Catapults, Gears and Pulleys For Your Homeschool Science Curriculum

Simple machines always fascinate me and I'm sure they will fascinate you sufficient to tell your parents or homeschool teacher to add them to your homeschool curriculum. In the following experiments, I am going to show you how to build some simple machines with household articles.

The following homemade simple motor is a kind of a lever that helps lift a ping pong ball and varied heavy objects. I will teach you to build it in no time and to make your homeschool curriculum exciting.

Easy Popsicle Catapult: Place five large sized popsicle sticks one above the other and bind them tightly together by winding rubber bands on both ends. Now bind two large-sized popsicle sticks in the same way but only wind the rubber bands around one end. Pull the free ends of the sticks wide apart in the shape of a "V."

Now insert the stack of five in in the middle of the two sticks forming a V and push it towards the rubber band end, widening the angle of the V. Now collect the intersection with rubber band. Next, place the V on its side so that one arm of the V is resting on the table. On the other arm, glue a cap of a milk jug with the open end up. This cap holds the projectile, which could be a ping pong ball. Just a flick of the catapult's arm will send the ping pong ball in the air. Have fun!

Gears are wheels having teeth along their rims. These teeth fit into each other so that when force is used to turn one wheel the same force is relayed to the other wheel.

Bottle Cap Gears: Flatten out two bottle caps in such a way that they are round in shape and their edges are still wavy. Now make holes in the town of both and nail them to a wooden board in such a way that their wavy edges are in touch with each other, forming the teeth of the gears. When you rotate one cap, the other will also rotate, but in the opposite direction. This is a cool example of simple gears.

Some gears have wheels of unequal diameters. In such a case, when the larger wheel turns once the smaller wheel turns many times and therefore magnifies the force.

The pulley and belt blend is used in many machines. The belt helps transport power from one pulley to the other. Many vehicles use this mechanism to relay power to all wheels. When pulleys of distinct sizes are used, torque (driving power) can be traded for speed and vice versa. The following homeschool curriculum experiment that I have designed will help you see how.

Cool Pulley and Belt Mechanism: Find an old roller skate with the wheels protruding from the sides. The new inline models will not work. Place the skate on its side so that it rests on one set of wheels and the other two wheels are facing upwards. Wind a rubber band over these two wheels. You are using the rubber band as a belt. What happens when you rotate one wheel clockwise? Which way does the other wheel rotate?

Now remove the rubber band from one wheel, holding it still wrapped around the other wheel. Give the rubber band a twist so that it looks like an 8 and put it around the wheel. Now rotate one wheel clockwise. Which way does the other wheel turn? I have now given you a fair idea of how belts are used to make pulleys or wheels turn in the desired direction.

Ball Bearing Experiment: Take a clean paint can without the lid. You will see that after removing the lid there is a rim that is grooved. Now place an old heavy book or a similar object on this groove. Try to turn the book. You will consideration that the book does not for real turn on the can.

Place some marbles all along the rim and place the same book on the marbles. Now try to turn the book. Is it easier? any way there is still friction in the middle of the marbles. How about putting a few drops of cooking oil in the ridge of the rim (this can get messy, so you may use a wooden sheet or a chopping board instead of a book).

Now place the object over the marbles and turn it. Is it easier to turn the book? The above homeschool curriculum experiment will give you an idea about how ball bearings are used in simple machines to sacrifice friction.
Click the link below to check out the free "Homeschool Parent's Guide to Teaching Science", for more great science experiments and activities.

Chemistry Experiments observe Claims Made by Glass Cleaner companies

Science fair projects on glass cleaners are normal classified as chemistry experiments. These projects will contemplate the effectiveness of the cleaner and the security of the cleaner. Before you generate your own chemistry science fair projects try out these sample projects. They will help get you pointed in the right direction.

All glass cleaners use basically the same active ingredients. This is a great place to start when developing science fair projects on glass cleaners. To test this science fair project all you will have to do is correlate the ingredient lists from various glass cleaners. What did you discover? Are you surprised?

What industrial glass cleaner works the best for removing grease from glass? This hypothesis can be tested with chemistry science fair projects. To test this hypothesis you will want to obtain some different brands of glass cleaner, together with the top brands and generic brands. You will then want to streak a piece of glass with various types of grease. Next you will apply the same amount of glass cleaner to a cloth and use the same stroke pressure to try and clean the grease from the glass. Count how many strokes it takes to clean the glass.

