experiments laboratory

68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions

Whether you’re a student eager to explore the wonders of chemical reactions or a teacher seeking to inspire and engage your students, we’ve compiled a curated list of the top 68 chemistry experiments so you can learn about chemical reactions.

While the theories and laws governing chemistry can sometimes feel abstract, experiments bridge the gap between these concepts and their tangible manifestations. These experiments provide hands-on experiences illuminating the intricacies of chemical reactions, molecular structures, and elemental properties.

1. Covalent Bonds

By engaging in activities that demonstrate the formation and properties of covalent bonds, students can grasp the significance of these bonds in holding atoms together and shaping the world around us.

Learn more: Covalent Bonds

2. Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration

Through this experiment, students can develop a deeper understanding of chemical properties, appreciate the power of chemical reactions, and ignite their passion for scientific exploration.

3. Make Hot Ice at Home

Making hot ice at home is a fascinating chemistry experiment that allows students to witness the captivating transformation of a liquid into a solid with a surprising twist.

4. Make a Bouncing Polymer Ball

This hands-on activity not only allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers but also encourages experimentation and creativity.

Learn more: Thought Co

5. Diffusion Watercolor Art

This experiment offers a wonderful opportunity for students to explore the properties of pigments, observe how they interact with water, and discover the mesmerizing patterns and textures that emerge.

Learn more: Diffusion Watercolor Art

6. Exploding Baggie

The exploding baggie experiment is a captivating and dynamic demonstration that students should engage in with caution and under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

Learn more: Exploding Baggie

7. Color Changing Chemistry Clock

This experiment not only engages students in the world of chemical kinetics but also introduces them to the concept of a chemical clock, where the color change acts as a timekeeping mechanism.

Learn more: Color Changing Chemistry Clock

8. Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees

By adjusting the concentration of the Borax solution or experimenting with different pipe cleaner arrangements, students can customize their crystal trees and observe how it affects the growth patterns.

Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees

9. How To Make Ice Sculptures

Through this experiment, students gain a deeper understanding of the physical and chemical changes that occur when water freezes and melts.

Learn more: Ice Sculpture

10. How to Make Paper

Through this hands-on activity, students gain a deeper understanding of the properties of cellulose fibers and the transformative power of chemical reactions.

Learn more: How to Make Paper

11. Color Changing Chemistry

Color changing chemistry is an enchanting experiment that offers a captivating blend of science and art. Students should embark on this colorful journey to witness the mesmerizing transformations of chemicals and explore the principles of chemical reactions.

12. Gassy Banana

The gassy banana experiment is a fun and interactive way for students to explore the principles of chemical reactions and gas production.

Learn more: Gassy Banana

13. Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment

This hands-on activity not only introduces students to the concepts of chemical leavening and heat-induced reactions but also allows for creativity in decorating and personalizing their gingerbread creations.

Learn more: Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment

14. Make Amortentia Potion

While the love potion is fictional, this activity offers a chance to explore the art of potion-making and the chemistry behind it.

Learn more: How to Make Amortentia Potion

15. Strawberry DNA Extraction

This hands-on experiment offers a unique opportunity to observe DNA, the building blocks of life, up close and learn about its structure and properties.

16. Melting Snowman

The melting snowman experiment is a fun and whimsical activity that allows students to explore the principles of heat transfer and phase changes.

Learn more: Melting Snowman

17. Acid Base Cabbage Juice

The acid-base cabbage juice experiment is an engaging and colorful activity that allows students to explore the pH scale and the properties of acids and bases.

By extracting the purple pigment from red cabbage leaves and creating cabbage juice, students can use this natural indicator to identify and differentiate between acidic and basic substances.

Learn more: Acid Base Cabbage Juice

18. Magic Milk

The magic milk experiment is a mesmerizing and educational activity that allows students to explore the concepts of surface tension and chemical reactions.

By adding drops of different food colors to a dish of milk and then introducing a small amount of dish soap, students can witness a captivating display of swirling colors and patterns.

Learn more: Magic Milk

19. Melting Ice with Salt and Water

Through this hands-on activity, students can gain a deeper understanding of the science behind de-icing and how different substances can influence the physical properties of water.

Learn more: Melting Ice with Salt and Water

20. Barking Dog Chemistry Demonstration

The barking dog chemistry demonstration is an exciting and visually captivating experiment that showcases the principles of combustion and gas production.

21. How to Make Egg Geodes

Making egg geodes is a fascinating and creative chemistry experiment that students should try. By using common materials like eggshells, salt, and food coloring, students can create their own beautiful geode-like crystals.

Learn more: How to Make Egg Geodes

22. Make Sherbet

This experiment not only engages the taste buds but also introduces concepts of acidity, solubility, and the chemical reactions that occur when the sherbet comes into contact with moisture.

Learn more: Make Sherbet

23. Hatch a Baking Soda Dinosaur Egg

As the baking soda dries and hardens around the toy, it forms a “shell” resembling a dinosaur egg. To hatch the egg, students can pour vinegar onto the shell, causing a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas.

Learn more: Steam Powered Family

24. Chromatography Flowers

By analyzing the resulting patterns, students can gain insights into the different pigments present in flowers and the science behind their colors.

Learn more: Chromatography Flowers

25. Turn Juice Into Solid

Turning juice into a solid through gelification is an engaging and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By exploring the transformation of a liquid into a solid, students can gain insights of chemical reactions and molecular interactions.

Learn more: Turn Juice into Solid

26. Bouncy Balls

Making bouncy balls allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers, such as their ability to stretch and rebound.

 27. Make a Lemon Battery

Creating a lemon battery is a captivating and hands-on experiment that allows students to explore the fundamentals of electricity and chemical reactions.

28. Mentos and Soda Project

The Mentos and soda project is a thrilling and explosive experiment that students should try. By dropping Mentos candies into a bottle of carbonated soda, an exciting eruption occurs.

29. Alkali Metal in Water

The reaction of alkali metals with water is a fascinating and visually captivating chemistry demonstration.

30. Rainbow Flame

The rainbow flame experiment is a captivating and visually stunning chemistry demonstration that students should explore.

31. Sugar Yeast Experiment

This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of fermentation but also allows them to witness the effects of a living organism, yeast, on the sugar substrate.

32. The Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction is a highly energetic and visually striking chemical reaction that students can explore with caution and under proper supervision.

This experiment showcases the principles of exothermic reactions, oxidation-reduction, and the high temperatures that can be achieved through chemical reactions.

33. Polishing Pennies

Polishing pennies is a simple and enjoyable chemistry experiment that allows students to explore the concepts of oxidation and cleaning methods.

34. Elephant Toothpaste

The elephant toothpaste experiment is a thrilling and visually captivating chemistry demonstration that students should try with caution and under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.

35. Magic Potion

Creating a magic potion is an exciting and imaginative activity that allows students to explore their creativity while learning about the principles of chemistry.

36. Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment

Through the color changing acid-base experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of chemical reactions and the role of pH in our daily lives.

Learn more: Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment

37. Fill up a Balloon

Filling up a balloon is a simple and enjoyable physics experiment that demonstrates the properties of air pressure. By blowing air into a balloon, you can observe how the balloon expands and becomes inflated.

38. Jello and Vinegar

The combination of Jello and vinegar is a fascinating and tasty chemistry experiment that demonstrates the effects of acid on a gelatin-based substance.

Learn more: Jello and Vinegar

39. Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction

This experiment not only provides a visual demonstration of the oxidation process but also introduces students to the concept of corrosion and the role of acids in accelerating the process.

Learn more: Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction

40. Dancing Rice

The dancing rice experiment is a captivating and educational demonstration that showcases the principles of density and buoyancy.

By pouring a small amount of uncooked rice into a clear container filled with water, students can witness the rice grains moving and “dancing” in the water.

Learn more: Dancing Rice

41. Soil Testing Garden Science

Soil testing is a valuable and informative experiment that allows students to assess the composition and properties of soil.

By collecting soil samples from different locations and analyzing them, students can gain insights into the nutrient content, pH level, and texture of the soil.

Learn more: Soil Testing Garden Science

42. Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime

Creating heat-sensitive color-changing slime is a captivating and playful chemistry experiment that students should try.

Learn more: Left Brain Craft Brain

43. Experimenting with Viscosity

Experimenting with viscosity is an engaging and hands-on activity that allows students to explore the flow properties of liquids.

Viscosity refers to a liquid’s resistance to flow, and this experiment enables students to investigate how different factors affect viscosity.

Learn more: Experimenting with Viscosity

44. Rock Candy Science

Rock candy science is a delightful and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By growing their own rock candy crystals, students can learn about crystal formation and explore the principles of solubility and saturation.

Learn more: Rock Candy Science

45. Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

Baking soda and baking powder have distinct properties that influence the leavening process in different ways.

This hands-on experiment provides a practical understanding of how these ingredients interact with acids and moisture to create carbon dioxide gas.

46. Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions Experiment

The endothermic and exothermic reactions experiment is an exciting and informative chemistry exploration that students should try.

By observing and comparing the heat changes in different reactions, students can gain a deeper understanding of energy transfer and the concepts of endothermic and exothermic processes.

Learn more: Education.com

47. Diaper Chemistry

By dissecting a diaper and examining its components, students can uncover the chemical processes that make diapers so effective at absorbing and retaining liquids.

Learn more: Diaper Chemistry

48. Candle Chemical Reaction

The “Flame out” experiment is an intriguing and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By exploring the effects of a chemical reaction on a burning candle, students can witness the captivating moment when the flame is extinguished.

49. Make Curds and Whey

This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of acid-base reactions but also offers an opportunity to explore the science behind cheese-making.

Learn more: Tinkerlab

50. Grow Crystals Overnight

By creating a supersaturated solution using substances like epsom salt, sugar, or borax, students can observe the fascinating process of crystal growth. This experiment allows students to explore the principles of solubility, saturation, and nucleation.

Learn more: Grow Crystals Overnight

51. Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks

The “Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks” experiment is an informative and practical chemistry activity that students should try.

By using simple tools like a multimeter or conductivity probe, students can measure the electrical conductivity of different sports drinks to determine their electrolyte content.

52. Oxygen and Fire Experiment

The oxygen and fire experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By observing the effects of oxygen on a controlled fire, students can witness the essential role of oxygen in supporting combustion.

53. Electrolysis Of Water

The electrolysis of water experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try.

Learn more: Electrolysis Of Water

54. Expanding Ivory Soap

The expanding Ivory Soap experiment is a fun and interactive chemistry activity that students should try. By placing a bar of Ivory soap in a microwave, students can witness the remarkable expansion of the soap as it heats up.

Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands

55. Glowing Fireworks

This experiment not only introduces students to the principles of pyrotechnics and combustion but also encourages observation, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the physics and chemistry behind.

Learn more: Glowing Fireworks

56. Colorful Polymer Chemistry

Colorful polymer chemistry is an exciting and vibrant experiment that students should try to explore polymers and colorants.

By combining different types of polymers with various colorants, such as food coloring or pigments, students can create a kaleidoscope of colors in their polymer creations.

Learn more: Colorful Polymer Chemistry

57. Sulfur Hexafluoride- Deep Voice Gas

This experiment provides a firsthand experience of how the density and composition of gases can influence sound transmission.

It encourages scientific curiosity, observation, and a sense of wonder as students witness the surprising transformation of their voices.

58. Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

Liquid nitrogen ice cream is a thrilling and delicious chemistry experiment that students should try. By combining cream, sugar, and flavorings with liquid nitrogen, students can create ice cream with a unique and creamy texture.

59. White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration

The White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration provides an engaging and visually captivating experience for students to explore chemical reactions and gases. By combining hydrochloric acid and ammonia solutions, students can witness the mesmerizing formation of white smoke.

60. Nitrogen Triiodide Chemistry Demonstration

The nitrogen triiodide chemistry demonstration is a remarkable and attention-grabbing experiment that students should try under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.

By reacting iodine crystals with concentrated ammonia, students can precipitate nitrogen triiodide (NI3), a highly sensitive compound.

61. Make a Plastic- Milk And Vinegar Reaction Experiment

Through the “Make a Plastic – Milk and Vinegar Reaction” experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of the chemistry behind plastics, environmental sustainability, and the potential of biodegradable materials.

Learn more: Rookie Parenting

62. Eno and Water Experiment

This experiment not only introduces students to acid-base reactions but also engages their senses as they witness the visible and audible effects of the reaction.

63. The Eternal Kettle Experiment

By filling a kettle with alcohol and igniting it, students can investigate the behavior of the alcohol flame and its sustainability.

64. Coke and Chlorine Bombs

Engaging in this experiment allows students to experience the wonders of chemistry firsthand, making it an ideal choice to ignite their curiosity and passion for scientific exploration.

65. Set your Hand on Fire

This experiment showcases the fascinating nature of combustion and the science behind fire.

By carefully following proper procedures and safety guidelines, students can witness firsthand how the sanitizer’s high alcohol content interacts with an open flame, resulting in a brief but captivating display of controlled combustion.

66. Instant Ice Experiments

The Instant Ice Experiment offers an engaging and captivating opportunity for students to explore the wonders of chemistry and phase changes.

By using simple household ingredients, students can witness the fascinating phenomenon of rapid ice formation in just a matter of seconds.

67. Coke Cans in Acid and Base

Engaging in this experiment allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the chemical properties of substances and the importance of safety protocols in scientific investigations.

68. Color Changing Invisible Ink

The Color Changing Invisible Ink experiment offers an intriguing and fun opportunity for students to explore chemistry and learn about the concept of chemical reactions.

Learn more: Research Parent

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Science for Everyone

Science education, teaching resources, scientific literacy, and more!

• Feb 27, 2023
• 37 min read

100+ labs, activities, and science experiments for middle and high school students

Updated: Sep 12, 2023

Looking for fun and engaging lab ideas for use in your science class? You've come to the right place. Here's my list of practical activities and experiments you can try with your students, all in one place.

