Colour Change Technology

As regular readers will know Science2U likes to play with new technology and share gadgets and gizmos that are out there and available for everyone to get hold of.
In our Chemistry@work days at Daresbury lab we often share our colour change straws - thermochromic plastic

 our heat sensitive paper - thermochromic ink

and our colour change shower curtain  - hydrochromic technology.

Our latest purchase is actually a toddler playmat but it uses hydrochromic colour change technology to allow young children to draw using only water.
Remember those magic painting books where you only used water and colour appeared - well think like that but re-useable!
Our mat is in rainbow colours so using a water filled pen you can draw or using a brush you can paint  and even use stamps on a water mat. Water reveals an almost magical rainbow of colour which eventually fades away as the mat dries. You can see the appeal to parents - no mess and the only consumable is water!

Our idea is to ask the school groups to sign in with a graffitti style tag which we will display throughout the session but by the time the next group arrives it will have dried out and faded ready to be used again.

Along with our UV colour change loom band bracelets

link to Youtube UV colour change loom bands

we think we have a winning summer fun session for our last Chem@work day of this acadmic year

The Big Bang Fair North West Aintree 2014

WOW! WOW! WOW!!

What an amazing day it has been at The Big Bang.
A very early start to arrive at Aintree for about 8.00 to unload and register before setting up our show on the main stage in the Irish Bar in the Princess Royal Stand.

a grey and early start

The stage was in a catwalk style leading into about 100 seats surrounded by other exhibitors and we wondered how we were going to make ourselves heard until we met the lovely guys from the stage crew. We would be wearing head mics - just like you see on TV - and would be able to talk quietly and still be heard.

just about to start - an official picture

We set up our show which we had written for this event - a taster of all the different shows we do but with a definite secondary feel - all linked to the theme I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT!
Once we were set up nerves began to kick in- this was quite a big deal for us...but we sat on the side of the stage and had  quick cup of coffee and ran through the show together and then......everyone started to arrive.
After a quick sound check it was time...we were on.
An opening interactive with two volunteers - the pink and blue colour changing bottles

apparently there is science happening in this bottle

Then a second colour change with our acid and alkali poem The Experiment
A third colour change - the chameleon gave a multi coloured rainbow effect.
Next it was a quick look at some of our smart materials especially the hydrogel balls - there was an overhead camera linked to  a huge screen which gave an incredible view.

over 300"invisible" hydrogel balls are in the tank

We got a whole row of volunteers out to change our thermochromic straws and then we made human circuits with the energy sticks.

Next we got out the dry ice - Helen got a bit carried away and we had foaming cylinders bursting their coloured water all over the tables but it just added to the amazing sight of spooky fog flowing all over the stage - it worked really well.
We made the ice scream with a metal spoon, made huge smoky bubbles and collected some carbon dioxide into a balloon and tried to blow up a teacher,
Our finale was  slime - two lucky volunteers got to make up some snot green gloop and take it home!!

Our show lasted about 25 minutes and then it was a very quick reset before we did it all again......and then again.
Three shows back to back before quickly taking down and handing the stage over to Terry the Viking scientist with his amazing fire show.

We were able to have a quick look around the exhibitions and a wander around the racecourse itself.

One of the fascinating things was just how many people were tweeting  throughout the day.

                                     

                               

Finally the day ended with presentations of awards to STEMclubs  for some incredible projects - there are some very clever young people out there.
Well done to all the team at MerseySTEM who organised this event.
I think a lie down is now in order!

The Science of Fireworks

Today we paid a return visit to Knowsley Park Centre for Learning for their annual International Day.

We were China - the science of fireworks.

This time we were in the small lecture theatre with some year 5 pupils from local feeder primary schools.



We explored rockets, sparklers and the ingredients that make gunpowder.
We found out how early fireworks were made,
Here Helen shows how colours are created in fireworks with some volunteers coming out to help

We saw how iron filings make sparkles and how bright magnesium is



We  created a fireball from and unexpected fuel source - milk powder

The whoosh bottle using alcohol as a fuel was a huge surprise and a great success

and then we finished the session by all setting off party poppers - our own little explosion!
Thank you for a brilliant day and for making us so welcome

Exciting times at Chester High School

Yesterday we visited Chester Catholic High school for a day with some of their feeder primary school pupils.

The day started with a delivery of dry ice to the school ready for our shows - we eventually tracked it down...in the boiler room.
We had created a special show for the school, based on our Secondary Tour show "I Wasn't Expecting That!" with a few extras especially for the younger audience.
We started with exploring a simple handwarner - how do you make it work, what is inside it, why does it warm up?

Then we invited two volunteers to shake a bottle of seemingly clear liquid which amazingly changed to either a blue or a bright pink, the colour then gently faded away but was returned by simply shaking again.
Four more volunteers came out to join Sue and Helen in a bit of dramatic poetry - The Experiment.
Four scientists mixing clear liquids which turned bright pink but when they all combined their liquids in Helen's container it all went clear...magic?? No Science!

After some more colour changing demonstrations we got all excited by setting fire to a few things...a rainbow of flame colours, some incredible sparklers and magnesium. Then we showed how much energy there is in milk powder by creating a fire ball...smells really great too

Next it was time to break out the dry ice and share some of our demos -  Helen's cauldron and screaming spoon, ghostly white bubbles and then we tried to blow up a teacher........

We created human light bulbs with our plasma ball

 We investigated smart materials that react to temperature by either changing colour, shape or seeming to disappear.
Then some ideas for things to do at home including the freaky hand

and finally we rounded off an exciting show with our whoosh bottle.

Great fun - thanks for having us and thanks to Debbie Hickling for organising it all.