Science club week 5

This week we were exploring pretty amazing polymers.
First we investigated a range of polymer shapes that absorbed water and grew.
We set up an experiment with spheres, nuggets and cubes covered with hot and cold water to see which began to grow quickest.
We then had a closer look at our amazing disappearing balls.

Is there anything in there? Whoah 100s of them!

Today's make was very exciting. We used a low temperature thermo moulding plastic which transforms from lots of little beads to a clear, stretchy piece which you can mould.
We have used thermoplastics before but this one transforms at about 45 degrees which meant it was ultra safe to use with younger pupils.
First everyone transformed their beads and had a good play noticing how long it took to go too hard to mould. With the low temperature it was lovely and warm to use but not too hot to handle or too sticky.

It was so easy to warm it and make it pliabletodan so after two or three goes we then added a key chain to our blob before pushing it into a mould full of glitter.
If it started to harden we just popped it into warm water again to soften it.

Then it needed to cool for about 10 minutes to go hard enough to pop out of the mould

Just before we all went home we set some homework!

Everyone got a cup with about half a teaspoon of dried hydrogel  balls. The instructions were to grow them in a liquid at home during the week. Any liquid-the more different types the better. Next week we will see which grew best and try to think why!