesting experience, but I am
never going to cook a “soup” based on the household ammonia again (especially
during the winter, when you can’t open all the windows). Additionally I think
that my physics teacher is going to think twice before he asks his students to
prepare presentations in future, due to a tiny accident involving two very
strong magnets taken out of some machine engine, a small container made of
glass and his fingers...he was really brave, but seriously - it must have been
painful… My latest hobby are home-made plant tissue cultures and carnivorous plants. I did not have
time to experiment yet, but sooner or later I am going to find it somehow. Here
is one of the links to a more detailed description. To give a glimpse of the results
let me present some photos (unfortunately from the Polish website, so I can’t
paste the link here :) )
 |
| Before and after |
Unfortunately
there is one major difficulty in doing such experiments at home – very often it
takes a lot of creativity to gather all the necessary ingredients and equipment
(especially at a reasonable price). In Poland we do not have much (if any) institutions,
that make it easier for people who are not scientists, while in some countries
there is a possibility to enter specially prepared labs the same way you go to
a gym or a swimming pool, and perform really advanced experiments involving for
example bioluminescence, genetics etc. in a controlled environment. Here is a
short fragment of a BBC programme about one of such places. To watch it, you
have to:
- Visit: http://www.svtplay.se/vetenskapens-varld
- Choose the video “Del 5” (the one with the spider)
- Fast forward to ~44:13
This reminds me I had a crystal growing kit which my dad brought from America when I was little. They turned out great with different shapes, sizes and colors: fake diamonds, emeralds, amethysts and many other resembling real crystals (such as quartz). They grew pretty quickly too. I showed them in school when we grew salt crystals as a project.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wishlist.nu/2009/03/23/space-age-crystal-growing-kit/
I know American schools organize so called science fairs which encourage students to experiment on their own and then show off their projects during a special event and enter a competition for the best project. I guess this could be popular in our schools as well (maybe already is?). Typical projects include: a miniature volcano, a small scale solar system, things like that, but they do make you go through the whole scientific method to get proper results.
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/fair.html
Fake amethysts? Sounds cool :) . Unfortunately the colours of most of mine crystals seemed very artificial and didn't have much to do with the natural ones...
DeleteI don't have any of the colorful ones anymore, what's left are the fake quartz crystals:
Deletehttp://i.imgur.com/9VFymNf.jpg
Nice :) . Didn't you collect minerals or fossils apart from growing your own crystals? (I'm asking because of the other rocks in the background)
DeleteSure, there's more of that from different places.
DeleteI have to admit, I used to do it as well, but I was mostly collecting fossils (occasionally minerals as well). Unfortunately I've never found a dinosaur, but I have a relatively large collection of various orthoceras fossils, ammonites and one really well preserved sea urchin which I am particularly proud of ;) .
DeleteI never did so kind of experiments but I think that this is great fun :)
ReplyDeleteI think that in school they should give students opportunity to do some kinds of experiments then learning will be much more funny:) Not like it was when I was going to the school when they taught us for example in chemistry only theory, that's why I never like that subject.
Like somebody told "learn by fun" :)
You are right, and I'm affraid, that most of the schools haven't changed so much (hopefully it will happen someday). Students learn the formal notation and a set of rules by heart not knowing what can they use it for...
DeleteI grew up in a small town and I remember having several lessons of chemistry that were particularly entertaining due to the fact that they had experiments. Most of them were simple like burning magnesum or producing some kind of colorful fumes (I don't remember exatly what it was :<).
DeleteSo I'm a living example that every once in a while there is a teacher that can make chemistry lessons interesting.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI also remember burning magnesium. You can add one into the mixture I've described in my post (2 April 2013 03:56).
DeleteIn my school, unfortunately, we didn't have hardly any experiments in chemistry or physics classes. I remember when watching foreign TV series and I couldn't believe that they have such interactive activities in schools. I am convinced that such classes would be very handy to students to better understand the issue.
DeleteActually I use to do some experiments once awhile during my day to day life, my latest experiments was connected with wine production and taste improvement :) Mainly because the last batch turned out to be too sour, so I have tried few ways to repair this by adding mainly calcium and sugar in different proportions ... actually it ended up quite successfully and it is drinkable once again :) Other alcohol related experiments concerned low alcohol beer consumption in regard to driving, unfortunately I was restricted to low budget alcoholmeter so the test was quite unreliable but it didn't showed anything up to 4 items consumed (didn't try more, I need to extend it next time...)
ReplyDeleteAs not to be seen as I would have some alcohol problem :) I add that I had also tried electronic related experiment when I was younger, mainly disassembling toys and changing their power source from batteries to direct power socket ... My parents weren't too fond of me that time...
Well, a "scientific" experiment is still an experiment whether it is related to alcohol or not, so I wouldn't say that it is such a problem (especially if it was drinkable :) ). Ok - maybe I would argue about the second one ;) .
DeleteIt is sad, that your parents did not appreciate your creativity, but it seems to me, that they were affraid that you might not get the chance to develop your interest in electronic devices in this life (or at least in this house) :)
This reminds me the situation when my uncle was growing wine on his own. One day he had to move the demijohn full of “living wine” from one place to another. He slipped, the glass broke and wine spilled. I remember how sad he was :).
DeleteI know the feeling, but thanks to god when my demijohn broke he was in plastic container which saved most of the liquid and I had one spare to transfer wine into it... but since then I can set only one batch at a time (40L :) )
DeleteNow that's what I call experiments! Whenever I get a chance to visit my father or my grandfather they always want me to look at their "scientific work".