Introduction

I've been teaching MYP science (grades 6-10) internationally for over a decade. I try to devote about a third of my class time to experimental activities, which means we do a lot of labs. I'm also the only lab technician at my current school, so I'm responsible for set-up and cleanup as well. Needless to say, I've accumulated quite a bit of experience in the lab and can confidently recommend all of the following experiments. I have personally tried all of them with my students and in most cases have been conducting them for years.

Where can I get these labs?

Although I have provided links to just about every activity on my list, some are much better than others. You will often need to adjust them significantly for your classroom depending on the classes and number of students you teach, as well as the materials you have access to. Additionally, free lab guides usually do not include much in the way of background info, student questions or handouts, and teacher prep notes. For these reasons, I've created my own resources for most of the labs I do, which I'm currently in the process of uploading to my TPT store . You can access my complete experimental resource collection here . I'm adding new experiments regularly, but early purchasers will have access to all future activities at no additional cost! As you can see from the list below, I have quite a few more to add! Links to my individual lab activities have also been provided in the relevant sections.

The following list of experiments is organized by grade and unit. Click on the links below to jump to the section you need.

Scientific Method

Chemical and physical changes, characteristics of living things, earth and space science, objects in motion, atoms and elements, inheritance, earth systems and cycles, energy, work, and power, human impacts on the environment, electromagnetism, communication, body systems, organization of life, chemical reactions and bonding, forces and structures, pure substances and mixtures, health and disease, electricity, environmental chemistry, space exploration, organic chemistry, genetics and reproduction, radiation and radioactivity.

You can also access unit plan outlines for each of the above units in my store .

List of Experiments

1. Memory experiments - How many random words or objects can students memorize? Will students be able to identify a missing object (or classmate)? How reliable is eyewitness testimony? These are excellent activities for getting students to practice basic experimental design, as well as practical skills like collecting and analyzing data. As a bonus, many of these experiments require virtually no prep for you!

2. Accuracy and precision experiment - For this activity, all you need is a target and something that will stick to it. I've used a dart board, NERF guns with suction cup darts, or just a target drawn on the whiteboard with magnetic disks to throw at it. You could even make a target on the ground outside and have your students toss beanbags at it. Anything will do! Students take turns hurling things at the targets and recording the distance to the middle. Then they analyze the results in terms of accuracy (average distance to the center) and precision (range, standard deviation, and the number of decimal places).

3. Baking science experiment - I've long been a fan of incorporating food science into science class. What better way to get kids excited about chemistry while also learning a useful life skill? I've done many versions of this activity, but it always involves baking something, like cookies or cakes, by modifying a recipe to learn about variables. There are also many opportunities here for unit conversion practice.

4. Fire triangle oxygen experiment - For younger students who may not have had access to open flames before, this is a good place to start for developing safe handling practices. Students use candles and various glass containers to measure how long a flame will burn in a limited oxygen environment. You might as well demonstrate the rising water trick too since you're using all the same materials.

5. Bunsen burner temperature experiment - Students learn how the Bunsen burner works and attempt to find out what part of the flame is hottest. You'll need a temperature probe rated for high temperatures in order to get accurate data for this lab. Alternatively, you can just use a thin steel rod or a nail by holding it in different parts of the flame and recording any colour changes. Try comparing the orange and blue flames, as well as the top, bottom, middle, and sides of the flame. Almost all students fail to predict where the hottest region will be!

6. Fire extinguisher safety activity - You'll need to get some safety approvals for this one, but I think it's worth it. Who knows when you might have a real emergency to deal with? Go outside and start a simple fire in a safe place like a metal tray. Then use one of the school fire extinguishers to put it out. Have a few students try it, too. Discuss the locations of fire extinguishers, different types of fires, exit strategies, and so on. You may even want to coordinate with the local fire department and see if they can send someone to talk to the students about fire safety.

7. Lab equipment identification quiz - Another one for younger students who are just beginning to do lab work. Collect one piece of glassware or lab equipment for each student in your class (with a few extra, just in case). Put one on each desk before your students arrive. As students come in, give them a blank piece of paper and have them write down the name of the equipment in front of them. Then rotate to the next seat and repeat. Set a timer for ~30 seconds to keep things moving. You may also want to get students to draw the equipment as well, in which case they would need a bit of extra time. This works best as a review activity, but it can also be used as a chance to see what students already know.

8. Oobleck states of matter activity - After students have learned about solids, liquids, and gases, whip up a batch of oobleck (cornstarch + water) and have them explore its properties. Is it a solid, a liquid, or a bit of both? Have your students consider the particle interactions going on in this unusual fluid. A bit of research may be required on their part.

9. Salt or sugar crystal lab - Students dissolve and then evaporate a very small volume of concentrated salt or sugar solution to produce crystals. I prefer salt since it is less of a sticky mess, but you can do one or both. Check out the crystals under the microscope and compare them to mineral crystals if you have some to observe. You can also use this lab as a chance to explore saturation and give a really cool supersaturation demo using sodium acetate. Just Google 'hot ice'!

10. Separating salt and sand mixtures experiment - Give students a sample containing salt, sand, and (optionally) iron filings. Then tell them to figure out how to separate each substance. This will involve a combination of magnetism, dissolving, filtration, evaporation, and so on. There is more than one way to accomplish this task, which is what makes it interesting. Add to the challenge by having students compare the mass of their sample to the total mass of each separated substance (you'll need to allow time for proper drying) to see who managed to preserve the most material. Discuss industrial and everyday applications of these separation techniques.

11. Diffusion of potassium permanganate - Another classic chemistry experiment that involves the movement of purple crystals as they dissolve in water. You can have students record the time it takes to produce a uniform solution and then compare this at different water temperatures or volumes. It's also useful to get your students to take photos, or better yet, videos of the process to compare.

12. Dissolving cocoa experiment - Students try to find the best way to dissolve a specific quantity of cocoa in order to make hot chocolate effectively. This is great for winter or during the holiday season, but as far as I'm concerned there's never a bad time for hot chocolate. Make this as open-ended as you can, but have students write down their reasoning and the method used. Is it better to use milk or water? Should you add the liquid first or the powder first? How does the temperature affect how easily the cocoa dissolves? Obviously, you wouldn't want to use typical chemistry glassware for this one, so plan ahead if you want to allow your students to drink their creations.

13. Pond organisms microscope lab - Visit a local ecosystem and collect some water. It's better to get the 'chunky stuff' including mud, water plants, pond scum, and other organic material. Bring it back to the lab and have your students look for microorganisms under the microscope. With luck, you will be able to identify water fleas, vorticella, euglena, and other organisms in your samples. If you do this in the spring or summer, various insect larvae will likely be present as well.

14. Specialized cells microscope lab - Sure, you can easily find prepared slides of specialized cells, but it's much more interesting for your students if they create their own. Collecting cheek cells is simple, and I think students get a kick out of seeing their own cells for the first time. Root hair cells and leaf cells are easy to locate as well, although the species you choose makes a huge difference. Try a few and see what works best.

15. Energy in food (calorimetry) experiment - I've found this lab to be notoriously difficult unless you have very good equipment, but it has the potential to produce lots of interesting results and is endlessly customizable for your students. The flexibility alone makes it worthwhile to try, even if the results don't end up being as useful as you'd hoped. Burning sugary or oily foods works best. Try potato chips or marshmallows.

16. Comparing fuels experiment - In this lab activity, students burn equal quantities of various fuels to determine which makes the best fuel. Alcohols including methanol, ethanol, and propanol should be easy enough to obtain. The experiment itself is pretty straightforward, but there are a lot of factors to consider. Which fuel burns the hottest? Which burns the longest? Which is the cheapest or easiest to obtain? What about other factors, such as the smell? There's a lot for students to explore here.

17. Design a solar oven - This is an excellent project for students to tackle that requires only a few simple craft and household supplies. As a summative assessment, students can make use of their physics knowledge to conduct, reflect, insulate, and ultimately cook simple foods. I prefer not to tell them the exact method so that they can find out what works and what doesn't. We like to make s'mores and cheese toast - things that are still delicious even if they don't cook properly!

18. Thermal conductivity experiment - This lab has many variations, but most involve comparing the ability of different metals to transfer heat. If you can find wires of equal diameter and length made of copper, steel, etc. then it is pretty easy to compare the conductivity of these substances by putting one end in hot water and then measuring the temperature along its length using a digital thermometer. Alternatively, put the other end of the wire in cold water and measure the temperature after a given amount of time. The warmest liquid should indicate the best conductor.

19. Insulated drink experiment - This is a bit like the solar oven experiment, except that in this case, students are given a hot beverage and tasked with keeping it warm for as long as possible. Similar ideas and materials can be used, so it makes sense to do this as a follow-up experiment to that. Provide each group with a cup of boiled water and identical materials in order to make it a fair comparison. Then pop a thermometer in and see who has the warmest drink by the end of class.

20. Mark-recapture simulation - This mathematical exercise involves students estimating a population's size by 'marking' and 'capturing' beans or other small objects from a container. Various sample sizes are used to show how accuracy improves with the number of marked and captured individuals. Then discuss how accurate mark-recapture studies would be for different populations in the wild.

21. Quadrat study - Using square frames, students collect data on the plant or invertebrate species found in a local environment (the school playground will do!). They can use this information to estimate population sizes and species distribution, but it can also be used to identify possible community interactions, including competition, mutualism, commensalism, and predation.

22. Mesocosm experiment - Students set up small ecosystems in jars or soda bottles to observe nutrient cycling in action. If done well they can last for years. I've tried aquatic ecosystems with fish in the past, but for ethical reasons, we pretty much stick to plants and soil organisms only these days. I also like to keep it simple and do everything in large peanut butter jars. It can get pretty elaborate if you decide to make full eco-columns though.

23. Personal impact experiment - This is an open-ended investigation where students decide on a lifestyle change they will maintain for a few weeks in order to reduce their environmental impact. This could include things like reducing shower time, air drying their clothes, biking to school instead of getting a ride, and so on. They then attempt to estimate the impact they are making in terms of environmental and economic savings, both for the project duration and for a lifetime, if they were to keep it up indefinitely. Although most students quickly fall back into their regular routines, a few do recognize that small changes are manageable and decide to make compromises in the way they live.

24. Solar system scale model - This is a mathematical/visual investigation that shows kids the true scale of the solar system (it's mostly empty space!). We usually do this on two different scales - one that allows us to fit the solar system within the classroom, and another that requires us to go outside and cover some distance on the playground. Even at that scale, the largest planets are still only the size of a small ball and the Earth is minuscule.

25. Chocolate rock cycle - The rock cycle can be a bit dull and abstract considering the time scales and forces students are expected to imagine. Spice it up a little with the delicious addition of chocolate! Through mixing, grating, melting, hardening, and other processes, you can mimic most of the changes in the rock cycle and give students a clearer understanding of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock formation. Yum!

26. Rock and mineral identification with dichotomous keys - Once students have a grasp of the rock cycle, it's time to get them familiar with some of the more common rocks and minerals. This can be done outdoors with field guides and cameras, or inside with samples and a dichotomous key. Even with a key this can be pretty challenging and there is quite a bit of terminology to understand, but I still think it's worthwhile. Some kids get really into it!

27. Flashlight moon phases activity - With a couple of balls, a flashlight, and a darkened room, you can put small groups of students to work trying to simulate the movements of the Sun, Earth, and Moon as they orbit around each other. It is pretty funny watching kids trying to move everything correctly and position themselves to see the phases properly, but I think it gets the concepts across quite well. You can also simulate eclipses, and if you're feeling really ambitious, you can get Mars involved and demonstrate retrograde motion.

28. Human body systems of measurement activity - I use this exercise to teach students about units and what they are based on. In ancient times, a lot of measurement standards were based on the distances between or across body parts, including the hand, fingers, and arms. Most of the metric units in use today are based on much more complicated standards, but it can be surprising for students to realize that measuring devices can't really be made without standards of some kind.

29. Comparing ancient and modern maps - In the age of discovery (~1400-1600) a lot of early mapping was accomplished by Europeans. It wasn't all accurate, however, for a variety of reasons. This activity gives students a good crash course in cartography, which you might argue is more appropriate for geography and social studies, but it works well for this unit because it devotes a significant amount of time to understanding how we determine our location in space. Graphing using GPS coordinates is a significant part of this investigation.

30. GPS pathways activity - Since practically all of your students have access to an accurate GPS device of their own, this once-expensive activity is now easier than ever. You can use one of a handful of apps to track students as they walk various pathways around the schoolyard and elsewhere, which can then be analyzed and compared in terms of distance, time, acceleration, and changes in elevation. It can be particularly fun to compare the pathways students take to get to school. I couldn't find a good link for this activity, unfortunately.

31. Determining the acceleration of gravity using a pendulum - This lab always produces consistent results, provided students perform the calculations correctly. Since we use the acceleration of gravity so often in physics, I think it helps students to see that it can be determined with a relatively simple setup. Students will have only tiny pendulums to work with at their desks, but if you plan ahead, you can make a huge one that hangs from the ceiling to show that it works at larger scales, too.

32. Metals and non-metals identification - Depending on what materials you have available, this can be a really great introduction to the periodic table of elements. Chances are your lab already has a good selection of metals, as well as some non-metals like carbon and sulfur. Provide small samples of each material and allow students to rotate to different stations where they attempt to identify the materials using some simple techniques (like magnetism). You can do this entirely visually if you like, or give some obscure facts about each element to help them out.

33. Metal displacement reactions experiment - Students observe whether reactions occur between pure metals and various salt solutions in order to create a simple reactivity series. It's reasonable to test four or five metals in order to introduce the concept, but you'll need to explain that very reactive and unreactive metals are not realistic to test in school due to prohibitive costs and safety concerns. The reactivity series can then be used to discuss why certain metals are chosen for particular uses and why precious metals are so valuable and long-lasting.

