Ask A Baltimore Expert: 5 Fun & Easy Science Projects To Do At Home

Mr. Bond and the Science Guys was started by Keith Trehy, an Englishman living in Nashville, TN. Keith came to the United States at 17 to be a professional soccer player and chemistry student at American University in DC. When Keith moved to Nashville to have children, he wanted to start a career with them in mind. He opened the Nashville franchise of Mad Science, which is an entertainment company out of Montreal that brings science to kids, wherever they are.

Siena Trehy
The Science Guys Of Baltimore
1021 Dulaney Valley Rd.
Towson, MD 21204
(615) 400-1594
www.mrbondscienceguy.com

Keith created a family run business that his own kids could inherit and enjoy. Twenty years later, his daughter Siena Trehy, now known as Bionic Bond, has brought Mr. Bond and the Science Guys to Baltimore. Coming to Maryland as an environmental studies student at Goucher College, Siena is bringing years of experience working under Mr. Bond in Nashville. Her shows include hands-on explosions, bubbling potions, chemical reactions, and much more.

Slime

Materials:

• 2 Bowls
• 1 Stirrer
• Green food coloring (or choice of color)
• Bottle of clear glue
• Box of Borax
• Water

Now Follow These Steps:

1. Mix together the bottle (5oz) of clear glue and 1/2 cup room temp water.
2. Add 3 drops of green food coloring to the glue mixture and stir, and set aside.
3. Mix 1 cup of lukewarm water in a bowl with 1 teaspoon (or more until saturated) of Borax in the bowl, stir well until the Borax settles at the bottom of the mixture.
4. Combine the glue solution and the borax solution and stir.

Here's What's Happening!

The Borax is causing a chemical reaction that makes the glue molecules stick together even tighter and form something called Polymers, which makes Slime!

Film Canister Explosions 

Materials:

• One empty 35 mm plastic film canister and lid
• One fizzing antacid tablet (such as Alka-Seltzer)
• Water

Now Follow These Steps:  

1. Put on safety goggles and head outside
2. Break the antacid tablet in half.
3. Remove the lid from the film canister and put a teaspoon (5 ml) of water into the canister  *Do the next 2 steps quickly
4. Drop the tablet half into the canister and snap the cap onto the canister (make sure that it snaps on tightly.)
5. Quickly put the canister on the ground CAP SIDE DOWN and STEP BACK at least 2 meters

*Caution: If it does not launch, wait at least 30 second before examining the canister. Usually the cap is not on tight enough and the build up of gas leaked out.

Here's what's happening!  

When you add the water it starts to dissolve the alka-seltzer tablet. This creates a gas called carbon dioxide. As the carbon dioxide is being released, it creates pressure inside the film canister. The more gas that is made, the more pressure builds up until the cap it blasted down and the rocket is blasted up.

Melting Styrofoam

Materials:

• Acetone (nail polish remover)
• Styrofoam cups
• Metal bowl or pot

Now Follow These Steps:

1. First:  Pour ½ cup of acetone into the bowl.
2. Second: Slowly lower a Styrofoam cup into the acetone. Observe the reaction between the acetone and the Styrofoam.
3. Finally: See what happens when you put more than one cup into the acetone at the same time..
4. Bonus: Slowly pour some acetone onto a cup, turning the cup as you pour. Watch as the cup disappears!

Here's What's Happening!

This disappearance is in fact a dissolving, and the Styrofoam molecules become interspersed in the acetone. This dissolving and the resulting solution shows potential for recycling technology.

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Make A Geyser!

Adult supervision required

Materials:

• Warm water
• Vase or Bowl
• Dry ice (from the grocery store)

Now Follow These Steps:

1. Fill the bowl or vase halfway with water.
2. Break off a few pieces of dry ice and carefully drop them into the water.
3. Watch as the vase erupts with smoke!

Here's What's Happening

The Dry Ice is made out of frozen carbon dioxide, which is -109°. As the dry ice hits the water it starts to boil, or sublimate. This fast sublimation warms up the carbon dioxide and releases it into the air.

Make Your Own White Bubbles

Adult supervision required

Materials:

• Warm water
• Dry ice
• Vase, bowl, or cup
• Dishwashing liquid

Now Follow These Steps:

1. Fill your vase halfway with the warm water.
2. Drop in some dry ice, until the smoke is billowing.
3. Add a generous squirt of dishwashing liquid in the middle of the bowl.

What's Going On?

The carbon dioxide that is being released by the warm water is filling up the bubbles created by the soap. These bubbles appear to be white, because they are pure CO2, not oxygen.

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