Curated Video
First Synthetic Pigment
The story of how a contaminated reaction in the early 1700s led to the accidental discovery of blue pigment, the first synthetic paint. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. In the 1700s, paints were colored using naturally occurring...
Curated Video
The Elements: Iron
Iron is crucial in many areas of life: it is found in our blood, as well as being used to build bridges. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Iron is one of the most common element on Earth. Iron is found in living organisms....
Curated Video
Why is Blood Red?
What is it in our blood that makes it red, and why are other animals different? Biology - Human Body - Learning Points. Haemoglobin is the most efficient oxygen carrier and provides the red pigment in blood. Not all animals have red...
Curated Video
What Are Electromagnets?
How do electromagnets differ from permanent magnets, and what are they used for? Physics - Electricity And Circuits - Learning Points. An electromagnet is created by running an electrical current through a coil of wire. An electromagnet...
Curated Video
Oxygen and Combustion
Combustion reactions are vital: from keeping us warm and cooking our food, to providing electricity and propelling rockets into outer space. What do we know about these chemical reactions? Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points....
Curated Video
Oxidation Reactions
Why do we cook our food wrapped in aluminium foil? Why does metal rust? It all comes down to oxidation reactions. Discover what happens to cause these reactions, and how to stop them. Chemistry - ReactionsLearning Points. The combustion...
Curated Video
How Hot Is the Earth's Core?
Unreachable by man, scientists have developed a complex experiment to demonstrate the heat and pressure at the centre of the Earth. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. The Earth's core is a dense ball of iron and nickel. To...
Curated Video
Structure of the Earth
The land surface of the Earth accounts for 1% of its total volume. Travel from the core to Earth's surface, examining the layers that make up our planet. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. The Earth is made up of four layers. The...
Curated Video
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the biggest risk to health worldwide. It has become a common problem in the developing world. What is it and how does it develop? Biology - Healthy Living - Malnutrition is a chronic lack of nutrients. Malnutrition is the...
Curated Video
Metals in Medicine
Metals are used in the human body for a wide range of medical purposes. Discover which metals are used and what properties they have that can help to heal us. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Titanium, stainless steel and...
Curated Video
Balanced Diet - Nutrition Essentials
Discover which foods are vital for a healthy diet. What should you be eating, how much, and why? Biology - Healthy Living - Learning Points. You need a balanced diet to be healthy. A balanced diet is varied and contains different amounts...
Curated Video
Transition Metals
Transition metals are the largest group in the periodic table. Find out what similarities they share, and how we make use of these metals. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Transition metals are found as a block in the middle...
Curated Video
Rusting Nails
We investigate the conditions needed for rust to form. Four iron nails are placed under different conditions. One is half submerged in water. Another is completely submerged in boiled water. One is half submerged in salt water. The final...
Curated Video
Making an Electromagnet
We create a simple electromagnet by coiling wire around a nail and passing current through it. The magnetic field around the electromagnet creates similar patterns in iron fillings to a permanent magnet. Physics - Electricity And...
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Ferrofluids
We compare the properties of three iron mixtures: iron and water, iron and oil and a ferrofluid - a mixture of compounds containing iron and oil. First, we look at how iron filings behave when mixed with water and then oil. We then hold...
Curated Video
Magnetic Strength
We use two magnets and a set of scales to examine magnetic field and strength. One magnet is attached to the scales and a second is lowered towards it. When opposite poles are facing each other, the weight on the scales decreases as the...
Curated Video
Iron and Luminol
We use potassium ferricyanide and luminol indicator to show how forensic scientists detect blood at crime scenes. The luminol indicator contains luminol, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. When luminol comes into contact with the...
Curated Video
Mass of Wire Wool
We look at how the mass of wire wool changes when it is burned. Wire wool is almost 99% iron. When we burn it, it combines chemically with oxygen from the air to form iron(III) oxide. The mass of the product is more than the mass of the...
Curated Video
Forming Iron Sulfide
We examine the different properties of iron and sulfur when they are mixed and when they are chemically combined. When iron and sulfur are mixed they retain their individual properties. When they react chemically to form iron sulfide...
Curated Video
Redox Reactions
For centuries, humans have been extracting metals from molten ores. Today, the basic technique remains the same, but how does extraction work? Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Metals can be extracted from rocks if they are heated...
Curated Video
Life Cycle Nutrition
From newborn babies to the elderly, changes to our diet at are vital as our age progresses. Find out how different nutrients help our bodies function at different stages in life. Biology - Healthy Living - Our nutritional needs change as...
Curated Video
What Are Magnets?
What are the properties of magnets, and why are they useful to us? Physics - Electricity And Circuits - Learning Points. A permanent magnet is a piece of metal that possesses a magnetic field. The magnetic field is strongest at the...
Curated Video
Core (Earth sciences)
The central, usually hottest and densest, part of a larger structure, for example a star, planet or galaxy. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual...
Curated Video
Oceanic crust
The uppermost solid layer of the Earth beneath the oceans. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual definitions. Twig Science Glossary Films reinforce...