34. pH indicator lab - There are many kinds of indicators that can be used to determine pH. Teach students about acids and alkalis, then give them a selection of common household substances like vinegar and soapy water to test with universal indicator. They can then use the results to create their own coloured pH scale in their notebooks and label each substance accordingly. If you want to go a little further, consider making your own indicator solution with purple cabbage!

35. Titration of NaOH with HCl - This classic chemistry experiment involves the neutralization reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. A small sample of NaOH containing the indicator phenolphthalein is given to each group (this is best done in pairs). Students slowly add acid to the pink alkali solution until it goes clear, at which point it should be neutral. If you have digital pH probes, get students to measure the changes throughout the experiment and plot them on a graph. You can also evaporate the resulting solution to show that salt (NaCl) crystals are formed in the process.

36. Fruit DNA extraction - In this simple lab activity, students use common household ingredients to isolate and observe the DNA found in fruits such as kiwis, bananas, and strawberries. The similarities should help illustrate the fact that DNA is a universal code common to all organisms. Although you can't see the molecular structure of the DNA in this exercise, it's still fun to have a look at your extracted nucleic acids under a microscope.

37. Life cycles investigation - There are a few ways to show students how various plants and animals complete their life cycles. For plants, beans grow quite quickly and the seeds are easy to collect and save. If you have some space and a bit more time, sunflowers are really fun to grow at school, too. Depending on the season, it may be possible to collect some tadpoles from a local pond and observe them as they grow and develop. Insect larvae and caterpillars are fun to watch as well, but a little less exciting until their final metamorphosis. You might even be able to contact a nearby chicken farm and get ahold of some fertilized eggs to incubate. Be sure to provide food and a decent living space for whatever creatures you investigate, of course, and have a plan for what to do with them after you are done observing them.

38. Phenotype investigation - Collect class data for a variety of common genetic traits and compare these to national or global averages. Blood type is ideal, but some students might not know theirs (everyone knows their blood type in Japan so this is an easy one for me!). Other possibilities include eye colour (here's a VERY detailed article on eye colour genetics ), dominant hand, hair colour, or earlobe shape. Avoid things like height, which might single out or embarrass some students. Also, don't do tongue rolling, because despite what you may have heard, the ability to roll your tongue is either mostly or entirely NOT determined by genes .

39. Determining the speed of sound experiment - This one requires some space, and by space, I mean distance. You'll want at least 200m with a clear line of sight for good results. Have a few students position themselves at 100m increments away from a group of observers (the rest of the class). These students will be equipped with some kind of noise-making device that can also serve as a visual cue. We use two blocks of wood clapped together above the head. The observers use a stopwatch to measure the time between when they see the blocks touch and when they hear the sound. This is then used to calculate the speed of sound. If you get really lucky on a stormy day, you can do a variation of this exercise using lightning (from indoors, of course). In that case, your students would be finding the distance of the lightning using an accepted speed of sound.

40. Create a pinhole camera - It's not really an experiment, but it's still a classic physics exercise and for good reason. Nothing more clearly illustrates the function of the eye and retina and the concept of light moving in straight lines than this ancient device. A small cardboard box or similar container forms the basis for the pinhole camera, along with a few other craft materials. Then look at a bright object like a lightbulb or candle to see the inverted image.

41. Hearing or colour sensitivity experiment - For this activity, students will use different videos or apps to determine how well they can differentiate between similar shades of a colour or hear high-pitched sounds. Have the whole class perform the tests and then analyze the results. Students love learning about themselves!

42. Reflection investigations - Using lasers and different types of mirrors, students observe the behaviour of light and construct ray diagrams. This is good practice for drawing clear and detailed diagrams. This can take a while, so it's probably best to split it into two lessons and keep plane and curved mirrors separate.

43. Playing a song with glasses of water - This is a pretty silly activity that I decided to do a few years ago, but there's some solid science behind it. Students can obviously make music on glasses of water without learning anything, so be sure to indicate (and possibly calculate) how and why the pitch changes with volume. Put on a concert at the end of class and get your cameras ready!

44. Water cycle simulation - With just a few simple materials you can easily show many of the processes involved in the water cycle. Get a fish tank and fill it with a small amount of water. Place some sand or a rock on one side to represent mountains. Cover the tank with a clear sheet of glass or plastic so you can still see what's going on. Put a tray of ice above the mountain to represent cold air in the upper atmosphere. Finally, place a heat lamp near the tank to represent the sun (you can also just use the actual sun!). A 'cloud' should form below the ice with lots of condensation which will drip down the mountains and back into the 'ocean'. If you want to speed up the process, try adding warm water to the tank.

45. Weather comparison investigation - Students look up weather information for a number of different cities and record things like temperature, wind speed, humidity, pressure, and so on for a week or two. Then they analyze the data and prepare a report or presentation on the similarities and differences between the chosen locations. They must use their knowledge of air and ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and other factors to explain any observed differences. This works best as a summative assessment comparing where you live to a selection of other cities chosen by the students themselves.

46. Plate tectonics simulation - I've tried several different materials to simulate the movements of tectonic plates, and each has its pros and cons. Slowly pushing crackers over a peanut butter or jam 'mantle' until they collide is pretty fun and shows some fault interactions reasonably well. I also like smashing layers of towels or paper into each other to show how mountains and unusual strata patterns can form. You can also try freezing the top few centimeters of a large container of water (just leave it outside if it's cold enough in winter!). Use a hammer to smash the surface and form a few 'plates'. Then move them across the surface to show plate movements and interactions. You can also use this to illustrate how the continents were once connected as a single land mass.

47. Human sense perception lab - This is one of my personal favourites. Students move around in pairs visiting a variety of stations that put their senses of hearing, touch, taste, sight, and smell to the test. In total students do 13 interactive sense activities that are easy to set up and fun to experience.

48. Plant tropism experiments - Use a fast-growing plant like beans to show how plants grow towards the light (phototropism) and away from gravity (gravitropism). Students can get a bit creative with this one by coming up with modifications to test. Some possibilities include growing a plant sideways or upside down, rotating a plant away from the sun every few days, or covering different parts of a growing shoot with various materials to see how phototropism is controlled.

49. Invertebrate stimuli and response experiments - Unlike mammals, invertebrates such as insects, worms, and snails exhibit mostly predictable responses to specific stimuli. Go outside and collect whatever tiny creatures you can from your local ecosystem. Then bring them back to the lab to test their responses to things like temperature gradients, moisture, light, sound, movement, and so on. Use this opportunity to discuss the ethical treatment of laboratory animals and make it clear that your students must do their best to avoid harming the creatures in their care. Release them where you found them after the experiments are done!

50. Human power experiment - Get your students running up flights of stairs to see how much power a human can generate! I like to kick off this activity by discussing horsepower and its origins as a unit of measurement. Inevitably students want to see how they compare to a horse (and each other), so this always gets competitive. Spoiler alert - your students can't beat a horse! To end the activity, we discuss situations in which a horse can be defeated by a human, focusing on an annual marathon that pits the two species against each other held in the UK. As it turns out, humans perform best when it's hot.

51. Impact crater experiment - This is good messy fun with applied physics! Students drop marbles into trays of flour from different heights and compare the diameter and depth of the impact craters. Use marbles with different masses and calculate the potential energy for each trial. This should equal the kinetic energy on impact. How does the kinetic energy affect crater size and depth? Graph it and find out!

52. Principle of moments lab - Students use a balance beam to solve problems and investigate the principle of moments. This is the idea that when two opposing turning forces act equally on either side of a pivot, they are balanced and no movement occurs. I like this activity because it can be completed in a number of ways, including trial and error, calculation, or a combination of both.

53. Gear ratios experiment - You'll need access to some specific equipment for this one. A bicycle should be easy enough to obtain (or borrow), but I use LEGO technic . Students build simple LEGO cars and switch out different gears to compare the force and speed produced. This takes a while and is definitely more complicated than just demonstrating with a stationary bicycle or similar setup, but it's far more hands-on. This is best for smaller classes or science clubs.

54. Pulley experiment - Here's another activity that requires you to have some materials on hand, although they can be easily purchased from a local hardware store for a reasonable price. Give students an object of known mass and a force meter. Then give them the pulley materials and set them to work on reducing the force needed to lift the mass by as much as possible. If they have already studied the theory behind pulleys, this should be doable, but the reality of setting up a working block and tackle is much more complicated than it seems if you've never done it before.

55. Greenhouse effect simulation - Using sealed jars or other containers, students modify atmospheric conditions to see how temperature is affected. There are many ways to conduct this experiment, so I recommend letting each group of students try something different. Start with a simple control (usually an empty container) and go from there. You can try adding different quantities of water, soil, or ice, or if you can get your hands on it, chunks of dry ice to increase the CO2 concentration.

56. Chemical tests for macromolecules - This is a well-documented set of biochemistry procedures for identifying starch, simple sugars, proteins, and fats in small samples of common foods. You only need a few reagents which should be readily available in most middle or high school science labs. The results involve various colour changes that are pretty fun to observe. Get your students to predict which foods will contain each macromolecule and then test their predictions to see if they are right.

57. Plant nutrient deficiencies investigation - Teach your students how to recognize signs of nutrient deficiencies in plants. These can be seen by examining leaf growth and colour. Then go outside and see if your students can find examples of nutrient-deficient plants around the school. Beware of plants that are naturally red/purple in colour, which could be mistaken for phosphorous deficiencies, and definitely don't try this in the fall for obvious reasons.

58. Digestion simulation - In this activity, students take a sample of food and put it through a series of processes in order to simulate the stages of digestion. This doesn't sound that fun, but it involves a lot of smashing, squishing, and messy fun. Crush the food inside a plastic bag, add some water and hydrochloric acid, filter it through a pair of socks or stocking 'intestines', and then compact the leftover chunks to make 'poop' (kids love it). Combine this activity with the chemical tests from experiment 56 above for a more in-depth analysis. I like using cornflakes or a similar cereal as the carbs are pretty easy to break down and there is enough iron for you to actually extract and see.

59. Digestive system dissection - If your students aren't too squeamish, consider dissecting something to view its digestive system. Whole fish are easy to obtain here in Japan so that's what I use. Rather than opting for a class set, if you splurge for a big one, you can cut open the stomach and examine the contents. I did this several times with carp in college and there was always lots to see. If you happen to know a hunter, you might be able to get something much larger. Enjoy!

60. Protease enzyme experiment - Some fruits, such as pineapples, naturally contain protein-digesting enzymes. If you attempt to make gelatin with a sufficient quantity of these fruits, it won't solidify. Try a bunch of different fruits and see which ones contain enzymes and which don't. Make sure you use fresh fruits as canned varieties can be unreliable. Then discuss enzyme activity and its importance in digestive processes.

61. Cell respiration experiment - Use germinating beans or yeast to indirectly measure the rate of cell respiration at different temperatures. You can accomplish this by placing these organisms inside a sealed system called a respirometer and measuring their CO2 production. It's a little complicated to set up for students, but you can prepare some of the materials ahead of time yourself. This experiment encourages accurate measurement techniques and can be used on invertebrates as well!

62. Magnetic field investigation - Put a magnet on a piece of paper and sprinkle with iron filings. Then draw the resulting magnetic field lines. Try different magnet shapes, or add multiple magnets in different arrangements to see how the magnetic field changes. If you have clear sheets of plexiglass or even just a blank laminated sheet you can put the magnets underneath and make cleanup MUCH easier.

63. Make a compass activity - Float a magnetized needle on water and watch it point north. Everyone has probably done this one at some point, but for younger students, this is still a tried and true way to observe the Earth's magnetic field. Apparently, you can also just suspend a bar magnet on a string and accomplish the same thing, but I've never tried that. Might be worth a go!

64. Fruit and vegetable battery experiment - Use a lemon or potato to generate electricity and power a simple device like a fan or light bulb. That's the basic version, anyway. You can make it more of an experiment by comparing how pH affects the voltage produced or by adjusting the distance between the electrodes. Obviously, you can also compare different fruits and vegetables to see which works the best. Some of them might surprise you (try a pumpkin!).

65. Series and parallel circuits investigation - Build different kinds of circuits and compare the voltage and current at different points. You'll need quite a few materials for a full class activity, including batteries, components, and a lot of wire, so consider doing this as part of a station activity if supplies are limited. You can also get kits that simplify and streamline the building process, but I like making students do it the hard way!

66. Electrical conductivity experiment - Compare the resistance of various materials using a multimeter. It's as simple as it sounds and generates really good data. The hardest part is finding similar materials for a fair test, as your wires need to be the same length and diameter if you are comparing different metals. One version of this activity involves using graphite from pencil drawings to compare conductivity. Simply draw two large dots on paper and connect them with a line. Then measure by placing your multimeter on the dots. Try making long or short lines, waves, or other shapes. Increase the thickness of your lines to see if that makes a difference.

67. Total internal reflection experiment - Shine a laser into a semi-circular transparent block at different angles until it reflects back rather than refracting through. You can use a small clear container or fish tank as well. Get students to use a protractor to find the critical angle, which can be calculated and compared for that substance as well. There are better ways to observe total internal reflection, including streaming water and the use of fiber optics, but those work better as demos.

68. Audio format sound quality experiment - Convert lossless quality music files to MP3s at different bit rates and see if your students can hear the differences in quality. You can do this with a free music editor such as Audacity . It's harder than you think, even with good headphones. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read the linked article about file formats and audio quality. Compare WAV files to 320 kbps VBR MP3s and 192 kbps CBR MP3s. Let your students choose their favourite songs if you like, or give them some music education by choosing yours!

69. Wi-fi signal strength experiment - See how different variables affect the signal strength of wi-fi signals, such as the distance, number of connected devices, or physical obstructions. Download a free signal strength app that measures in dBm to compare signals and collect data. Since this is a logarithmic scale you can take the opportunity to teach students about that, too. This is a super practical experiment that students find quite relevant to their needs.

