Household Chemicals & the Environment

Working in groups of two, learners examine their own carbon footprints and energy consumption, then determine a plan to reduce their impacts on the environment. Although designed to be a final project for a chemistry class, the...

This is a classic chemical reaction to use in your science class. Starch and iodine mix to cause a color change. Discuss with aspiring chemists the chemical and physical changes that occur as you demonstrate.

Have your class write secret messages using Goldenrod paper and a basic liquid such as ammonia. This is a great way to illustrate the chemical reactions between acids and bases. This could lead to an exploration of chemical reactions and...

An exothermic reaction is demonstrated by showing what happens when hydrogen peroxide reacts with manganese dioxide. It creates the effect used by film makers to have a genie coming out of a bottle in a burst of cloudy gas. Spangler is...

Make a Halloween pumpkin foam at the mouth! Using hydrogen peroxide, toothpaste, and yeast, you can recreate this chemical reaction in your classroom. It can lead to a discussion of the way ingredients mix together to make a new...

There's a lot going on here: air pressure changes, inertia, and chemical reactions. All of this occurs in 60 seconds time! As an end of the year physical science assessment, consider showing this video clip and then having learners write...

In honor of the 4th of July, Steve Spangler shows how to make an explosive concoction in red, white, and blue. Using hydrogen peroxide, dishwashing liquid, and yeast, he creates a colorful chemical reaction. Consider this combination...

This visually vibrant activity demonstrates what happens when dish soap weakens the bonds that hold fats and proteins suspended in milk. Perhaps you can have chemistry lab groups perform this activity when they are learning about...

The light sticks that trick-or-treaters carry at Halloween glow by the process of chemiluminescence, a chemical reaction in which electrons jump to a higher energy level. In this video, the variable of temperature is introduced to find...

Students examine the effect of hazardous chemicals on humans. They discover how the chemicals are cleaned up and the facilities in their neighborhood. They identify federal and local agencies that oversee environmental hazards