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Visitors add drops of copper sulfate solution onto a steel nail. They observe the nail change color from silver to brown as the copper plates onto the nail.

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.

Visitors prepare six solutions combining vinegar and ammonia that range incrementally from acid (all vinegar) to base (all ammonia).

Learners compare the properties of two balls that appear identical. One ball bounces, while the other ball "thuds." The “bounce” ball is made of the polymer polybutadiene (-C4H4-).

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.

Visitors observe a bottle with a balloon attached around the mouth. The bottle contains a solution of yeast, sugar, and water.

Learners use a mortar and pestle to extract clove oil from cloves using denatured alcohol. They put this oil on paper, which they can take home.

The Let's Do Chemistry "Build a Battery" activity lets participants learn how batteries work and how materials behave, change, and interact by building their own simple battery out of metal and felt w

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.

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.

Visitors separate a mixture of pebbles, salt crystals, and wood shavings by adding water and pouring the mixture through a strainer.

Visitors incrementally increase the amount of iodate in three different test tubes containing the same amount of a starch solution.

This is written as a display, but can easily be adapted to a hands-on activity. Learners observe and shake containers of shiny liquids.

Learners use Benedict’s solution and heat to test for the presence of simple sugars in glucose, sucrose, starch, and starch combined with amylase.