Hot & Cold Water

Yes, we did another science experiment today. I don't KNOW how the boys and I got ahead but I'm glad we did. We are enjoying a week of lots of hands on activities. I hesitate to share our science speculations sheets as we are NOTORIOUS (or I am) for having science plans go awry...but we seem to be doing o.k. I'm not sure we ALWAYS hit on the right solution but we ARE following the steps and recording what happens. ::snort::

Materials Used:
Large Clear Bowl Paper Cup Pen/Nail
Blue & Yellow Food Coloring Spoon Hot & Cold Water

Procedure: (What you will do or what you did)
Fill bowl with hot water. Fill cup with cold water. Punch a hole in cup. Let cup in bowl. Which way does the cold water move as it enters the bowl?

Fill bowl with ice water. Fill cup with hot water. What happens? How is it different? What is this happening?

Based on this experiment, which is heavier: hot water or cold water?

Hypothesis: (What you think will happen and why)
Zander – The waters will mix up.

Nolan – I think they’ll be on top of each other. The cold will be at the bottom.

Arielle – I think the same as Nolan (Arielle gets to guess first next time! LOL)

Results: (What actually happened)
When we mixed cold water into hot water…it all mixed together but the yellow (cold) dropped quickly to the bottom – mixing colors (temps) on the way down.

When we mixed hot water into the cold water…the hot swirled around the top more before mixing with the cold water. The layers of the water were more noticeable when we put hot water into ice water.


Conclusion: (What have you learned)
Cold water is heavier than hot water. Blue and yellow make green and if you mix red and blue with it too you get black!

Close observation is necessary for any true Scientist.


Unexpected lesson for the younger bunch: mixing all the colors makes new colors! I really do enjoy the one room school house experience. LOL (We do keep food dye around for science - note we keep Zander away from ingesting or touching it with his allergies).


Lunch Break seems to be a good to time to upload quick updates....now to remember to EAT LUNCH! ::snort:: Oh SHOOT - now KOA is saying our family is too big to stay at their site....I'm on the phone...we shall see.

©2008 D.R.G.

Lungs & Air Pressure

Scientific Speculation Sheet
Name _____________________________ Date ______6 Oct_______

Experiment Title _______Lungs & Air Pressure____________________

Materials Used:
2 Liter Plastic bottle with lid
Balloon
Person with a foot

Procedure: (What you will do or what you did)
Blow up ballon….keep it inside the bottle.
Step on the bottle…watch to see what happens to the balloon.
Step off the bottle ….watch to see what happens to the balloon.

Hypothesis: (What you think will happen and why)
Nolan – pop the balloon.
Airelle – balloon will get smaller and then bigger when you step off of it.
Zander – balloon will pop.

Results: (What actually happened)
The balloon got smaller when the person stepped on the air-tight bottle.

The balloon got bigger when the person stepped off the bottle.

Conclusion: (What have you learned)
When Jared stepped on the bottle the air pressure increased inside the bottle. The pressure pushed on the balloon and made it get smaller. When Jared stepped off the bottle, the pressure got less and the balloon got bigger. This is like our lungs when we dive deep into the ocean. The deeper you dive, the stronger the pressure gets and your lungs shrink (compress). When you come to the surface, the pressure is less, your lungs go back to normal size. Oxygen tanks help divers breath and also controls the air pressure.















©2008 D.R.G.

Mini - Gyres

We find ourselves with a light history week and we're 2 weeks ahead in lit. This is the perfect time to do all the hands on activities from module one in Zoology 2. We made the following pages for our notebook - photos are embedded where the step is discussed in the real thing. LOL

Scientific Speculation Sheet

Name _____________________________ Date ___6 Oct__________

Experiment Title ________Making a Mini-Gyre____________________

Materials Used:
2 blow dryers
Cheerios
Casserole dish
water

Procedure: (What you will do or what you did)
Blow air opposite directions along the side of the dish. Sprinkle Cheerios on top.

Hypothesis: (What you think will happen and why)
We thought they would go in circles. Because the water is going in different directions, because the air is going in different directions, that will make the Cheerios go in a circle.

Ocean currents do this and it is called a gyre.

Results: (What actually happened)
The Cheerios eventually went around in a circle.

Conclusion: (What have you learned)
When the air blows from opposite directions over water it creates a gyre.

Note: Zander is engaged! LOL

©2008 D.R.G.