High School Science Fair Project

High School Science Fair Project

Here is a great science fair project for high school that you will probably think is too immature for a high school student. However , this is exactly what you can do, especially for Chemistry class.

You are going to prepare a mixture which will have a chmical reaction and change the physical properties momentarily. This one will make you study the components for a while.

You will make a product I call liquid play dough because when you mix it and before you scoop it up it is liquid form, however, once in your hands and you start to play with it the composite will become very firm.

Here is your Objective: You want to compare and then contract two ingredients that you will mix. They are glue and liquid starch.

When you mix these two items together you need to watch visually and feel with touch for the changes that occur. Before I give you the exact recipe you need to make your hypothesis about what will happen to the goop when you play with in your hands, what happens when you leave it to rest. What happens if you don't put this into a closed container.

Here is where your chemistry comes in to play.
Liquid starch or starch in general in made from glucose. Glucose is a sugar (a simple sugar).
Glue is made up mostly of proteins.

Think about the molecular structure of both of these substances.

When you mix the two of these together there is a link formed with these two substances and changes the physical properties of both substances creating a somewhat new substance.

Recipe for liquid play dough: liquid starch, household glue, a large plastic tub to mix the ingredients. I usually use an old cool whip type of container.

Put about 1/2 cup of glue in the plastic bowl. Now measure out 1/2 cup of the liquid starch. Look at both substances and make notes of what they look like, cloudy, clear, see through, the thickness of the liquid.

Pour the starch into the bowl with the glue and your hand to mix the two ingredients together so you can feel what happens as the two combine. As you mix you should get a somewhat slimy but yet firm product. If it is too runny add more glue.

If it is too firm add a little more starch.

Once it has formed a somewhat solid formation hold the new combination in your hand and put it under running water to wash off the excess starch and glue.

Squeeze the mixture between your fingers to see what happens when you continually play with it. Now let it rest and hold just in the palm of your hand. What happens to the mixture?

Roll it around again until it becomes firm and try to bounce it on the ground? What happened? Record your findings.

Try to stretch it and see how far and long you can stretch it before it tears. What happens? Record your findings.

Now put most of the new combo into a plastic baggie but leave a small piece out in the open air to dry out.
This may take more than a day but when it had dried out see if you can being the mixture back to life.

Now put another small piece in a baggie and put it into the freezer. What happened to it when you froze it? Try to thaw it and see if the mixture is the same.

What did this smell like, what color was it and what form did it turn into? Record all your findings.

Look for more high school science fair projects at http://scienceprojects.fetching.us