Science is for Kids

This video summarizes an experiment performed to experimentally determine the formula ulnits of magnesium chloride. In the lab the mass of a small sample of magnesium ribbon is measured. The metal is then placed into a beaker and concentrated HCl is added. When the reaction is complete the beaker is heated to drive off water and any unreacted HCl. Safety Note: This should be done in a fume hood to avoid breathing in any HCl fumes! After all the liquid has been removed from the beaker a precipitate of magnesium chloride is left behind. The mass of this compound is measured and compared to the original amount of magnesium to determine the added mass of chlorine. The data collected allows students to calculate the formula units of the magnesium chloride salt. The reaction is summarized by the following chemical equation. 2Mg  +  HCl  → MgCl 2 + H 2 The compound forms with a 1:2 ratio of magnesium to chlorine. This is because magnesium has two valen...

This video summarizes an experiment performed to experimentally determine the empirical formula of magnesium oxide. In the lab the mass of a small sample of magnesium ribbon is measured. The metal is then heated in a crucible using a Bunsen burner to speed up the process of oxidation. The reaction forms the product magnesium oxide. The mass of this compound is measured and compared to the original amount of magnesium to determine the added mass of oxygen. The data collected allows students to calculate the empirical formula of the magnesium oxide compound. The reaction is summarized by the following chemical equation. 2Mg  +  O 2  →  2MgO The compound forms with a 1:1 ratio of magnesium to oxygen. This is because magnesium has two valence electrons which are donated to the oxygen atoms. The oxygen atoms can add two electrons to complete their valence shell. I hope this was helpful.

HS-PS1-2:   Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties. HS-PS1-2 Evidence Statements Video example of a chemical reaction. The video shows the combustion of magnesium metal.   2Mg  +  O 2  →  2MgO When magnesium and oxygen react they form an ionic compound. This is due to the fact that magnesium is a metallic element and oxygen is nonmetallic.

An interesting challenge in science is measuring things that can't be measured directly. Direct measurements are pretty straight forward.  If you want to know the mass of a pencil, you simply use a balance to measure the pencil's mass.  Sometime there are things that we want to measure which can't be measured directly.  Luckily we can use indirect measurements.  This is when we measure one thing to determine a different measurement. This video shows an experiment using a spectrophotometer to measure the amount of light which is absorbed by a solution of iron (III) chloride.  The data can be used to create a standard curve which will be used to calculate the concentration of the solution of iron(III) chloride.  The concentration of the iron (III) chloride can't be measured directly by the spectrophotometer, but it can be determined as an indirect measurement by analyzing the absorption data. I hope this was helpful!

This is a classic biology experiment. The first step uses vinegar to remove the calcium carbonate shell of a chicken egg.  The eggs are then placed into different solutions.  I used distilled water and syrup when I made this video. Depending on the concentration of solute (sugar) water will enter or leave the eggs. I hope this is helpful!

Answer: Enzymes are protein molecules which serve as catalysts for chemical reactions. A catalyst is a substance which will decrease the activation energy for a reaction. So why is this important? Enzymes will make reactions occur much more easily, quickly and more efficiently than they ever would without the enzyme. Here is a video of an enzyme demonstration I like to share with my students. The video shows how an enzyme present in our saliva (spit) can aid in the process of digestion by acting on starches present in the foods we eat. I hope this was helpful!

A thermal decomposition reaction occurs when heat is applied to a compound causing it to decompose (break down) into multiple different chemical substances. An example is when baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is heated 2 N a H C O 3 ( s ) → C O 2 ( g ) + H 2 O ( g ) + N a 2 C O 3 ( s ) Here is a video discussion of this reaction... I hope this was helpful!