Salt Water
Materials Needed:
A Pan
Ocean Water or Make Some Salt Water
Pour about a half cup of salt water into a shallow pan.
Set the pan outside in the sun or leave it in a warm area.
Wait for all of the water to evaporate. Depending on where you place the pan this could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Examine the bottom of the pan. What do you see?
Wet your finger and rub it on the bottom of the pan. Now lick your finger. How does it taste?
What do you think that white residue in the pan was?
Why?
Salt is a solid. Only the water in the ocean or salt water will evaporate. The salt is left behind.
Make Your Own Stalactites and Stalagmites
Materials Needed:
2- 1 quart glass jars
2 feet of soft yarn
Parental supervision
A stove
Large Pot
8 oz. Alum ( found in the spice section of the grocery store or at a pharmacy).
Water
2 small rocks
Place the two glass jars in the sun to heat them up.
In the large pot heat 2 quarts of water. Do not let it boil.
Pour 1 quart of water into each jar. MAKE SURE THE JARS ARE NOT COLD OR THEY WILL SHATTER.
Pour 4 oz. of alum into each jar and stir until dissolved.
Tie one rock to each end of the yarn.
Place one rock into each jar.
Place the jars in an area will they will not be disturbed for several days but can be observed.
Make sure the jars are close enough together that the yarn in between sags just a little bit.
Check the yarn and below the yarn every day. What Happened?
As the water is soaked into the yarn a alum icicle will form at the sag in the yarn. As the water drips off of the yarn it will land on the surface and evaporate. The alum left behind will leave a pile. This is much like how real stalactites and stalagmites are formed. As the water evaporates, the minerals left behind leave these forms.
Go To Page: 1
