Science Week 5

This week in science we did another activity involving the states of matter and at the same time introduced another concept. We taught the children about pressure, creation of a gas, and Newton’s -Third Law of Motion with two different activities. In one activity, we used Alka-Seltzer and water to create a gas. This gas was used to propel a film canister upward by building pressure inside the closed canister. As the pressure escapes out of the top of the canister, the bottom part is forced upward. This allows the children to conceptualize Newton’s Third Law of Motion.  The second experiment we did also showed the creation of a gas and the buildup of pressure. The second experiment for the week was the Mentos fountain experiment. Essentially, we take different types of liquid (e.g. soda, water, juice, lemonade, etc.) and combine them with Mentos to see if a reaction occurs. In the process we observe the buildup of pressure and explosion from certain carbonated liquids. This creates a fountain— hence the name. The children learn in the process that not all liquids react the same way and that chemical reactions can happen at different intensities.