How toxic are industrial glass cleaners? This is an additional one very engaging hypothesis that you can test. In this experiment your independent changeable will be the industrial glass cleaner that you use and the dependent changeable will be the toxicity of the glass cleaner. When developing your experiment you will want to contemplate the personel ingredients used in manufacturing the product, as well as the chemical reactions that occur by mixing the ingredients. How toxic are glass cleaners in general?

This sample project is more of a sociology or science of mind project idea. Here you will want to see what aspects of a glass cleaner makes it engaging to consumers. For example, why do so many glass cleaner manufacturers color their cleaners blue? What about the scent of a glass cleaner? Does the construct of the bottle matter? If you don't know where to start with this project, reconsider learning the construct and formulation of the best selling glass cleaner on the market. What features does it have that others try to copy?

Now that you have a few ideas for glass cleaner science fair projects you are ready to construct your own project. A good way to construct your own science fair project is to simply ask questions about your topic. For example, if you wanted to construct science fair projects on glass cleaners then you can ask the following questions: What can glass cleaners clean also glass? Can glass cleaners be used as a germ-free for cuts? Are glass cleaners vaporing solutions? Are glass cleaners poisonous? Do glass cleaners issue toxic gases? Now run with a request and use it to construct a hypothesis.

How to Keep Hot Tub Water Chemistry in balance

Hot tubs can provide a splendid place for total relaxation, stress and tension relief. Accompanied by complementary therapies like aromatherapy, any commonplace hot tub water can turn into extra therapeutic water. Basically, warm water helps in the salvage and healing on the physical state of a human being. It soothes any stressed part of the body by relaxing stiff muscle tissues that often results to muscle pains, spasms and cramps. With the proper use of warmth, these body pains can be relieved and total body regeneration can be acquired just by relaxing.

However, before you can attain this, you should make sure that the water is favorable for human use and should not pose any threat or risk to the condition of the bather. This can be potential by naturally following the suitable in tub water chemistry to ensure that the quality and safety of the water is guaranteed. In general, battling for balanced water chemistry can be demanding of concentration but is promised to yield from good to best results in the condition of the water.

Before you can start with balancing chemicals in your water chemistry, you should first have a reference on your actual water chemistry and the levels of the elements in the water. This can be unmistakably obtained through conducting series of water testing of your tub water. Using a water test kit, you can get the total number of total dissolved solids, the current level of pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness in the water. After running random tests on the water, you can check the corollary so that you can work on elements that need adjustments.

If the elements in the water are too high, you can decrease their level by using unavoidable chemicals that act as reducer. Keep in mind though that the process of gradual increasing of chemical should be determined followed in order to avoid exceeding past the safe zone and off to the other end of the suitable parameter which is the low-level. This is properly done by dividing the chemical reducer into any portions that you can unmistakably conduct to add into the water either by broadcasting or in its diluted form. Be cautious when handling these products as they can be perilous to the condition and on the skin and eyes.

In case of very low-level of unavoidable elements in the water, chemical booster is needed to raise the level on its required level. Keep in mind that water is hungry for elements and that when it is not fed will resume its appetite on whatever it can get as transfer for what is intended. The water will be corrosive which only mean destruction to the factory and the tub itself. Similar with the process of lowering the level on the water chemistry, raising it should also be done moderately and on any parts to avoid getting past the required level and to get the best corollary out of the adjustment. Convert the water every 3 months or when needed as it can also help forestall water problems.

Sexual Chemistry in the middle of Two population - Do You Have It?

Some relationships shimmer with sexual chemistry - and some just do not have it. How do you know if you have sexual chemistry with your partner and what do you do when it is missing?

As a sex coach I am often asked about sexual chemistry between two people and sadly, when I am asked about it, it is commonly not there. When there is sexual chemistry in a relationship, it is hard to miss it.

Sexual chemistry is the sexual power between two people. It is that phenomenal feeling of desire and passion towards another person. A association without sexual attraction is a friendship. If you do not lust after your partner, they may be a phenomenal friend, but not man that you want to make love to for the rest of your life. In this regard, it can be deeply disappointing for a incorporate who are commonly well matched to contemplate that they do not complement each other all that well once the bedroom door is closed.

A lack of chemistry is not necessarily mutual either. It may be that one man gets turned on by another and therefore finds it very difficult to understand why their feelings are not reciprocated. However, it is unlikely that sexual feelings towards a sexual partner will ever convert drastically if the spark is not there in the first place. You either have chemistry or you do not.

Why enter into a association without sexual chemistry?

