Science Club in Term 6

The two after school science club sessions for this term took place on 20th and 27th June.

The first session was all about density. The children learnt how to calculate the density of an object and then compared that to the density of water (1g/ml) to predict whether the object would float or sink; consequently, they correctly predicted that an object, despite weighing over 2kg, would float.

Next they had fun preparing density towers with liquids of different densities.

The session finished by considering density of gases. – Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar were mixed to produce carbon dioxide, and then just this carbon dioxide (which is denser than air) was poured over tea light candles to extinguish them.

The final science club session of this term was entitled “Soda Surprises”. The children had fantastic fun making soda geysers by dropping Mentos mints in 2 litre bottles of different fizzy drinks. The children learnt that the soda geysers occurred due to the dimpled surface of the Mentos mints giving the perfect location for liberating large quantities of carbon dioxide bubbles from the drinks. Diet Dr Pepper gave the best soda geyser, whilst fizzy water produced the least spectacular geyser.

The session was rounded off by taping soda bottles (one at a time) to a skateboard and trying to use the soda geyser effect to power the skateboard across the playground.