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Salting Out
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In this activity, learners create a mixture of water, alcohol and permanent marker ink, and then add salt to form a colored alcohol layer on top of a colorless water layer.

Cool It!
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Learners make a refrigerator that works without electricity. The pot-in-pot refrigerator works by evaporation: a layer of sand is placed between two terra cotta pots and thoroughly soaked with water.

In the Toilet
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This activity explores the basic workings of a siphon, which is the core technology that makes toilets work.

Diving Submarine
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Learners use a commercially available toy to experiment with density. They fill a chamber in the toy submarine with baking powder and release it into a tank of water.
It's A Gas!
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Visitors mix water and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in a large flask. They then add citric acid to the mixture and stopper the flask. The resulting reaction creates carbon dioxide gas.

Draggin' Boats
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Learners design, build, and test models of "dragon boats" made from up to three milk cartons.

The Best Dam Simulation Ever
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This online simulation game explores the different consequences of water levels on the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest.

Electrolysis
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Using electrolysis, learners produce hydrogen gas and oxygen gas from water molecules in a solution.
All Mixed Up!: Separating Mixtures
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Visitors separate a mixture of pebbles, salt crystals, and wood shavings by adding water and pouring the mixture through a strainer.

Foam Peanuts
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Learners compare the properties and solubilities of Styrofoam (TM), ecofoam packing peanuts, and popcorn. First, the solubility of each substance is tested in water.

DNA Extraction: Look at your genes!
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Extract your DNA from your very own cells! First, learners swish salt water in their mouth to collect cheek cells and spit the water into a glass.
Hot and Cold: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
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Visitors mix urea with water in one flask and mix calcium chloride with water in another flask. They observe that the urea flask gets cold and the calcium chloride flask gets hot.
Egg Osmosis
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Visitors observe three beakers. One beaker contains an egg immersed in vinegar. Visitors observe carbon dioxide gas escaping from the shell as the calcium carbonate reacts with the vinegar.
Forwards and Backwards: pH and Indicators
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Visitors prepare six solutions combining vinegar and ammonia that range incrementally from acid (all vinegar) to base (all ammonia).

Rocket Science
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Learners create a small explosion by collecting hydrogen and oxygen gas together and squeezing them into a flame.
Yeast Balloons
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Visitors observe a bottle with a balloon attached around the mouth. The bottle contains a solution of yeast, sugar, and water.
Currently Working: Testing Conductivity
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Visitors test solutions of water, sugar, salt, and hydrochloric acid and the solids salt and sugar. They clip leads from the hand generator to wires immersed in each substance.

Diaper Dissection
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This is written as a display, but can easily be adapted to a hands-on activity. Learners discover how all the parts of a diaper work together to keep babies dry and comfortable.

Build a Battery
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Learners make a simple battery out of "sandwiches" of aluminum foil, pennies, and a salt water-soaked paper towel.

Bridge the Gap
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Learners work in groups to construct bridges using stale marshmallows and toothpicks.