Women in singular sometimes pick to commit to partners for reasons that have nothing to do with their sexuality. For example, a woman may pick a reliable, strong, trustworthy, responsible man to build a house with - it is an instinct that goes back to the caveman (or woman) days. Having man to protect and contribute for you and your offspring seems to be more leading when choosing a mate than sexual satisfaction at the time.

A few years on, women in relationships without sexual chemistry find that they are profoundly dissatisfied and want more. It is animated that women often start questioning their own happiness levels on many dissimilar fronts at the age of forty and beyond. Sexually it has to do with realizing that you are getting older and a fear that you may not be as desirable as you were when you were twenty years younger - and wanting to make the most of the years you have left. There is nothing wrong with that of course, but it can lead to a lot of soul-searching - and some women make drastic changes to try and accommodate their own needs.

It is not all the time potential to boost sexual chemistry between two people dramatically if it lacks in the first instance, but you still have to take responsibility to be your best sexual self in any association if you pick to be in it. Make sure you educate yourself well. There is power in knowledge.

Help Your Child To compose An Interest In Science Early

I remember from a young age being intrigued by the composition of the world around me. Whenever I would contemplate my surroundings, I would always wonder about their method and fabricate and what they were made of. One of the first things that I would always try to do would be to dismantle the functionality of anything drew my interest. A particular field of study that peaked my interest the most was that of chemistry. After a minuscule time had passed, this curiosity was advanced by my high school chemistry educator which was, eventually, furthered as I obtained my chemistry degree at the undergrad level. From that time forward, I continuously advanced my understanding and have been working in the chemical manufactures ever since. It has been a decade now and my fascination with this branch of science has never dropped off. Rather, it has increased as I have continued to learn and have refined my understanding in this field of study.

In this day and age, as a means to continuously promote an interest in the natural sciences in your child, kits are available that provide an ideal learning environment for modern students. These days, you can derive a well rounded home chemistry lab set and manuals that consist of uncomplicated chemistry labs that do a great job of revealing this exciting field of study. Designing a uncomplicated science scheme lab with study in mind is inherent with amateur home chemistry lab kits that are available for purchase from respected scholastic institutions.

Science jobs as well as expert scholastic jobs in these disciplines are and will continue to be required by manufactures and society. For a trainee to excel in any particular field of discipline such as biochemistry, getting a leg up on the competition with respect to developing understanding and advancement is imperative. The sooner a child begins to learn about a field of study the more ready they will be to face the challenges that these disciplines offer, thus benefiting from the rewards that come from them.

Hsc Chemistry

Hsc Chemistry is one of the most rewarding Hsc subjects you can choose. In terms of scaling, Chemistry has consistently been the highest scaled Hsc science course, compared to Physics and Biology. Chemistry also provides a very beneficial foundation for university courses in the health sciences fields (Medicine, Pharmacy and medical science in particular). With typically nearby 10,000 students doing Chemistry for their Hsc each year, it is also one of the most popular Hsc subjects chosen. If you can do well in Chemistry, it will greatly help your Uai and your chances of getting into the university procedure you desire.

Why select Hsc Chemistry
As mentioned, Hsc Chemistry is the highest scaled science procedure ordinarily available across practically all schools in Nsw. The first surmise is that because sciences (Hsc Physics in particular) ordinarily scale well, there is an economy of scale in choosing and doing both subjects. For example, if you are a logically oriented student who tends to do well at quantitative / conceptual-based subjects like mathematics, there is a good opening you will enjoy science subjects. The sad thing about the Hsc and the way schools structure their subject offerings (for most schools anyway) is that students often do not have much subjects to select from. Therefore they are left with limited choice from which they can select, and most often always end up doing the same subjects (Mathematics + science combination). While this is not a bad thing, this means that if you are a student who is intent on choosing quantitative subjects, you will most likely doing at least 2 out of the 3 subjects. Based on scaling statistics of past years, Chemistry and Physics scale the highest out of the sciences.

Students should also note that Chemistry has traditionally scaled as well as English Advanced. In the past few years, Hsc Chemistry had a scaled mean (published by Uac's annual scaling report, in their Table A3) of nearby 30/50. This places Hsc Chemistry at nearby the same scaled mean as Economics, English Advanced, and slightly higher than Physics (28-29 out of 50 in recent years). While it is recommended that you select subjects based on your talents and interests, if you are going to do at least 1 or 2 Hsc science subjects, you may as well select Chemistry as one of your science subjects in order to benefit from the good scaling.

