Curated Video
Rubens' Tube
We create a Rubens\u2019 Tube to demonstrate the movement of sound waves. A tube lined with holes is filled with propane and connected to a speaker. We light the gas coming from the holes and play different frequencies and volumes of...
Curated Video
Instant Crystals
We use a supersaturated solution of sodium ethanoate to demonstrate instant crystallisation. Sodium ethanoate is added to water and is then heated to allow all of the crystals to dissolve. When it is cooled it forms a supersaturated...
Curated Video
Distillation of Ink
We use distillation to remove the water from ink. The ink is heated in a conical flask with a delivery tube running to a beaker. The water has a lower boiling point and so it evaporates before the ink. The water condenses as it travels...
Curated Video
Endothermic Reaction
We demonstrate an endothermic reaction by mixing hydrated barium hydroxide with ammonium thiocyanate. When these two solids react they take heat from the surrounding air. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Breaking bonds takes in...
Curated Video
Metal Extraction
We extract copper metal from copper chloride solution using electrolysis. The electric current causes copper to form at one electrode and chlorine gas to form at the other. The presence of chlorine is tested using blue litmus paper....
Curated Video
Clearing Oil Spills
We investigate the effectiveness of different methods to clear oil spills from water. First, we try to burn the oil in a sample of water using a gas lighter but there is no effect. Next, we break the oil up using detergent but this does...
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
Cloud in a Bottle
We create a cloud in a bottle using warm water and smoke. Some warm water is placed in a plastic bottle and then some smoke is drawn in using a glowing splint. The bottle is sealed and then squeezed and released. The change in pressure...
Curated Video
Chemical Filtration
We look at how chemical filtration can be used to remove contaminants from water. Potassium permanganate is used as the contaminant. First, we try to remove it using physical filtration, with filter paper and a funnel. This does not...
Curated Video
Burning Bubbles
We investigate the properties of two types of gas bubbles: methane gas bubbles and bubbles of the gas we breathe out. The air-filled bubbles sink and we are unable to set them alight, while the methane bubbles float upwards and are...
Curated Video
Dry Ice and Magnesium
We use magnesium and blocks of dry ice to show how a redox reaction occurs. A cavity in a block of dry ice is filled with coils of magnesium ribbon, which are set alight. A second block is then placed on top, but instead of this putting...
Curated Video
Extracting Lead
We discover how to extract lead from lead(II) oxide. We mix lead(II) oxide with charcoal powder and then heat the mixture using a Bunsen burner. It glows bright red as a reaction occurs and after a few minutes we are left with pure lead....
Curated Video
Orange Tornado
We use mercury(II) chloride solution and potassium iodide to demonstrate a precipitation reaction. Saturated potassium iodide solution is placed on a magnetic stirrer and the speed is set so that a vortex is created. Mercury(II) chloride...
Curated Video
Ionic Bonding
How metals and non-metals combine to form compounds with unique and very different properties. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. An electrically charged atom is called an ion. Ionic bonds are very strong. Ions are formed...
Curated Video
Meanders and Oxbow Lakes
Meanders and oxbow lakes are found in the middle course of a river. Discover how a meander forms and how this process can lead to an oxbow lake. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. At its middle course, a river gathers water...
Curated Video
Therapeutic Stem Cells
Stem cell therapy is a radical new treatment with the potential to restore eyesight and heal injuries. However, many object to its moral implications. Biology - Cells And DNA - Learning Points. Stem cells can repair or rebuild damaged...
Curated Video
Covalent Bonding
How non-metal elements combine by covalent bonds to form compounds. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Covalent bonds occur between non-metal atoms. The number of bonds depends on how many electrons are in the outer shell....
Curated Video
The Bends
The potentially deadly threat changes in pressure pose for divers. What happens when a diver experiences the bends, and how can they be saved? Physics - Forces - Learning Points. The Bends is decompression sickness, which affects divers...
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
The Halogens
Halogens are hazardous to human life, yet they can also be very useful. How do they react when they meet other elements? Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The halogens are the elements in Group 7 of the periodic table. The...
Curated Video
Land Formations
Learn how our planet's landscapes, from mountains to hills, plateaus to plains, have been sculpted over millions of years by powerful geological forces. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. The planet's diverse landscape is shaped...
Curated Video
Fossil Fuels: Use
Fossil fuels are a finite energy source. How long will they last, and why is it so difficult and costly to extract these fuels from beneath the earth and oceans? Earth Science - Earth's Resources - Learning Points. Fossil fuels are...
Curated Video
Binary: The Computer Language
We use binary every day – although we might not know it. Find out how this number system is used in computers to store large amounts of data. Maths - Number A Twig Math Film. Reinforce and extend the learning required by the curriculum....
Curated Video
Diodes and Transistors
How these simple semiconductor devices allow us to control the strength and flow of electrical current in a circuit, and are integral components in modern electrical equipment. Physics - Electricity And Circuits - Learning Points....