70. Sheep/pig brain dissection - Another dissection, this time with a medium-sized brain. In order to get the most out of this lab, it's best to frontload a lot of the terminology and be sure students are familiar with the main brain regions and their functions. I like to get kids to follow along with a video dissection, pausing as needed, or just use a document camera to guide them through it yourself if you're confident to do so. One word of wisdom - don't freeze your brains prior to dissection. I do this with hearts and thought it would be fine, but nope! Brains turn to mush when you thaw them out.

71. Properties of bone experiment - Cook and soak bones in acid to remove the substances that give them strength. Chicken bones are the easiest to obtain, especially if you plan to have enough for a full class (there might be a wing night or two in your future!). You can combine this lab with a microscope investigation of bone tissue, or look at cross-sections of bones from avian and non-avian species (images are fine).

72. Antagonistic muscle groups activity - Construct a model of an antagonistic muscle group (the biceps/triceps arm pair is almost always used) and observe how the bones and muscles work during flexion and contraction. There are many different materials that can be used to make this work. It can be as simple as popsicle sticks and elastic bands, or more complicated models using wood or PVC to represent the bones and stretch cords or balloons for the muscles.

73. Observing body tissues microscope lab - Students look at a variety of human tissues under the microscope and attempt to identify them. It's not that hard to create mounts of different plant tissues, but animal tissues are a lot less practical. For these, I like to get a good set of prepared slides and have students do an ID quiz by rotating around the room. I'll usually give them a list of possible tissue types to choose from, but I don't always teach them what to look for ahead of time. The reasoning behind their choices is usually very good and worth writing down.

74. Microscope / biological drawings lab - In this lab, we revisit some properties of cells from earlier courses and refresh the students' memories on proper microscope use. In the process I have them create very detailed microscope drawings of protists - usually paramecium at 400x. The goal is to draw for accuracy and scale. I also need to regularly emphasize that students draw what they see, not what they expect to see.

75. Organs diagram activity - Students are given cutouts of human organs and have to place them in their correct positions on a blank torso. You can do this at the beginning or end of a topic (or both!), but either way, it's pretty hilarious to observe at times. After students are fairly confident with their choices, I have them label and annotate their diagrams explaining what each organ does. Finally, we look at the actual diagram and make corrections where necessary (I usually use a student exemplar from someone who knows what they're doing!). I've also done a whole class version of this exercise where I draw a life-sized torso on the whiteboard and have students take turns placing organs on it. There's a lot of communication from the 'audience' and it's always entertaining.

75. Dichotomous key activity - Students create a dichotomous key to differentiate and identify a selection of everyday objects. Sure, you could do this with images of actual species, in which case I would stick with a group of closely related organisms (turtles, sharks, cats, bears, etc.), however, I find that this is much more engaging when done with objects that have nothing to do with biology. Save yourself time and money by using whatever you have on hand, like candies, school supplies, or weird and random objects from your 'junk' drawer!

76. Flame test lab - Always a student favourite, this lab involves burning small quantities of metal salts to produce coloured flames. These can be used to identify specific metals. It is also the basis for the colours seen in fireworks. While that connection is easy to make, it's much harder for students to understand why each metal produces a different colour, but this is actually a good opportunity to introduce electron configurations. Let your students use their phones for this lab and they'll enjoy taking lots of cool photos and videos.

77. Properties of ionic and covalent compounds experiment - There are lots of ways to do this (and lots of compounds to test), but the simplest one I know of is to compare salt (sodium chloride), sugar (sucrose), and paraffin wax. Students can examine a number of properties, including melting point and conductivity, to determine the typical features of ionic and covalent substances. A much more interesting version of this experiment involves giving students a bunch of unknown substances and asking them to determine whether they are ionic or covalent. This is most easily accomplished by testing for conductivity, but let them figure that out for themselves!

78. Properties of metals lab - Students test a bunch of common metals to investigate their properties. This can include both a qualitative (describe the colour and other physical features) and quantitative analysis (measuring the conductivity, density, and so on). I find it best if you can get equally sized samples of each metal, whether that be cubes, wires, or strips. I usually have students fill out a table of all the properties. I also include a few rare metals (like gold, platinum, iridium, etc.) that they have to research and add to the table themselves).

79. Electroplating experiment - Students use a zinc solution and electricity to coat a copper plate with a thin layer of zinc. I make this a seasonal activity by drawing holiday-themed designs on the copper using a permanent marker. When removed, it creates a nice contrast between the dull grey zinc and shiny orange copper metals. Heat it lightly in a Bunsen burner and you'll create brass instead. Then punch a hole in the top and you've got a unique ornament for your Christmas tree.

80. Preventing rust experiment - Take a selection of iron nails and coat them with different protective substances before placing them in water. Leave them in there for a few days to see how much they rust. The goal is to learn about the factors that contribute to corrosion and to see if we can prevent it with readily available materials. You can also do a follow-up experiment where you use things like acid to remove the layer of rust.

81. Newton's 3rd law skateboard experiment - There are lots of versions of this, but I like to get kids up and moving a bit using rollerblades or skateboards if possible (safety first!). Get a student to sit on the skateboard and then toss a medicine ball. Measure how far they threw the ball and how far they rolled, and then repeat this with different masses of medicine balls (and students!). Do lots of trials to smooth out inconsistent data. If you don't have skateboards you can always just use balloon-powered rockets or cars to show the same concepts.

82. Hooke's law elastic spring constant experiment - With nothing more than a few small weights and an elastic band, you can investigate Hooke's law. This is so simple and quick that I would recommend doing it more than once with either different elastics or springs . As the name implies, springs produce better data, but you might not have enough for a full class, and once they're stretched out, that's pretty much the end of them.

83. Center of gravity experiment - Students try to find an accurate way of locating the center of gravity for irregularly shaped objects. I don't tell them how to do it at first to see if anyone can come up with a decent method. We might even test a few ideas if they seem reasonable, but otherwise, we'll go to the prescribed lab to complete the activity. All you need is a thick paper cut into irregular shapes. I use pieces of cardboard or old greeting cards.

84. Engineering challenges activity - Create and test towers and bridges using craft materials or building sets, then test them for strength and efficiency. Normally I do this at the end of our unit on forces and structures, but this year we did it twice - once at the beginning and then again after they had learned some more about construction and engineering. The results were greatly improved! My resources for this particular experiment are freely available here , by the way.

85. Types of mixtures lab - This is another great example of an experiment that makes use of what you have, saving you time and hopefully a shopping trip. Students mix household solids and liquids to explore different types of homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures. Use small quantities as this lab can generate a lot of waste that needs to be cleaned up. You can also illustrate the Tyndall effect by shining a flashlight through your mixtures to see if they scatter the light.

86. Dialysis or potato osmosis experiment - Use dialysis tubing to illustrate the concept of osmosis, typically with sugar, salt, or starch solutions of varying concentrations. Unfortunately, I rarely have dialysis tubing on hand, so we do the potato version with saltwater instead. I've been keeping our data for many years, however, so we compare and combine the data to arrive at much better results. My big breakthrough with this method has been to use cookie cutters when preparing the potato samples. It makes the sizes and surface areas much more consistent, although you still have to weigh each sample. 24 hours is a perfect amount of time to leave your samples in solution.

87. Molecular gastronomy spherification lab - Students make bubble tea using fruit juice. This is a fairly challenging experiment, but the result is often worth the effort (plus, you can eat it). Molecular gastronomy has a lot more to explore and honestly I wish I knew more about it. I've always wanted to try an activity to have students create and taste unusual flavour combinations based on similar chemical compounds, but I've never gotten around to it.

88. Chromatography crime lab - Separate the pigments in marker ink using various solvents in order to solve a 'crime'. You can go full CSI on this one if you're inspired to do so, and I think kids appreciate it. The experiment itself is not that thrilling, so you really have to play up the forensics angle and focus on the practical aspects of the technique.

89. Infection simulation - Give each student a solution that represents their body fluids. One student is 'infected' with a different solution. Students mingle around sharing fluids for a few rounds before testing the liquids to see who else is now infected. The cups containing the infected solution turn bright pink when phenolphthalein indicator is added. This is one of my favourite activities for exploring immunity, vaccination, and viruses. It also lends itself very well to discussions on STIs.

90. Graveyard survivorship and life expectancy investigation - Visit a local graveyard and collect as much data as you can. Then analyze it over the next couple of lessons. This is very location dependent, but luckily you can access similar records online using sites like Find A Grave . I still think going to the actual site where people are buried is much more meaningful, but it works either way. Use the results to create survivorship curves, compare life expectancy over time, and look for specific birth and death events. Try doing this as an interdisciplinary activity with social studies!

91. Electron flow student simulation - Kids act out an electrical circuit by pretending to be electrons. It sounds stupid, but it works beautifully and even older students usually come around once they try it. Increase the voltage by having students move faster. Add components and batteries using chairs or levels to show gaining and losing energy. Add switches to stop and start the flow of students. Then create a series or parallel circuit and get students to adjust their movements accordingly. Surprisingly I couldn't find a decent online version of this, so I guess I need to upload mine soon!

92. Fuse wire experiment - Use fuse wires of variable thickness to explore the relationship between current and resistance. You'll need a low-voltage power supply and the wires themselves, as well as other standard electrical circuit materials. This has the potential to be slightly dangerous, so be sure to prepare students adequately beforehand and make safety requirements clear.

93. Water quality investigation - There are many aspects of water that can be tested in schools, including hardness, pH, and the presence of nitrates. Purchase water quality testing kits to save yourself a ton of effort. I send each kid home with a small container and tell them to get some water. Most kids will bring their tap water, but some get creative and scoop a sample out of a puddle, pond, stream, or toilet (ew...). Label everything accordingly and then start analyzing those samples! I really love showing the film Erin Brockovich in combination with this activity as it's directly related and based on a true story.

94. Acid rain plant germination and growth experiment - Various concentrations of acidified water are used on germinating seeds and healthy plants to observe the effects on their growth and general health. You can use vinegar as the experiment here suggests, but I make a more realistic batch of 'acid rain' by combining nitric and sulfuric acids in order to get a pH below 5. We then dilute this solution as necessary to use on our plants. I like to use radishes since they grow so quickly and require very little space/depth. You can grow them right in the classroom with a few trays or planters.

95. Natural selection simulation - Students act as predators to capture prey using a variety of utensils. Both predator and prey populations change with each 'generation', but only the strongest survive! I really like this activity for introducing or reviewing the concept of natural selection, and it pairs well with the board game Evolution .

96. Hominid migration mapping activity - This website is awful, but the activity is great. Students use hominid fossil data to plot locations on a map and then suggest migration routes our ancestors might have taken. There is one typo in the data but I always forget to write down which one it is. Don't worry, your students will find it! When finished you can refer them to this updated interactive which helps explain human migration patterns.

97. Kepler's laws investigation - This is really a collection of experiments to explore the laws of planetary motion outlined by Johannes Kepler about 400 years ago. Students will be drawing and performing calculations related to ellipses and learning about centripetal force. There's a decent amount of geometry and other maths involved, so you might want to coordinate with the math department if that's something that interests you.

98. Lenses investigation - Using a series of lasers and lenses, students refract light and produce images on a screen to find focal lengths. This can be difficult without the proper equipment so I think it's worth investing in a couple of decent optics sets for your lab. Treat them well and they should last practically forever.

99. Eye dissection - Cow eyes are typically used for this investigation of eye structure and function. It's simple enough, but I haven't done it in years since it's hard to get the materials where I live. If you want to avoid the mess, there are many virtual options or videos you can use instead.

100. Doppler effect experiment - A simple smartphone app is used to explore the way motion affects sound frequencies. The experiment itself is pretty easy to do, but it's important to then link these concepts back to light and the expanding universe, which is responsible for the red-shift observed with very distant objects.

101. Night sky investigation - Another set of app investigations that use star-gazing software on your phone or tablet to explore the locations and movements of celestial objects. The good thing about these apps is that you can complete them in broad daylight, but I still think it's worth organizing a star-gazing event at night with telescopes so that students can view actual planets and moons. If you aren't confident running this yourself (I'm not), ask a physics teacher or contact your local astronomy club/observatory.

102. DIY Spectrometer experiment - Got a pile of useless CDs? Use them to create your own spectrometer to observe the spectral lines from different light sources. There are far more complicated designs available online if you are a tinkerer, but I find that this one works well enough for our purposes. There are some apps that will analyze a photo of spectral lines and suggest what elements might be present, but there isn't a single one that I would really recommend at this time. Explore what's available on your device as apps are constantly changing.

103. Molecular modeling activity - I'll take any excuse to get out the modeling kits. For this activity, students practice making various organic functional groups. I sometimes give each group equal components and see what kinds of different isomers they can come up with. It's easy to get caught up with complicated naming procedures in organic chemistry so I find that this hands-on activity helps to put some of the theory in perspective without being too demanding. If you want to challenge your students on a rainy afternoon (or whenever) give them something really big to make, like a phospholipid, or a section of DNA.

104. Esters investigation - Making esters by combining carboxylic acids with alcohols is relatively straightforward, if you have access to the necessary reactants. Students get to smell a bunch of things and relate this to compounds found naturally in foods and those artificially added to perfumes and other products. This lab makes use of concentrated sulfuric acid, which only you should handle for safety reasons.

105. Polymer slime activity - Making slime is fun for all ages, but you might wonder why I do it with grade 10 as it's more of an elementary school type of activity. Although younger students love to make and play with slime, they can't really appreciate the chemistry behind it, so that's why I toss this in at the end of a tough organic chemistry unit. You don't have to make the usual borax / PVA slime, but I find that it is simple and flexible enough to illustrate all of the concepts I want to hit. We also use this as a jumping-off point to discuss the use of plastics and other polymers as well as their effects on the environment.

