evaporation | Kelly St. Scientists

Einstein quote

I saw this as I was eating my breakfast this morning and thought how this totally sums up learning through play. And explains why today we revisited gas.

This morning we looked at gas with the more scientific frame of mind, attempting to create a gas by mixing a liquid and a powder. We caught and measured the gas in the balloons again.

As usual we made and recorded predictions, observations and our thinking about why it happened (training the mind to think!).

Only one person predicted their solution wouldn’t make a gas:

Natalie – “I predict no gas.”

Everyone else predicted lots of gas would be made.

Innes chose a tablet and vinegar and predicted "a big gas" — Innes chose a tablet and vinegar and predicted “a big gas”

Lucy chose to mix a tablet and bubble bath and predicted "a big bit of gas". — Lucy chose to mix a tablet and bubble bath and predicted “a big bit of gas”.

Pearce chose to mix a tablet and vinegar and predicted "lot's of gas". — Pearce chose to mix a tablet and vinegar and predicted “lot’s of gas”.

In fact Sophia and Olivia selected their ingredients based on their past experience with the science. When asked why they had selected bicarbonate of soda and vinegar,

Olivia replied: “Because it’s going to get bigger and explode!”

and Sophia said, “Because I want mine to get ginormous!”

So there were a variety of results depending on the combination chosen.

We had to wotk together to crush the tablets.

We squeezed the balloons to feel the gas.

Olivia pours her bicarbonate of soda from her balloon into the vinegar.

Gabriel was disappointed when his mixture of fizzy water and icing sugar made very little gas.

Patrick was able to set up his expeiment with very little help.

Ryan liked watching the bubbles fizz and make the gas.

Sophia’s mixture made a lot more gas than Isla’s

carbonated water and effervescent vitamin tablet.

“Oh my gosh Sophia! That is soooo big!” – Millie

The most interesting however was the bubble bath + effervescent tablet………

You could see the crushed tablet sink into the bubble bath.

The crushed tablet took a while to mix with the bubble bath so nothing happened for a while.

After a while it mixed and produced a little gas!

Gracie and Bramble were able to apply their previous science learning to their understanding of what had happened…

"We made a potion. It forced up lots and lots of gas and made the balloon bigger and bigger!" - Gracie — “We made a potion. It forced up lots and lots of gas and made the balloon bigger and bigger!” – Gracie

"The balloon goed bigger and bigger 'cause of the experiment gas!"- Bramble — “The balloon goed bigger and bigger ’cause of the experiment gas!”- Bramble

Smart cookies eh?!

For the afternoon session I took to heart another Einstein quote……

So we just freely “researched” compounds and mixtures.

We talked about what was happening and what we wished to add to our mixtures.

We had to use our hand and finger muscles to squeeze the ingredients out of the bottle – this helps us prepare to write!

And the phrases “Oh my gosh!” and “Look at mine!” were heard aplenty when the vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, effervescent tablets and carbonated water began to mix.

We used a huge amount of maths language as we were experimenting – “more” ,”less”, “after”, “next”,” first” ,”higher”, “heavier” ,”lighter” as well as hearning myself model more science vocabulary.

Did you know that the greater a child’s vocabulary before school, the more success they have in school? You can read research suggesting that here and here.

Also did you know that the average person produces gas 14 times a day? (Thought Patrick might like that wee fact!) Why not amuse your family with more fart facts?

I’m sure Einstein would have been very proud!

Don’t forget to share the learning that your child shares at home and leave comments to let me know what you think of the experiments and the blog – especially any ideas or suggestions – Thank you!

But the weather had changed! It had rained, so that led us to think about where the rain comes from?

Chloe: “The clouds – it falls out the clouds.”

The rain made puddles, and came from the clouds but how did it get into the clouds?

So a cloud is made of water that has evaporated (turned into a gas)from a source of water like a puddle or river or sea.Then it has gotten cold again and condensed (turned back into tiny wee water droplets) sticking onto miniscule bits of dirty air.