B Barber
Science Coordinator
Partner Primary & Secondary Schools
John Paul, Nazareth, Padua, St John's Reg. Colleges & Partner Primary

Science
Middle Years Science Program - Gases Science Show

Middle Years Science Program

 
"Gases Science Show" (5-6)
Return to Science Shows
Program: St Francis Xavier.

Presentation:

Equipment:

  1. Rocket kit: 4 rockets, 4 sulphur motors, 6V large battery, 2 x 5m wires, 4 x alligatored wires (both ends), very thin metal guide rod, retort stand base.
  2. 40 film cannisters, Alkasalsa tablets, Bluetack, water and 10 beakers (for water).
  3. Vacuum cleaner (backwards - blow outwards); rubber stopper and funnel; polystyrene ball; rubber stopper and narrow pipe.
  4. A4 paper for paper aeroplane competition.
  5. Long pump rockets.
  6. Masking tape, balloons, straws, nylon thread.
  7. 2 balloons, 2 straws, pins, masking tape, string.
  8. 3 syringes with sand, water and air.
  9. Water, detergent & glycerine mixture, basin, wire ring (make one).
Task
Method
Equipment
Concepts
Rocket Kits
Using the rocket kits and launch from the centre of the oval.Rocket kit: 2 rockets, 2 sulphur motors, 6V large battery, 2 x 5m wires, 4 x alligatored wires (both ends), very thin metal guide rod, retort stand base
Talk about flight.
Rocket Kits

Stick an Alka Salza tablet to the inside cap of a film canister using Bluetack. Half fill the canister and place the cap on turn upside down onto concrete! The small explosion will propel the canister about 2 metres upwards.

40 film cannisters, Blue tack, Alkasalsa tablets, water and 10 beakers (for water).
Talk about flight.
Bernoulli's PrincipleConnect the vacuum so that it blows outwards with (a) the pipe nossle blowing the air upwards to the polystyrene ball; or (b) with the funnel blowing the ball upwards or downwards. Vacuum cleaner (backwards - blow outwards); rubber stopper and funnel; polystyrene ball; rubber stopper and narrow pipe.Fast air means low air pressure and this explains why the ball falls into the funnel and remains there. It also explains the other one.
Pump Rockets

Use the pump rockets to launch rockets.

Pump rockets from Australian Geographic.
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Balloon rockets

Rockets made from balloons and straws masking taped on top of them

Masking tape, balloons, straws, nylon thread.
Talk about flight.
Weight of air

Suspend 2 balloons from 2 ends of a straw and pop one balloon.

balloons, string, 2 straws, masking tape.
Weight of air
Gases

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General properties of gases: take up shape of container
Syringe Solids Compression Hold down the end and compress the plunger to observe the ease of compression. 3 syringes with sand, water and air
Bubbly bubbles Surface tension Blow bubbles. Is it a liquid or gas? Water, detergent & glycerine mixture, basin, wire ring (make one).
Balloons Surface tension Why do balloons stay inflated? Balloons