106. Identifying plastics lab - Not all plastics are created equal in terms of their suitability for recycling. In this experiment, students will use the density of various plastic samples to identify them. We often watch a documentary associated with this experiment, such as Plastic Problem or Plastic Wars , both from PBS.

107. PCR and gel electrophoresis experiment - If your school has a PCR and electrophoresis machine, you're good to go and can begin examining samples of DNA without much effort, but if you don't, you'll need to connect with another organization that does. In the past, I've taken students to local universities in order to make use of their equipment, which they are usually happy to share for educational purposes. Sometimes they even prepare the lesson for us!

108. Flower anatomy investigation - If you plan to teach this unit in the warmer months you'll have access to all kinds of flowers you can dissect and examine. If you want to leave them on the plants you can just take photos I guess, but you'll miss out on exploring what's inside. Large flowers such as lilies are among the best and most straightforward examples of flower anatomy, but be sure to have a look at other flower types, including composites like sunflowers to see if your students can still identify all of the structures. Don't just look at flower structure, however. Make sure you discuss the functions of each part, and more importantly, why each species has evolved in a particular way. This is a good chance to talk about pollination as well.

109. Radioactive decay simulation - This is a statistics activity using dice to determine radioactive decay events. The experiment involves graphing, half-life calculations, and discussions on nuclear waste, so it's a well-rounded activity for any unit on radiation.

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130 Laboratory Apparatus And Their Uses (With Pictures)

A laboratory is a special room or place that is equipped to facilitate scientific experiments, observations and for teaching science. Laboratory apparatus refers to the various tools, equipment, and instruments used in scientific research, experimentation, and analysis within a laboratory setting. These tools are essential for conducting experiments, measuring and analyzing data, and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of scientific results.

Some of the laboratory apparatus are used as a source of heat, for safety, for making observations and for measurement of variables such as voltage, temperature, volume, time and mass.

There are apparatus that are used in general laboratory experiments while others serve specific in experiments. They are also made from materials that are resistant to chemical reactions and corrosion. Common materials include glass, stainless steel, and various types of plastics.

It is important to note that most of the apparatus that are used as containers or reaction vessels are made of transparent glass or plastic and may come in different sizes. Let us talk about Laboratory apparatus in three categories: Basic Apparatus, Safety Apparatus , General Apparatus and Specialized Apparatus

Here is a list of 130 laboratory apparatus / Equipment

General equipment/apparatus that are found in almost all laboratories:

• Alcohol burner
• Bunsen burner
• Burette clamp
• Buchner funnel
• Balance scale
• Conical or titration flask
• Crucible tong
• china dish (Evaporating Dish)
• Crucible with cover
• Clay Triangles
• Dry-cell battery
• Dissecting set
• Erlenmeyer flask
• Flat bottomed flask
• Filter paper
• Friability tester
• Glass funnel
• Glass tubing
• Litmus paper
• Measuring cylinders

Mortar and pestle

• Measuring flasks
• No of weights
• Petri dishes
• Rubber stopper
• Reagent bottle
• Rubber tubing
• Stirring rod
• Separatory funnel
• Stethoscope
• Speedometer
• Test tube rack
• Tripod stand
• Test tube holder
• Test tube stand
• Test tube brush
• Tuning fork

Thermometer

• Wash bottle
• Watch glass

Others Laboratory Apparatus or Equipment

• Analytical balance
• Atomic absorption spectrometer
• BOD incubator
• Chromatography column
• Cryogenic freezer
• Colorimeter
• Conductivity meter
• Dewar flask
• Distillation apparatus
• Electrophoresis chamber
• Flame photometer
• Gas chromatograph
• Geiger-Muller counter
• Inoculating loop
• Inverted microscope
• Kjeldahl apparatus
• Laboratory oven
• Laboratory refrigerator
• Laser spectrometer
• Magnetic stirrer
• Mass spectrometer

Microcentrifuge

• NMR spectrometer
• Orbital shaker
• Oscilloscope
• Particle counter
• PCR machine (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Peristaltic pump
• pH electrode
• Pipette filler
• Polarimeter
• Refractometer
• Rotary evaporator

Spectrophotometer

• Syringe filter

Ultracentrifuge

• UV-Vis spectrophotometer
• Vortex mixer
• X-ray diffraction machine
• YSI meter (for measuring dissolved oxygen)
• Gas syringe
• Melting point apparatus
• Infrared spectrometer
• Particle size analyzer
• Bacterial incubator
• Thermal cycler (PCR machine)
• Gas manifold
• Conductivity cell
• Reflux condenser
• Freeze dryer
• Inert gas chamber
• Ultrasonic cleaner
• Atomic force microscope (AFM)
• Gas generator
• Digital pH meter
• Atomic emission spectrometer
• Magnetic balance
• Tensiometer
• Ultraviolet lamp
• Inoculation needle
• Rotary shaker
• Autotitrator
• Freeze-thaw chamber
• Gel documentation system
• Pipette tips
• Rotary vane pump
• Vacuum desiccator
• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system
• Inverted fluorescence microscope

Basic Laboratory Apparatus

Bunsen Burner

This is a piece of apparatus that is used as a safe source of heat in laboratories using a single gas flame. A Bunsen has an inlet that is usually connected to an external source of laboratory gas by rubber tubing. Its flame is used not only for heating, but for combustion and sterilizing objects too.

This is an apparatus that is used to give finer details of small objects that would otherwise not be seen by the naked eye or a hand lens. It does so by magnifying objects up to thousands times their original size. There exist two main variants of a microscope namely; a light microscope and an electron microscope

Weighing Balances

These are used to weigh the mass of substances in a laboratory. There are different types of weigh balances such as beam balance, spring balance, top pan balances and electronic balances.

Watches and clocks

These are apparatus for measuring time. Stop watches and stop clocks are the most commonly used for accurately measuring time during experiments.

When it comes to measuring the voltage between any two points, nothing does the job better than a voltmeter. It is normally connected in parallel with a device so as to measure its voltage.

Beakers serve a wide range of purposes. Calibrated beakers are used to measure approximate volumes of liquids, holding both liquids and solids and heating them when necessary. In addition to that, beakers may be used for stirring and mixing different substances in a laboratory.

Volumetric Flask

Volumetric flasks come in handy when fairly accurate and precise volumes of liquids are required. They can as well be used for dilution when preparing standard solutions.

This is an apparatus that is used for adding fairly accurate volumes of liquids up to nearly 0.01ml especially during titrations. It is fitted with an adjustable stopcock that regulates the amount of liquid that is released at a time.

A pipette (sometimes spelled pipet ) is a laboratory tool commonly used in chemistry, biology and medicine to transport a measured volume of liquid, often as a media dispenser. Pipettes come in several designs for various purposes with differing levels of accuracy and precision, from single piece glass pipettes to more complex adjustable or electronic pipettes.

A thermometer is used to measure the degree of hotness or coldness of a substance. They come in different types such as maximum and minimum thermometer, clinical thermometer and general purpose thermometers.

Flat-bottomed Flask

It is used for general laboratory experiments. A flat-bottomed flask can be used to collect, measure and hold liquids. They may as well be used for heating substances and mixing solutions in a laboratory.

Filter Funnel

Filter funnels are used for delivering different amounts of liquids carefully into holding apparatus. It can also be used together with a filter paper to separate finer solid substances from liquids. They vary in sizes and material from which they are built from depending on the purpose for which they are needed.

A desiccator is a sealable storage unit used for drying or keeping moisture sensitive substances free from moisture. There are two main types of desiccators that are made from polycarbonate or polypropylene material. These are; vacuum desiccators and non-vacuum desiccators.

Reagent Bottle

Reagent bottle or media bottle refers to containers used for storing and sampling both liquid and solid bench reagents in a variety of laboratory experiments. Most reagent bottles are made of glass or plastic.

A spatula is a broad, flat, hand-held blade apparatus that is used for spreading, mixing and scooping solid substances. The do come in various shapes and sizes.

Dropping funnel

This is an apparatus that is used to add controlled amounts of liquids into reaction vessels more so when the reaction is expected to be too vigorous if large amounts of the reagent are used at a go.

These apparatus are used to prepare solid reagents into a paste or powder by grinding, crushing or pounding them. They are mostly made of metal, wood, nonporous marble and granite material.

Test-tube is a tubular apparatus that is used for general laboratory experiments. They may be used to hold and compare chemical substances. In addition to that, test-tubes can be used to mix liquid substances and heating small chemical samples.

This is a heat resistant apparatus used when heating solid substances under high temperatures. It is commonly made of porcelain as it is resistant to heat when strongly heating solid substances.

Safety Apparatus

It is essential for any laboratory to have a wide range of safety equipment at its disposal. They are intended to keep laboratory users and their working environment safe from injuries, corrosive chemicals, poisonous fumes or accidental fires while carrying out experiments. The list of protective gear ranges from:

Safety Goggles

• Purpose : Safety goggles provide eye protection by shielding the eyes from chemical splashes, flying debris, and hazardous fumes or liquids.
• Usage : They are essential in laboratories, workshops, and industrial environments where eye hazards are present. Goggles should fit snugly to prevent entry of harmful substances.

Disposable Coveralls and Aprons

• Purpose : Disposable coveralls and aprons are protective garments that shield the body and clothing from chemical spills, contaminants, or biohazards.
• Usage : Workers wear these items to prevent exposure to hazardous substances, ensuring both personal safety and contamination control.

Disposable Latex Gloves

• Purpose : Disposable latex gloves are worn to protect the hands from contact with chemicals, biological materials, and contaminants.
• Usage : These gloves are common in laboratories, healthcare settings, and industries where hand protection is essential. They reduce the risk of skin contact and contamination.

Plastic Bags

• Purpose : Plastic bags are used for containing and disposing of hazardous waste materials, contaminated items, or biohazards.
• Usage : In laboratories and medical facilities, plastic bags are crucial for safe disposal of waste materials and maintaining cleanliness.
• Purpose : Gas masks protect the respiratory system by filtering out harmful gases, fumes, and particulates from the air.
• Usage : Gas masks are used in environments where there is a risk of exposure to toxic or hazardous airborne substances, such as during chemical spills or in industrial settings.

Fire Blanket or Extinguisher

• Purpose : Fire blankets and extinguishers are used to suppress fires in emergency situations.
• Usage : In the event of a small fire, fire blankets can be used to smother flames. Fire extinguishers are designed to spray fire-suppressing agents to extinguish fires safely.

First Aid Kits

• Purpose : First aid kits contain essential medical supplies and equipment to provide immediate medical assistance in case of injuries or accidents.
• Usage : First aid kits are located in workplaces, laboratories, and public areas to address injuries, burns, cuts, and other medical emergencies.

Plumbed Eyewash Units

• Purpose : Plumbed eyewash units provide a continuous flow of water to rinse and flush the eyes in case of chemical exposure.
• Usage : Eyewash stations are installed in laboratories and workplaces where hazardous chemicals are handled, ensuring prompt eye irrigation in case of accidents.

Flammable Safe

• Purpose : A flammable safe is designed to store flammable liquids and materials safely, preventing ignition or explosions.
• Usage : These safes are essential for fire safety in laboratories, where flammable substances are often used or stored.

Chemical Spill Kits

• Purpose : Chemical spill kits contain materials and equipment for responding to chemical spills, containing and neutralizing the spill, and protecting personnel.
• Usage : In laboratory environments, chemical spill kits are crucial to mitigate the effects of accidental chemical spills, preventing harm and environmental damage.

Plastic Dust Pan and Scoop

• Purpose : Plastic dust pans and scoops are used to collect and safely dispose of solid chemical spills, dust, or debris.
• Usage : They are essential tools for cleaning up laboratory or industrial workspaces, ensuring the safe removal of potentially hazardous materials.

General Laboratory Apparatus

• Purpose : Microscopes are used to magnify and visualize objects or specimens that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. They are essential tools in fields such as biology, microbiology, and materials science.
• Components : A typical microscope consists of an eyepiece, objective lenses with varying magnification powers, a stage for holding the sample, and a light source for illumination.
• Usage : Researchers place a sample on the stage, adjust the focus using the fine and coarse adjustment knobs, and select the appropriate objective lens for the desired magnification.
• Purpose : Bunsen burners are used for heating, sterilizing, and flame-related experiments in the laboratory. They provide a consistent open flame.
• Components : A Bunsen burner has a gas inlet, an adjustable air vent, and a flame nozzle.
• Usage : The flame intensity and type (oxidizing or reducing) can be adjusted by controlling the air mixture. Bunsen burners are commonly used in chemistry for tasks like heating solutions and sterilizing equipment.
• Purpose : Beakers are used for holding, mixing, and heating liquids. They come in various sizes and are a staple in laboratories for general-purpose tasks.
• Features : Beakers typically have volume markings, a spout for pouring, and a flat bottom.
• Usage : Beakers are versatile containers, but they are not designed for precise measurements. They are often used for mixing solutions, conducting simple reactions, or as a vessel for holding liquids during experiments.

Erlenmeyer Flask

• Purpose : Erlenmeyer flasks are conical-shaped containers with narrow necks. They are used for mixing, heating, and storing liquids, particularly when you need to prevent splashes and evaporation.
• Features : Erlenmeyer flasks have volume markings and can be fitted with stoppers or caps.
• Usage : They are commonly used for titration, as reaction vessels for chemical reactions, or as containers for cultures in microbiology.
• Purpose : Test tubes are small, cylindrical containers used for holding, heating, or mixing small quantities of liquids or solids.
• Features : They come in various sizes, and some have screw caps or stoppers.
• Usage : Test tubes are versatile and widely used in chemical and biological experiments, such as holding reagents, conducting small-scale reactions, or culturing microorganisms.