Doing well in Hsc Chemistry
Hsc Chemistry is a very experience-based course. There are many things which a student will realise at the end of their first Chemistry course, or even halfway straight through their Hsc year. For example, students find it hard to accept that there is no clearly defined pattern when trying to decree the valency of transition metals. Valencies of coarse anions and cations need to be rote-memorised, as there is no coarse thread of logic which can be used to gather them (not within the scope of the Hsc subject, that is). Therefore many things come with experience, as time goes on and students moderately familiarise with the piecemeal bits of facts that they need to remember and use throughout Hsc Chemistry. We will look at a few key examples of what we mean which makes this procedure experience-based.

Common valencies
The coarse valencies of anions and cations need to be remembered quite well. For example, there is no 'reason' that will be given to you throughout your Hsc why carbonate ions have a fee of -2. Similarly there is no 'reason' that will be given to you to elucidate why silver ions have a fee of +1, whereas most other transition metals have an oxidation state of +2. These odd exceptions and facts will come with experience.

Some coarse valencies you should remember are:
- How to surmise the fee on monatomic ions using the periodic table. For example, Groups I, Ii and Iii would have a fee of +1, +2 and +3 respectively, whereas Groups V, Vi and Vii would have a fee of -3, -2 and -1 respectively.
- Transition metals have an oxidation state of +2 most of the time. Know the exceptions (discussed in next point)
- coarse exceptions to transition metals having a +2 oxidatoin state are: Iron (can be iron(Ii) or iron(Iii)), copper (can be copper(I) or copper(Ii)) and silver (almost always +1 only, as silver(I)).
- All the coarse polyatomic anions (carbonate, sulfate, nitrate are the three that are most ordinarily referred to throughout the course)

Solubility rules
Solubility rules for Hsc Chemistry are important to remember, as most of the time they help you get the state of assorted salts strict when writing your balanced formulae. For example, in the reaction in the middle of magnesium metal and dilute sulfuric acid, how would you know either the resultant salt, magnesium sulfate, is in aqueous or solid state? You would know this only from remembering some general rules of solubility, that magnesium sulfate would be soluble in water.

Some ordinarily applicable solubility rules you will need for Hsc Chemistry:

- All alkali metals (Group I metals) like sodium, potassium, lithium etc are soluble as an ion
- All nitrate salts are soluble
- All chloride salts are soluble
- Most alkali earth metals (Group Ii) like magnesium, calcium etc are soluble as an ion
- All hydrogen compounds (i.e. coarse acids like sulfuric acids, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid) are soluble.
- Only some hydroxides are soluble (be rigorous here)
- Only some sulfides are soluble
- Only some carbonates are soluble
- Only some phosphates are soluble

The above is nothing else but a very general and basic recall of the unblemished solubility rules that a good student should remember. nothing else but this is just from the top of the author's memory from when he did his Hsc many years ago, but it highlights the point that solubility rules ought to be remembered well. There will be many situations where you would like to know about the water-solubility of sure salts, in order to get the state correct. You can often find neat and beneficial summaries of solubility rules at assorted places online that are adequate for Hsc purposes.

Module-specific experience
Hsc Chemistry modules are similar to Hsc Physics in that they appear quite piecemeal and separated from each other. A student can have an excellent comprehension in one module but have a poor comprehension of the next. Therefore it is important to keep a consistent regime of study throughout the Hsc year, and gain a total comprehension of each module.

Within each module, a good Chemistry student would need to know about the subtle points in order to have a unblemished understanding. For example, in the 'Production of Materials' module, it is a good idea to read straight through a reputable textbook like Chemistry in Contexts or Conquering Chemistry and get a feel of all the assorted polymers (addition and condensation polymer types) that can be produced from assorted monomers. A good student would be able to recognize the connection in the middle of the monomer used and the polymer it results in, as well as some basic chemical and bodily properties that can be predicted from seeing at the polymer or even monomer structure. For example, if we see large functional groups, we know there will be chain stiffening, causing hardness, rigidity and tensile force of the resultant polymer. If we add plasticisers or vulcanise the polymer, we know this will give the polymer flexibility and elastic properties (e.g. Garden hose made from Pvc). All these limited facts come from experience, from sitting down and reading into a textbook to get the vital background information needed. Or you may have a great teacher at school or Hsc tutoring which might supplant your knowledge with the vital background information.

