We examine the effects of different temperatures and chemicals on the heart rate of Daphnia. A microscope is used to let us see the Daphnia\u2019s heart and establish the heart rate under normal conditions. The heart...

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...

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...

We investigate the effect that unbalanced charge has on polar molecules. We rub a balloon against hair to build up a negative charge and then hold this near a stream of water and then a stream of treacle. They both bend towards the...

We demonstrate denaturing by adding the enzyme trypsin to photographic film. Strips of photographic film are added to trypsin solution at different temperatures to determine the optimum conditions for the enzyme. In the right conditions...

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...

We use three chemical solutions to create an oscillating reaction. The three different solutions are mixed using a magnetic stirrer and the colour changes from clear to amber to dark blue. This pattern repeats as the concentrations of...

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...

We use a Hero's engine model to show how equal and opposite forces can cause propulsion. Two holes are pierced in a metal bottle and some water is added. This is suspended above a Bunsen burner, and as the water boils and leaves the...

We add a jelly baby to a boiling tube containing potassium chlorate. When the chemicals react, gas is rapidly produced. The screaming sound is created as the gas escapes from the tube. The sweet burns brightly as the reaction occurs....

We inflate a rubber glove using the gas produced during a neutralisation reaction. Bicarbonate of soda is added to vinegar in a beaker covered by a rubber glove and it expands. The gas is used to extinguish a flame, showing that it is...

We create a rapidly expanding column of foam by mixing chemicals. Hydrogen peroxide and detergent are added to potassium iodide and food colouring to set off a reaction that creates vibrant expanding foam. Chemistry - Reactions -...

We demonstrate the effects of imbalances of pressure. A metal can is crushed by atmospheric pressure. We add some water to a can and boil it until the can is full of water vapour. It is then sealed and left to cool and after a few...

We use a sounding board called a sonometer to investigate how the pitch of sound changes when the length of wire being plucked changes. We change the position of a moveable bridge to change the length of the wire and discover that...

We interleave the pages of notebooks to see how hard it is to pull them apart. As the amount of interleaving increases, we see that the force required to separate them also increases. This is because the friction between the notebooks is...

We use lemons and strips of zinc and copper to make a battery. First, strips of copper and zinc are added to one lemon and they are connected across a voltmeter. This is repeated, this time with more lemons and metal plates, until a...

We compare two cans, one painted black and the other painted white, to see how quickly they lose heat. The containers are placed in front of a heat source and heated to the same temperature. The temperature in each container is recorded...

We lower a helium-filled balloon into liquid nitrogen to see how the change in temperature affects its volume. When it hits the cool liquid nitrogen, the gas inside contracts and the volume of the balloon decreases. When it is removed...

We use a metal ball and hoop to demonstrate heat expansion. When cool, the ball fits through the hoop, but there is little extra space. The ball is then heated over a Bunsen burner. When hot, the ball doesn't fit through the hoop. We see...

We use coloured agar cubes to see how different shapes change the rate of diffusion. The cubes are made using sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein indicator to give them a pink colour. When these are added to hydrochloric acid, the...

A unique Siberian breeding experiment tried to rid wild foxes of their aggressive genes. Was the experiment successful? Biology - Cells And DNA - Learning Points. In 1959, Siberian scientists set up two breeding programmes using silver...

Watch the extraordinary outcome of a laboratory experiment in which participants are given electric shocks. How does anticipation of pain or the use of placebos affect the pain the participants feel? Biology - Being Human - Learning...

Learn how bones change shape to form the adult skeleton, the problems this causes for growing teenagers, and how to ensure healthy bones for life. Biology - Being Human - Learning Points. Hormones released during puberty cause a rapid...

The story of an extreme experiment which reversed scientific opinion on the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Chemistry - Chemical Industries - Learning Points. In 1979, Prof Sinclair conducted an extreme experiment to prove his...