Graduated Cylinder

• Purpose : Graduated cylinders are used to accurately measure the volume of liquids. They have volume markings for precise measurements.
• Features : They have a narrow, graduated scale and a spout for pouring.
• Usage : Graduated cylinders are essential for preparing solutions with precise volumes and measuring liquids accurately.
• Purpose : Pipettes are used for precise measurement and transfer of small volumes of liquid. They come in various types, including micropipettes for ultra-precise measurements.
• Features : Pipettes have a calibrated scale for volume selection, and some are disposable while others are reusable and require calibration.
• Usage : Pipettes are commonly used in biology, chemistry, and analytical chemistry for tasks like transferring samples, making dilutions, and preparing standards.
• Purpose : Burets are used for precise titrations in analytical chemistry. They allow for controlled dispensing of a titrant into a solution.
• Features : Burets are long, graduated tubes with a stopcock at the bottom for controlling the flow of liquid.
• Usage : Burets are essential in titration experiments where the volume of titrant needed to reach a specific endpoint is critical.

Florence Flask

• Purpose : Florence flasks are used for boiling and heating liquids. They have a round bottom that allows for even heating.
• Features : They typically have a long neck and are often used with a rubber stopper or glass tubing for attaching other equipment.
• Usage : Florence flasks are commonly used in distillation setups and refluxing reactions.
• Purpose : Volumetric flasks are used for preparing solutions with precise volumes. They come in various sizes and are designed to hold a specific volume when filled to the calibration mark.
• Features : Volumetric flasks have a long neck with a single calibration mark on the neck.
• Usage : They are crucial for preparing accurate and known concentrations of solutions, such as standards used in chemical analysis.
• Purpose : Funnels are used for transferring liquids or fine-grained substances from one container to another. They help avoid spills and maintain accuracy.
• Features : Funnels have a wide, tapered opening at the top and a narrow spout at the bottom.
• Usage : Funnels are essential for tasks like filtering solutions, adding reagents to containers, and filling smaller vessels without spillage.
• Purpose : Crucibles are heat-resistant containers used for heating substances to high temperatures. They are typically made of porcelain or ceramic materials.
• Features : They have a small, cylindrical shape and come with lids.
• Usage : Crucibles are commonly used for processes such as heating samples to dryness, ashing organic materials, and performing high-temperature reactions.
• Purpose : Tongs are used for safely handling hot glassware and objects in the laboratory.
• Features : They have long, pincer-like arms with insulated handles.
• Usage : Tongs are essential for gripping and moving hot crucibles, beakers, flasks, and other equipment without direct contact.

Evaporating Dish

• Purpose : Evaporating dishes are shallow, flat-bottomed containers used for evaporating solvents from solutions.
• Features : They are typically made of porcelain or borosilicate glass and are resistant to high temperatures.
• Usage : Evaporating dishes are used to concentrate solutions by gently heating them to drive off the solvent, leaving behind the solute.
• Purpose : Desiccators are sealed containers used to store substances in a dry environment, protecting them from moisture.
• Features : They have an airtight seal and often contain a drying agent like silica gel or calcium chloride.
• Usage : Desiccators are used for storing moisture-sensitive materials, such as hygroscopic chemicals or humidity-sensitive samples.
• Purpose : Centrifuges are used for separating components of a liquid or mixture based on density by spinning them at high speeds.
• Features : They have a rotor that holds sample tubes and can generate centrifugal forces.
• Usage : Centrifuges are used in various fields, including biology, chemistry, and clinical laboratories, for tasks like separating cells, proteins, and particles from liquids.
• Purpose : A hot plate is an electric heating device used to heat glassware or other containers, usually with a flat, heated surface.
• Usage : Hot plates are commonly used for tasks such as boiling water, heating solutions, or conducting reactions that require controlled and consistent temperature.

Magnetic Stirrer

• Purpose : Magnetic stirrers use a rotating magnetic field to create a vortex in a liquid, which stirs or mixes the contents of a container without the need for a physical stirring rod.
• Usage : They are used for even and continuous mixing of solutions, particularly in chemistry and biology experiments.
• Purpose : A pH meter measures the acidity or alkalinity (pH) of a solution. It provides a numerical pH value based on the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution.
• Usage : pH meters are vital in various fields, including chemistry, biology, and environmental science, for accurately determining pH levels in solutions.
• Purpose : A spectrophotometer measures the absorption or transmission of light by a substance across a range of wavelengths. It is used for quantitative analysis of substances in a solution.
• Usage : Spectrophotometers are essential for applications like quantifying the concentration of a solute, identifying compounds, and studying chemical reactions.
• Purpose : Autoclaves are pressurized and high-temperature chambers used to sterilize equipment, media, and samples in a laboratory.
• Usage : Autoclaves are crucial for maintaining sterile conditions in microbiology, biotechnology, and medical laboratories.
• Purpose : Incubators provide a controlled environment with regulated temperature and humidity for the growth of microorganisms or the incubation of biological samples.
• Usage : They are essential for cell culture, microbial culturing, and other biological research applications.

Refrigerator/Freezer

• Purpose : Laboratory refrigerators and freezers are used to store temperature-sensitive reagents, samples, and biological materials at controlled temperatures.
• Usage : They are crucial for preserving the integrity and stability of materials, such as enzymes, vaccines, and DNA.
• Purpose : A microcentrifuge is a high-speed centrifuge designed to spin small volumes of liquid at very high speeds, separating components based on density.
• Usage : They are used for tasks such as pelleting cells or particles, separating DNA, and isolating proteins.

Gel Electrophoresis Apparatus

• Purpose : Gel electrophoresis apparatus is used to separate and analyze DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge.
• Usage : It is a fundamental tool in molecular biology for tasks like DNA fingerprinting, DNA fragment separation, and protein analysis.

PCR Machine (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

• Purpose : A PCR machine amplifies specific DNA sequences through repeated cycles of heating and cooling.
• Usage : PCR machines are vital in molecular biology for DNA amplification, genetic testing, and DNA sequencing.

Spectrofluorometer

• Purpose : A spectrofluorometer measures the fluorescence emission spectra of substances when excited by light of a specific wavelength.
• Components : It typically includes a light source, monochromator, sample holder, and photodetector.
• Usage : Spectrofluorometers are used to study the fluorescence properties of compounds, such as fluorescent dyes, proteins, and biomolecules, in chemical and biological research. They are crucial for characterizing fluorescent materials and quantifying their concentrations.

Distillation Apparatus :

• Purpose : Distillation apparatus is used to separate components of a liquid mixture based on their different boiling points.
• Components : It comprises a boiling flask, distillation head, condenser, receiver flask, and a heat source.
• Usage : Distillation is a common technique for purifying or separating liquids in chemistry, including the production of distilled water or the isolation of pure chemicals.

Condenser :

• Purpose : A condenser cools and condenses vaporized substances back into a liquid state, typically in distillation setups.
• Components : It includes a coiled or straight glass tube through which cooling water circulates.
• Usage : Condensers are essential components in distillation and reflux processes, allowing the collection of purified liquids.
• Purpose : A spatula is a small, flat utensil used for transferring solid chemicals or powders.
• Materials : Spatulas are typically made of stainless steel, plastic, or glass.
• Usage : Spatulas are commonly used to weigh or transfer small quantities of solids in chemistry and analytical work. They come in various shapes and sizes to suit different applications.

Pipette Bulb :

• Purpose : A pipette bulb is a rubber bulb that attaches to a pipette for creating suction and facilitating liquid transfer.
• Usage : Pipette bulbs are used to draw liquids into pipettes accurately. They provide a manual means of controlling the volume of liquid aspirated and dispensed.

Buchner Funnel :

• Purpose : A Buchner funnel is used in vacuum filtration to separate solids from liquids. It contains a perforated plate and a vacuum source to pull liquid through.
• Components : It includes a funnel with a flat, porous base and a conical flask or vacuum flask below it.
• Usage : Buchner funnels are commonly used for isolating precipitates or collecting solid residues from liquid suspensions. Vacuum filtration speeds up the process.

Mortar and Pestle :

• Purpose : A mortar and pestle are tools used for grinding, crushing, and mixing solid materials into fine powders or pastes.
• Materials : Mortars are typically made of ceramic, glass, or stone, while the pestle is a heavy rod.
• Usage : They are widely used in chemistry and biology for tasks such as sample preparation, grinding chemicals, or creating homogenous mixtures.

Stirring Rod :

• Purpose : A stirring rod is a long, thin glass or plastic rod used for manually stirring liquids or suspensions.
• Usage : Stirring rods are commonly used for mixing solutions, ensuring homogeneity in reactions, and transferring small quantities of liquid.

Thermometer :

• Purpose : A thermometer measures temperature. Laboratory thermometers are designed for accuracy and precision.
• Types : There are various types of thermometers, including mercury-in-glass, digital, and infrared.
• Usage : Thermometers are used in various applications, from monitoring reaction temperatures to maintaining controlled conditions in incubators and ovens.

Melting Point Apparatus

• Purpose : A melting point apparatus is used to determine the melting point of a solid substance, which is a characteristic property.
• Components : It includes a heating block, sample holder, and a magnifying lens.
• Usage : It is employed in chemistry for identifying and verifying the purity of organic compounds by comparing their melting points to known standards.
• Purpose : A Petri dish is a shallow, flat, cylindrical container with a lid, used for culturing and observing microorganisms and small specimens.
• Materials : Petri dishes are typically made of glass or clear plastic.
• Usage : Petri dishes are widely used in microbiology for bacterial and fungal cultures and in various biological experiments, including bacterial plate counts and tissue culture.

Separatory Funnel

• Purpose : A separatory funnel is used to separate immiscible liquids or liquids with different densities.
• Components : It has a conical shape with a stopcock at the bottom for controlled liquid drainage.
• Usage : Separatory funnels are commonly used in chemistry for processes like liquid-liquid extraction, purification, and phase separations.

Gas Burette

• Purpose : A gas burette is a graduated glass tube used to measure the volume of gases in chemical experiments.
• Usage : It is employed in experiments where precise gas volume measurements are necessary, such as in gas collection or stoichiometry experiments.

Hemocytometer

• Purpose : A hemocytometer is a special counting chamber used for manually counting blood cells and other small particles under a microscope.
• Components : It consists of a thick glass slide with a grid etched on it and a coverslip.
• Usage : Hemocytometers are essential in clinical laboratories and research for accurate cell counting in applications like blood cell analysis and cell culture.

Vortex Mixer :

• Purpose : A vortex mixer is a high-speed mixer that creates a vortex in a liquid sample to mix its contents.
• Components : It has a motorized base with a rubber cup or platform for holding sample tubes.
• Usage : Vortex mixers are used to quickly and thoroughly mix liquids, suspensions, and small samples in test tubes or microcentrifuge tubes.

Ultrasonic Cleaner

• Purpose : An ultrasonic cleaner uses high-frequency sound waves to remove contaminants from objects immersed in a liquid.
• Components : It consists of a tank filled with cleaning solution, ultrasonic transducers, and a timer.
• Usage : Ultrasonic cleaners are commonly used to clean laboratory glassware, small parts, and delicate instruments, ensuring thorough cleaning without manual scrubbing.

TLC Plate (Thin-Layer Chromatography Plate)

• Purpose : TLC is a chromatography technique used to separate and analyze mixtures. A TLC plate is a flat, thin sheet coated with a stationary phase for this purpose.
• Components : The plate is typically made of glass or plastic with a thin layer of absorbent material (such as silica gel) as the stationary phase.
• Usage : Researchers spot or apply a sample mixture at the base of the plate, which is then placed in a solvent chamber. As the solvent rises through capillary action, it carries the components of the mixture, allowing for separation based on their interactions with the stationary phase.

Rotary Evaporator

• Purpose : A rotary evaporator is used for the gentle and efficient removal of solvents from liquid mixtures, typically in chemical synthesis or sample preparation.
• Components : It consists of a rotating flask, a water bath or heating bath, a vacuum system, and a condenser.
• Usage : The sample is placed in the rotating flask and heated under vacuum. The reduced pressure lowers the boiling point of the solvent, facilitating its removal. The condenser then collects the vapor, which condenses back into a liquid.
• Purpose : A viscometer measures the viscosity of a fluid, which is a measure of its resistance to flow.
• Types : There are various types of viscometers, including capillary viscometers, rotational viscometers, and falling ball viscometers.
• Usage : Viscometers are used in industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and oil to determine fluid properties and quality control. They are also employed in research to study the flow behavior of fluids.
• Purpose : A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity (density) of a liquid.
• Components : It typically consists of a graduated glass tube with a weighted bulb at the bottom.
• Usage : Hydrometers are commonly used in various applications, such as in breweries to measure the alcohol content of beer, in laboratories for density measurements, and in the petroleum industry for testing fuel quality.

Microtome :

• Purpose : A microtome is a precision instrument used to cut thin slices (sections) of biological or material samples for microscopy or analysis.
• Types : There are different types of microtomes, including rotary microtomes, cryostats, and ultramicrotomes.
• Usage : Microtomes are vital in histology, biology, and material science for preparing samples for examination under microscopes or other analytical instruments.

Autotitrator (Automatic Titrator)

• Purpose : An autotitrator is an automated titration instrument used for precise and efficient chemical analysis, especially in determining the concentration of analytes in a solution.
• Components : It consists of a burette, a titration vessel, a pH electrode, and automated control systems.
• Usage : Autotitrators perform titrations accurately and with reduced human error. They are widely used in analytical chemistry, quality control, and environmental monitoring.

Gas Syringe

• Purpose : A gas syringe is a device used to measure and transfer known volumes of gases in laboratory experiments.
• Components : It typically consists of a cylindrical glass tube with a plunger or piston.
• Usage : Gas syringes are used in experiments where precise gas volumes are required, such as in gas collection, gas stoichiometry, and determining gas properties like molar mass or density.