DeleteRecently I even saw a book called : "Liquors which can heal" and I must admit that taking part in such tests is always a pleasent thing.
Once I decided to see how to "drive a car" after drinking alcohol. For this purpose, I played video game "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" with the steering wheel (with force feedback) attached ;) It was a very interesting experience. My response level to events decreased rapidly and at some point I realized that I was not looking where I was going. Of course, I crashed the car and police caught me, but luckily it was just a game. I think this is a great way to convince someone how alcohol affects the perception and how dangerous it is to drink and drive.
DeleteIt’s better to have a controlled environment to conduct chemical experiments. At least this might result in a better safety for the people involved.
ReplyDeleteRegarding my own contact with the chemical world.
I remember that while being a teenager I was experimenting with the potassium nitrate. It is a component of the black powder but it is also used as a food preservative. You just need to mix it with sugar to receive an interesting material that burs in very intense way. The mixture can be enclosed into a metal cap. Then you need to make a small hole at the bottom and start the ignition with the small amount of the sulphur from the matches. The cap will start rotating and finally will lift off and fly as a small rocket. Nice view.
You are definitely right about the safety issues - especially when it comes to some materials :)
DeleteI know someone who under the influence of his older brother (who is a chemist) tried to make his own firecracker.... during sampling and mixing particular components of the powder "small accident" had happened. Namely, during setting fire to samples, one fell on the whole pile of the powder causing "only" small fire (small because it wasn’t well mixed yet). Blessing in disguise nobody has been injured (besides carpet, desk, window sill and white wall which has not been white any more). I am definitely against experimenting with gun powder. This is obviously too dangerous.
DeleteI was not experimenting with the black powder - only with the potassium nitrate + sugar :). I agree that getting closer to the powder mixture would get much more dangerous.
DeleteAs for my personal scientific experiments I must dissapoint you. The most sophisticated experiment that I was involved in was growing a been on a gaze stretched on a jar filled with water! Althoug I must admit that this experiment did finish successfully as the plant did manage to grow.
ReplyDeleteI also remeber tricking my frind from school into dropping a mentos into a bottle of coke. The outcome was especially rewarding :)
You know, it is never too late to become a crazy geek :) ... although it might sometimes be too late to stop (I've added this 'sometimes' to leave a tiny piece of hope for me - I'm still working on it ;) )
DeletePoor friend :D
Yes, I've heard! But they are the laboratories for scientists and students of the selected fields of science. I think that such laboratories should not be available to ordinary people because they are equipped with hardware and tools exclusively for professional use. Bad Use of this equipment could endanger human life. Young people very often like to experiment, mix and match substitute. I myself when I was a little put into cans carbide, which normally reacts exothermically with water, emitting gray smoke in the form of acetylene.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if the young people who are interested in chemistry or physics would have access to laboratory workers have much improved their knowledge by developing their minds.
However, in my opinion, laboratories should be available only to people authorized to use the studio.
Unfortunately, when I was young I did not have many occasions to do such experiments. I think that it can be very good fun and a chance to learn for kids. Lot of experiments can be done using simple ingredients found around the house. Parents and teachers should motivate kids to this type of activity but they should also remember that these experiments took place under adult supervision.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t heard about laboratories for ordinary people. But I didn’t search them.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had been young I made salt crystals. A few years ago I repeated this experiment with my daughter. But I have to say that I’m not interested in practicing showed kind of experiments because of low their practical value in my life. So I’m more interested in experiments like Artur’s one.
Generally I prefer more “my little engineering” – I like many kinds of DIY (connected with buildings or mechanics) - and gardening. It takes me so much time that I don’t have it for “scientific” experiments. And similarly to many of us I spend a lot of time on experimenting in my work – some people don’t notice these experiments because they are done in normal office in front of computer display instead of well-equipped laboratories.
I think that experimenting is very important during education – learning everything by heart is simply boring. I think that for effective learning a balance between acquiring knowledge from books, internet etc. and experimenting and practicing is a key.
In fact I remember one experiment I have done when I was a child. It was a "growing crystals of salt" one. It was a very funny experiment and when I recall it now I think I may do it again to find it as cool as I did before.
ReplyDeleteChemistry lesson should look like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.joemonster.org/download.php?d_op=getit&lid=43133
I remember when I was a kid I had a book for children showing various experiments mainly in the field of physics and perception. It was rather a demonstration of different illusions and the laws of physics. I liked to check these things, but unfortunately often lacked the basic elements to carry out the experiment. I wonder if it is still at my parents' house. I also remember that my older brother had a special set to test how the electricity works.
ReplyDeleteAs a child I watched the TV science program "Sonda" led by Andrzej Kurek and Zdzislaw Kaminski. It was amazing. I didn't understand much of it at the time, but I felt that it is fascinating. A huge loss that died in a car accident. Here you can find some archival programs:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sonda+program+tv&oq=sonda+program+tv&gs_l=youtube.3...0.0.0.1511.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac.
I think there should be more special centers for children and young people where they can carry out various experiments in controlled environment such as the "W5" - Ireland's award winning science and discovery center. I had the opportunity to visit it during my stay in Belfast and it was great fun.
http://www.w5online.co.uk/
Your post inspired me to buy one of these toys ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/4M-Industrial-Development-Limited-3644/dp/B000OCOYRY