Another example, in the next module, 'The Acidic Environment', the content deals practically exclusively with acids and bases, and the reactions that come from dealing with such chemicals. straight through doing many questions and figuring why you went wrong each time you did, you should gain a mastery of predicting how buffers react to changes via Le Chatelier's principle. Nearing the final exams, a good student would be able to predict all reactions to changes at a glance. For example, a coarse enclosed law is a fizzy softdrink. If you pressurise a softdrink can with more carbon dioxide, what happens? Increased gas pressure results in more dissolution of carbon dioxide in order to counteract the pressure change. What if you increase the temperature? increasing climatic characteristic causes the law to react endothermically, which is the release of carbon dioxide gas. Also the definite solubility of carbon dioxide decreases as you increase temperature. Students should be able to recognize and reveal all these aspects of an enclosed law in order to accomplish an excellent mark from Hsc Chemistry.

How to ace Hsc Chemistry
The short sass is to gain the vital experience. Don't feel bad when at first the whole of odd facts which don't fit into any pattern seems overwhelming. Don't let that demotivate and demoralise you. Instead, understand that all the vital knowledge will come with experience. Convention makes perfect, so do more questions and ask more questions. If there's anything you don't understand, ask a teacher or tutor.

It is important to gain a solid grasp of the important fundamentals early on for a subject like Chemistry. What this means is to get a good comprehension of the things which you will use again and again throughout your Hsc Chemistry course, early on, preferably before year 12 starts. The things mentioned in this article, plus the following, are repeatedly used throughout the whole course:

- coarse valencies (discussed above)
- Solubility rules (discussed above)
- Naming salts and covalent compounds
- Identifying the bonding structure of coarse substances - covalent molecular? ionic lattice? Covalent lattice? Metallic lattice?
- Understand how intermolecular forces work, and how they reveal to bodily properties (boiling and melting points, ductility, luster, hardness, flexibility, tensile force etc)
- Naming carbon compounds (including multi-chains containing functional groups, manifold double and triple bonds, with attached halogens)

Cooking Up Chemistry in the Kitchen!

Hey kids, when most population hear the word "chemistry", they think of creepy laboratories with bubbling beakers of toxic goo. But chemistry can happen any time two different things react together to make something new, and there are fun science experiments that you can do right in your kitchen!

Experiment 1: Magic Mud

All you need for this experiment is some cornstarch, water, and a little bit of food colouring to show it off.

1. Add 5 tablespoons of cornstarch to a bowl. Make sure you use something to scrape off the extra starch so you have a nice level spoonful.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the bowl.

3. Add 3 drops of food colouring.

4. Stir the mixture.

This combination should be hard to stir unless you stir very, very slowly. If it seems runny, add a few pinches more cornstarch. If it seems nothing else but dry, add a bit more water.

Now try squeezing a little bit of your magic mud in the middle of your fingers and rolling it into a ball. Then open your hand and watch what happens. Poke the top of your magic mud quickly, and your finger will bounce off. But if you sink your finger in slowly, the mud will swallow it up! It acts like a liquid and a solid!

For a real adventure, try using the same measurements (5 parts cornstarch, 3 parts water) to make up a nothing else but big batch in a large pan, or even a kids' swimming pool! If you run fast enough, you can nothing else but run over the top of the magic mud. Just don't slow down, or you'll find yourself sinking into the goo!

Experiment 2: The improbable Giant Hand

For this experiment, you will need baking soda, vinegar, and a rubber glove. If you don't have one, you could use a balloon to make The improbable Giant Head.

1. Use a marker to draw hair on the rubber glove (or a face on the balloon).

2. Determined add a few spoonfuls of baking soda to the glove.

3. Pour some vinegar into the glove.

4. Tie the glove closed, like you would a balloon. Shake it around a bit.

Now watch what happens. The hand (or head) will grow!

When the solid baking soda and the liquid vinegar meet, they react to form a gas called carbon dioxide.
They make so much of it that it will blow up your balloon for you.

Experiment 3: Acid or Alkali

For this experiment, you need some beetroot or red cabbage. It also provides you with a tasty snack.

1. Have an adult help you boil the cabbage or beetroot until the water changes colour.

2. Derive some of the coloured water.

Scientists use something called pH indicator to quantum how acid or alkali something is. different acids and alkalis will make the indicator change different colours.

You've just made pH indicator. Have an adult help you test small amounts of your coloured water with acids and alkalis around the house. Vinegar, juice, household cleaners, antacid tablets, and baking soda are good places to start.

The more acidic something is, the lower the pH number. See if you can form out the pH of your test subjects:

pH Colour

2 red (very acidic)

4 purple

6 violet

8 blue

10 blue-green

12 yellow-green (very alkali)

And the best part about this experiment is that you can eat the vegetables you cooked! Now that's fun science!

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