Specialized Laboratory Apparatus/Equipment

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer :

• Purpose : An NMR spectrometer is used for the analysis of organic compounds’ structure and properties. It measures the nuclear magnetic resonance of atomic nuclei.
• Components : It consists of a powerful magnet, radiofrequency (RF) transmitter and receiver, and a sample holder.
• Usage : Researchers place a sample in the magnet, which aligns the nuclei with the magnetic field. RF pulses are applied, and the resulting signals provide information about the chemical environment and connectivity of atoms in the sample.

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

• Purpose : SEM produces high-resolution images of the surface of specimens using focused electron beams.
• Components : It includes an electron source, electromagnetic lenses, a sample chamber, and detectors for secondary electrons and backscattered electrons.
• Usage : The electron beam scans the sample’s surface, and signals from interactions with the beam create detailed images, revealing surface topography and composition.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)

• Purpose : GC-MS combines gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to identify and quantify chemical compounds in a mixture.
• Components : It has a gas chromatograph to separate compounds and a mass spectrometer to analyze their masses.
• Usage : The mixture is vaporized and separated in the chromatograph. The separated compounds are then ionized in the mass spectrometer and identified by their mass-to-charge ratios.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)

• Purpose : HPLC separates and quantifies compounds in a liquid mixture based on their interactions with a stationary phase.
• Components : It includes a pump, injector, column, detector, and data system.
• Usage : Liquid samples are pumped through a column filled with stationary phase. Different compounds interact differently, leading to separation. The detector records signals that are used for quantification.

UV-Visible Spectrophotometer

• Purpose : This instrument measures the absorption of ultraviolet and visible light by a sample, often for quantitative analysis.
• Components : It has a light source, monochromator, sample holder, and detector.
• Usage : A beam of light passes through the sample, and the detector measures how much light is absorbed. This data can be used to determine the concentration of an absorbing substance.

Flame Photometer

• Purpose : Flame photometers are used to measure the concentration of specific elements in a sample by analyzing the color of the flame produced when the elements are atomized.
• Components : It consists of a flame, nebulizer, burner, and a system for detecting emitted light.
• Usage : A sample is introduced into the flame, and the characteristic colors produced are compared to known standards to determine the element’s concentration.

Mass Spectrometer

• Purpose : Mass spectrometers determine the molecular composition of a sample by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of ions.
• Components : They include an ionization source, mass analyzer, and detector.
• Usage : Samples are ionized, and the resulting ions are separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio. The detector records these ions, providing information about the sample’s composition.

Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)

• Purpose : AFMs allow for imaging and manipulating materials at the nanoscale by scanning a sharp tip across the surface.
• Components : AFMs have a cantilever with a sharp tip and a detector for measuring tip-sample interactions.
• Usage : The tip is brought close to the sample’s surface, and interactions between the tip and sample are measured, producing high-resolution topographical images.

Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)

• Purpose : DSC measures changes in heat flow associated with phase transitions and chemical reactions in materials.
• Components : It consists of a sample holder, reference cell, and heating element.
• Usage : The sample and a reference are heated or cooled simultaneously, and the heat flow difference between them is recorded. This provides information about thermal properties and transitions.

Gas Density Meter

• Purpose : Gas density meters determine the density of gases under varying conditions of temperature and pressure.
• Components : They typically involve a sensor that measures the speed of sound in the gas.
• Usage : By measuring the speed of sound, these meters can calculate the density of gases, which is important in various industrial and research applications.

Circular Dichroism Spectrometer (CD)

• Purpose : CD spectrometers analyze the optical activity of chiral molecules to determine their secondary structure.
• Components : They include a light source, sample holder, and detectors for measuring differences in left and right circularly polarized light.
• Usage : CD spectroscopy is widely used in chemistry and biochemistry to study the conformation of biomolecules like proteins and nucleic acids.
• Purpose : Ultracentrifuges separate particles in suspensions based on size and density using high centrifugal forces.
• Components : They have a rotor, sample tubes, and a powerful motor for high-speed spinning.
• Usage : Ultracentrifugation is essential for tasks like separating macromolecules, organelles, or colloidal particles in biological and biochemical research.

Sonication Bath

• Purpose : Sonication baths use high-frequency sound waves to disrupt and disperse particles in liquids for sample preparation.
• Components : They consist of a bath filled with liquid and a sonication probe or transducer.
• Usage : Sonication is employed for tasks like cell disruption, homogenization, and degassing of solutions.

Raman Spectrometer

• Purpose : Raman spectrometers measure the scattering of monochromatic light by molecules to identify and characterize chemical compounds.
• Components : They include a laser source, spectrometer, and a detector for Raman scattering.
• Usage : Raman spectroscopy is used for chemical analysis, materials characterization, and identifying molecular structures.

Atomic Emission Spectrometer

• Purpose : Atomic emission spectrometers analyze the emission of light by excited atoms to determine elemental composition in samples.
• Components : They include a sample introduction system, excitation source (flame or plasma), and a detector.
• Usage : This instrument is widely used in elemental analysis, such as in environmental monitoring and metal analysis.

Microplate Reader

• Purpose : Microplate readers read absorbance, fluorescence, or luminescence in microplate wells for high-throughput screening and assays.
• Components : They have multiple detectors and can accommodate microplates with multiple sample wells.
• Usage : Microplate readers are essential in molecular biology, biochemistry, and drug discovery for rapid analysis of numerous samples.

Chromatography Data System (CDS)

• Purpose : A Chromatography Data System is software used to control and analyze data from chromatography instruments.
• Components : It includes data acquisition, processing, and reporting capabilities.
• Usage : CDS is crucial for managing and interpreting data generated from chromatography experiments, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

Cryo-Electron Microscope

• Purpose : Cryo-EM uses extremely low temperatures to study the structure of biological macromolecules and large assemblies.
• Components : It includes a specialized electron microscope and a cryogenic sample stage.
• Usage : Cryo-EM is revolutionizing structural biology by enabling the visualization of complex structures at near-atomic resolution.

Potentiostat-Galvanostat

• Purpose : A potentiostat-galvanostat is used to control and measure electrochemical reactions, often in corrosion studies and battery research.
• Components : It has three electrodes (working, reference, and counter electrodes) and a control unit.
• Usage : It’s employed in a wide range of electrochemical experiments, including corrosion rate determination and battery testing.

Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) :

• Purpose : LA-ICP-MS analyzes solid samples by vaporizing them with a laser and measuring the elemental composition with ICP-MS.
• Components : It involves a laser ablation system coupled to an ICP-MS instrument.
• Usage : LA-ICP-MS is used for spatially-resolved elemental analysis in various fields, including geology, environmental science, and materials research.

Further References

• Laboratory Apparatus : https://owlcation.com/stem/A-Chemistry-Guide-List-of-Common-Laboratory-Equipment-Names-and-Uses
• Lab Equipments : https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnlabglassware.com/more-than-20-common-laboratory-apparatus-their-uses.html%3famp=1?espv=1

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Experimental Method In Psychology

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

The experimental method involves the manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships. The key features are controlled methods and the random allocation of participants into controlled and experimental groups .

What is an Experiment?

An experiment is an investigation in which a hypothesis is scientifically tested. An independent variable (the cause) is manipulated in an experiment, and the dependent variable (the effect) is measured; any extraneous variables are controlled.

An advantage is that experiments should be objective. The researcher’s views and opinions should not affect a study’s results. This is good as it makes the data more valid  and less biased.

There are three types of experiments you need to know:

1. Lab Experiment

A laboratory experiment in psychology is a research method in which the experimenter manipulates one or more independent variables and measures the effects on the dependent variable under controlled conditions.

A laboratory experiment is conducted under highly controlled conditions (not necessarily a laboratory) where accurate measurements are possible.

The researcher uses a standardized procedure to determine where the experiment will take place, at what time, with which participants, and in what circumstances.

Participants are randomly allocated to each independent variable group.

Examples are Milgram’s experiment on obedience and  Loftus and Palmer’s car crash study .

• Strength : It is easier to replicate (i.e., copy) a laboratory experiment. This is because a standardized procedure is used.
• Strength : They allow for precise control of extraneous and independent variables. This allows a cause-and-effect relationship to be established.
• Limitation : The artificiality of the setting may produce unnatural behavior that does not reflect real life, i.e., low ecological validity. This means it would not be possible to generalize the findings to a real-life setting.
• Limitation : Demand characteristics or experimenter effects may bias the results and become confounding variables .

2. Field Experiment

A field experiment is a research method in psychology that takes place in a natural, real-world setting. It is similar to a laboratory experiment in that the experimenter manipulates one or more independent variables and measures the effects on the dependent variable.

However, in a field experiment, the participants are unaware they are being studied, and the experimenter has less control over the extraneous variables .

Field experiments are often used to study social phenomena, such as altruism, obedience, and persuasion. They are also used to test the effectiveness of interventions in real-world settings, such as educational programs and public health campaigns.

An example is Holfing’s hospital study on obedience .

• Strength : behavior in a field experiment is more likely to reflect real life because of its natural setting, i.e., higher ecological validity than a lab experiment.
• Strength : Demand characteristics are less likely to affect the results, as participants may not know they are being studied. This occurs when the study is covert.
• Limitation : There is less control over extraneous variables that might bias the results. This makes it difficult for another researcher to replicate the study in exactly the same way.

3. Natural Experiment

A natural experiment in psychology is a research method in which the experimenter observes the effects of a naturally occurring event or situation on the dependent variable without manipulating any variables.

Natural experiments are conducted in the day (i.e., real life) environment of the participants, but here, the experimenter has no control over the independent variable as it occurs naturally in real life.

Natural experiments are often used to study psychological phenomena that would be difficult or unethical to study in a laboratory setting, such as the effects of natural disasters, policy changes, or social movements.

For example, Hodges and Tizard’s attachment research (1989) compared the long-term development of children who have been adopted, fostered, or returned to their mothers with a control group of children who had spent all their lives in their biological families.

Here is a fictional example of a natural experiment in psychology:

Researchers might compare academic achievement rates among students born before and after a major policy change that increased funding for education.

In this case, the independent variable is the timing of the policy change, and the dependent variable is academic achievement. The researchers would not be able to manipulate the independent variable, but they could observe its effects on the dependent variable.

• Strength : behavior in a natural experiment is more likely to reflect real life because of its natural setting, i.e., very high ecological validity.
• Strength : Demand characteristics are less likely to affect the results, as participants may not know they are being studied.
• Strength : It can be used in situations in which it would be ethically unacceptable to manipulate the independent variable, e.g., researching stress .
• Limitation : They may be more expensive and time-consuming than lab experiments.
• Limitation : There is no control over extraneous variables that might bias the results. This makes it difficult for another researcher to replicate the study in exactly the same way.

Key Terminology

Ecological validity.

The degree to which an investigation represents real-life experiences.

Experimenter effects

These are the ways that the experimenter can accidentally influence the participant through their appearance or behavior.

Demand characteristics

The clues in an experiment lead the participants to think they know what the researcher is looking for (e.g., the experimenter’s body language).

Independent variable (IV)

The variable the experimenter manipulates (i.e., changes) is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent variable (DV)

Variable the experimenter measures. This is the outcome (i.e., the result) of a study.

Extraneous variables (EV)

All variables which are not independent variables but could affect the results (DV) of the experiment. EVs should be controlled where possible.

Confounding variables

Variable(s) that have affected the results (DV), apart from the IV. A confounding variable could be an extraneous variable that has not been controlled.

Random Allocation

Randomly allocating participants to independent variable conditions means that all participants should have an equal chance of participating in each condition.

The principle of random allocation is to avoid bias in how the experiment is carried out and limit the effects of participant variables.

Order effects

Changes in participants’ performance due to their repeating the same or similar test more than once. Examples of order effects include:

(i) practice effect: an improvement in performance on a task due to repetition, for example, because of familiarity with the task;

(ii) fatigue effect: a decrease in performance of a task due to repetition, for example, because of boredom or tiredness.

Transform Science Classes with Free Virtual Labs

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Gel Electrophoresis

In this virtual lab simulation, gel electrophoresis is used to separate dyes and see them in an agarose gel.

Transforming Bacteria

In this virtual lab simulation, users will practice transforming bacterial cells with a recombinant plasmid using the heat shock method.

Micropipetting Solutions

This virtual lab simulation allows the user to practice using a micropipette in a virtual laboratory environment.

“Using science lab simulations has made my students more confident in both scientific thinking skills and familiarity with science equipment and tools. I love how it allows them to interact with the lab materials, make mistakes, and see how their actions impact the outcome. The ability to have autonomy in the virtual lab and try different things while getting feedback gives them a deeper understanding of the concepts.”

- Mary Liu, Science Teacher, Weston High School

10 Cool Chemistry Experiments

ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

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Chemistry is king when it comes to making science cool. There are many interesting and fun projects to try, but these 10 chemistry experiments might be the coolest.

Whether you want to witness color transformations with copper and nitric acid or create a foam spectacle with hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide, there's something here to spark curiosity in everyone. There's even a famous chemical reaction that will emit blue light and a characteristic barking or woofing sound.

Copper and Nitric Acid

When you place a piece of copper in nitric acid , the Cu 2+ ions and nitrate ions coordinate to color the solution green and then brownish-green. If you dilute the solution, water displaces nitrate ions around the copper, and the solution changes to blue.

Hydrogen Peroxide with Potassium Iodide

Affectionately known as elephant toothpaste , the chemical reaction between peroxide and potassium iodide shoots out a column of foam. If you add food coloring, you can customize the "toothpaste" for holiday-colored themes.

Any Alkali Metal in Water

Any of the alkali metals will react vigorously in water . How vigorously? Sodium burns bright yellow. Potassium burns violet. Lithium burns red. Cesium explodes. Experiment by moving down the alkali metals group of the periodic table. 

Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction essentially shows what would happen if iron rusted instantly, rather than over time. In other words, it's making metal burn. If the conditions are right, just about any metal will burn. However, the reaction usually is performed by reacting iron oxide with aluminum:

Fe 2 O 3  + 2Al → 2Fe + Al 2 O 3  + heat and light

If you want a truly stunning display, try placing the mixture inside a block of dry ice and then lighting the mixture.

Coloring Fire

 SEAN GLADWELL / Getty Images

When ions are heated in a flame, electrons become excited and then drop to a lower energy state, emitting photons. The energy of the photons is characteristic of the chemical and corresponds to specific flame colors . It's the basis for the flame test in analytical chemistry , plus it's fun to experiment with different chemicals to see what colors they produce in a fire.

Make Polymer Bouncy Balls

Who doesn't enjoy playing with bouncy balls ? The chemical reaction used to make the balls makes a terrific experiment because you can alter the properties of the balls by changing the ratio of the ingredients.

Make a Lichtenberg Figure

A Lichtenberg figure or "electrical tree" is a record of the path taken by electrons during an electrostatic discharge. It's basically frozen lightning. There are several ways you can make an electrical tree.

Experiment with 'Hot Ice'

Hot ice is a name given to sodium acetate, a chemical you can make by reacting vinegar and baking soda. A solution of sodium acetate can be supercooled​ so that it will crystallize on command. Heat is evolved when the crystals form, so although it resembles water ice, it's hot.

Barking Dog Experiment

The Barking Dog is the name given to a chemiluminescent reaction involving the exothermic combination of either nitrous oxide or nitrogen monoxide with carbon disulfide. The reaction proceeds down a tube, emitting blue light and a characteristic "woof" sound.

Another version of the demonstration involves coating the inside of a clear jug with alcohol and igniting the vapor. The  flame front proceeds down the ​bottle , which also barks.

Dehydration of Sugar

When you react sugar with sulfuric acid , the sugar is violently dehydrated. The result is a growing column of carbon black, heat, and the overwhelming odor of burnt caramel.

Easy Science Experiments

Want something less extravagant but still fun? These easy science experiments are doable with items you likely already have at home—from creating invisible ink with baking soda to making homemade ice cream in a plastic bag.

• Where to Buy Saltpeter or Potassium Nitrate
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How the Experimental Method Works in Psychology

sturti/Getty Images

The Experimental Process

Types of experiments, potential pitfalls of the experimental method.

The experimental method is a type of research procedure that involves manipulating variables to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship. The results obtained through the experimental method are useful but do not prove with 100% certainty that a singular cause always creates a specific effect. Instead, they show the probability that a cause will or will not lead to a particular effect.

At a Glance

While there are many different research techniques available, the experimental method allows researchers to look at cause-and-effect relationships. Using the experimental method, researchers randomly assign participants to a control or experimental group and manipulate levels of an independent variable. If changes in the independent variable lead to changes in the dependent variable, it indicates there is likely a causal relationship between them.

What Is the Experimental Method in Psychology?

The experimental method involves manipulating one variable to determine if this causes changes in another variable. This method relies on controlled research methods and random assignment of study subjects to test a hypothesis.

For example, researchers may want to learn how different visual patterns may impact our perception. Or they might wonder whether certain actions can improve memory . Experiments are conducted on many behavioral topics, including:

The scientific method forms the basis of the experimental method. This is a process used to determine the relationship between two variables—in this case, to explain human behavior .

Positivism is also important in the experimental method. It refers to factual knowledge that is obtained through observation, which is considered to be trustworthy.

When using the experimental method, researchers first identify and define key variables. Then they formulate a hypothesis, manipulate the variables, and collect data on the results. Unrelated or irrelevant variables are carefully controlled to minimize the potential impact on the experiment outcome.

History of the Experimental Method

The idea of using experiments to better understand human psychology began toward the end of the nineteenth century. Wilhelm Wundt established the first formal laboratory in 1879.

Wundt is often called the father of experimental psychology. He believed that experiments could help explain how psychology works, and used this approach to study consciousness .

Wundt coined the term "physiological psychology." This is a hybrid of physiology and psychology, or how the body affects the brain.

Other early contributors to the development and evolution of experimental psychology as we know it today include:

• Gustav Fechner (1801-1887), who helped develop procedures for measuring sensations according to the size of the stimulus
• Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894), who analyzed philosophical assumptions through research in an attempt to arrive at scientific conclusions
• Franz Brentano (1838-1917), who called for a combination of first-person and third-person research methods when studying psychology
• Georg Elias Müller (1850-1934), who performed an early experiment on attitude which involved the sensory discrimination of weights and revealed how anticipation can affect this discrimination

Key Terms to Know

To understand how the experimental method works, it is important to know some key terms.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable is the effect that the experimenter is measuring. If a researcher was investigating how sleep influences test scores, for example, the test scores would be the dependent variable.

Independent Variable

The independent variable is the variable that the experimenter manipulates. In the previous example, the amount of sleep an individual gets would be the independent variable.

A hypothesis is a tentative statement or a guess about the possible relationship between two or more variables. In looking at how sleep influences test scores, the researcher might hypothesize that people who get more sleep will perform better on a math test the following day. The purpose of the experiment, then, is to either support or reject this hypothesis.

Operational definitions are necessary when performing an experiment. When we say that something is an independent or dependent variable, we must have a very clear and specific definition of the meaning and scope of that variable.

Extraneous Variables

Extraneous variables are other variables that may also affect the outcome of an experiment. Types of extraneous variables include participant variables, situational variables, demand characteristics, and experimenter effects. In some cases, researchers can take steps to control for extraneous variables.

Demand Characteristics

Demand characteristics are subtle hints that indicate what an experimenter is hoping to find in a psychology experiment. This can sometimes cause participants to alter their behavior, which can affect the results of the experiment.

Intervening Variables

Intervening variables are factors that can affect the relationship between two other variables. 

Confounding Variables

Confounding variables are variables that can affect the dependent variable, but that experimenters cannot control for. Confounding variables can make it difficult to determine if the effect was due to changes in the independent variable or if the confounding variable may have played a role.

Psychologists, like other scientists, use the scientific method when conducting an experiment. The scientific method is a set of procedures and principles that guide how scientists develop research questions, collect data, and come to conclusions.

The five basic steps of the experimental process are:

• Identifying a problem to study
• Devising the research protocol
• Conducting the experiment
• Analyzing the data collected
• Sharing the findings (usually in writing or via presentation)

Most psychology students are expected to use the experimental method at some point in their academic careers. Learning how to conduct an experiment is important to understanding how psychologists prove and disprove theories in this field.

There are a few different types of experiments that researchers might use when studying psychology. Each has pros and cons depending on the participants being studied, the hypothesis, and the resources available to conduct the research.

Lab Experiments

Lab experiments are common in psychology because they allow experimenters more control over the variables. These experiments can also be easier for other researchers to replicate. The drawback of this research type is that what takes place in a lab is not always what takes place in the real world.

Field Experiments

Sometimes researchers opt to conduct their experiments in the field. For example, a social psychologist interested in researching prosocial behavior might have a person pretend to faint and observe how long it takes onlookers to respond.

This type of experiment can be a great way to see behavioral responses in realistic settings. But it is more difficult for researchers to control the many variables existing in these settings that could potentially influence the experiment's results.

Quasi-Experiments

While lab experiments are known as true experiments, researchers can also utilize a quasi-experiment. Quasi-experiments are often referred to as natural experiments because the researchers do not have true control over the independent variable.

A researcher looking at personality differences and birth order, for example, is not able to manipulate the independent variable in the situation (personality traits). Participants also cannot be randomly assigned because they naturally fall into pre-existing groups based on their birth order.

So why would a researcher use a quasi-experiment? This is a good choice in situations where scientists are interested in studying phenomena in natural, real-world settings. It's also beneficial if there are limits on research funds or time.

Field experiments can be either quasi-experiments or true experiments.

Examples of the Experimental Method in Use

The experimental method can provide insight into human thoughts and behaviors, Researchers use experiments to study many aspects of psychology.

A 2019 study investigated whether splitting attention between electronic devices and classroom lectures had an effect on college students' learning abilities. It found that dividing attention between these two mediums did not affect lecture comprehension. However, it did impact long-term retention of the lecture information, which affected students' exam performance.

An experiment used participants' eye movements and electroencephalogram (EEG) data to better understand cognitive processing differences between experts and novices. It found that experts had higher power in their theta brain waves than novices, suggesting that they also had a higher cognitive load.

A study looked at whether chatting online with a computer via a chatbot changed the positive effects of emotional disclosure often received when talking with an actual human. It found that the effects were the same in both cases.

One experimental study evaluated whether exercise timing impacts information recall. It found that engaging in exercise prior to performing a memory task helped improve participants' short-term memory abilities.

Sometimes researchers use the experimental method to get a bigger-picture view of psychological behaviors and impacts. For example, one 2018 study examined several lab experiments to learn more about the impact of various environmental factors on building occupant perceptions.

A 2020 study set out to determine the role that sensation-seeking plays in political violence. This research found that sensation-seeking individuals have a higher propensity for engaging in political violence. It also found that providing access to a more peaceful, yet still exciting political group helps reduce this effect.

While the experimental method can be a valuable tool for learning more about psychology and its impacts, it also comes with a few pitfalls.

Experiments may produce artificial results, which are difficult to apply to real-world situations. Similarly, researcher bias can impact the data collected. Results may not be able to be reproduced, meaning the results have low reliability .

Since humans are unpredictable and their behavior can be subjective, it can be hard to measure responses in an experiment. In addition, political pressure may alter the results. The subjects may not be a good representation of the population, or groups used may not be comparable.

And finally, since researchers are human too, results may be degraded due to human error.

What This Means For You

Every psychological research method has its pros and cons. The experimental method can help establish cause and effect, and it's also beneficial when research funds are limited or time is of the essence.

At the same time, it's essential to be aware of this method's pitfalls, such as how biases can affect the results or the potential for low reliability. Keeping these in mind can help you review and assess research studies more accurately, giving you a better idea of whether the results can be trusted or have limitations.

Colorado State University. Experimental and quasi-experimental research .

American Psychological Association. Experimental psychology studies human and animals .

Mayrhofer R, Kuhbandner C, Lindner C. The practice of experimental psychology: An inevitably postmodern endeavor . Front Psychol . 2021;11:612805. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.612805

Mandler G. A History of Modern Experimental Psychology .

Stanford University. Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt . Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Britannica. Gustav Fechner .

Britannica. Hermann von Helmholtz .

Meyer A, Hackert B, Weger U. Franz Brentano and the beginning of experimental psychology: implications for the study of psychological phenomena today . Psychol Res . 2018;82:245-254. doi:10.1007/s00426-016-0825-7

Britannica. Georg Elias Müller .

McCambridge J, de Bruin M, Witton J.  The effects of demand characteristics on research participant behaviours in non-laboratory settings: A systematic review .  PLoS ONE . 2012;7(6):e39116. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039116

Laboratory experiments . In: The Sage Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods. Allen M, ed. SAGE Publications, Inc. doi:10.4135/9781483381411.n287

Schweizer M, Braun B, Milstone A. Research methods in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship — quasi-experimental designs . Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol . 2016;37(10):1135-1140. doi:10.1017/ice.2016.117

Glass A, Kang M. Dividing attention in the classroom reduces exam performance . Educ Psychol . 2019;39(3):395-408. doi:10.1080/01443410.2018.1489046

Keskin M, Ooms K, Dogru AO, De Maeyer P. Exploring the cognitive load of expert and novice map users using EEG and eye tracking . ISPRS Int J Geo-Inf . 2020;9(7):429. doi:10.3390.ijgi9070429

Ho A, Hancock J, Miner A. Psychological, relational, and emotional effects of self-disclosure after conversations with a chatbot . J Commun . 2018;68(4):712-733. doi:10.1093/joc/jqy026

Haynes IV J, Frith E, Sng E, Loprinzi P. Experimental effects of acute exercise on episodic memory function: Considerations for the timing of exercise . Psychol Rep . 2018;122(5):1744-1754. doi:10.1177/0033294118786688

Torresin S, Pernigotto G, Cappelletti F, Gasparella A. Combined effects of environmental factors on human perception and objective performance: A review of experimental laboratory works . Indoor Air . 2018;28(4):525-538. doi:10.1111/ina.12457

Schumpe BM, Belanger JJ, Moyano M, Nisa CF. The role of sensation seeking in political violence: An extension of the significance quest theory . J Personal Social Psychol . 2020;118(4):743-761. doi:10.1037/pspp0000223

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Free Attendance Questions Slideshow ✨

72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to get your students excited, it’s a good science experiment! While some experiments require expensive lab equipment or dangerous chemicals, there are plenty of cool projects you can do with regular household items. We’ve rounded up a big collection of easy science experiments that anybody can try, and kids are going to love them!

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

Easy physics science experiments, easy biology and environmental science experiments, easy engineering experiments and stem challenges.

1. Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow! Tip: Have extra Skittles on hand so your class can eat a few!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

This classic experiment demonstrates a chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” Tip: Add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for plastic bottles.

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test. Have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table! This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results! This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

Tell kids you’re going to make slime at home, and watch their eyes light up! There are a variety of ways to make slime, so try a few different recipes to find the one you like best.

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done!

17. Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

This classic easy science experiment never fails to delight. Use the power of air pressure to suck a hard-boiled egg into a jar, no hands required.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school. The baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases when you fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda.

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid-base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste-and-toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog! No need for canopic jars , just grab some baking soda and get started.

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course. For more safety, try this one outside.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

This fun and easy science experiment demonstrates principles related to surface tension, molecular interactions, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

Learn about Charles’s Law with this simple experiment. As the candle burns, using up oxygen and heating the air in the glass, the water rises as if by magic.

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

Kids will be amazed as they watch the colored water move from glass to glass, and you’ll love the easy and inexpensive setup. Gather some water, paper towels, and food coloring to teach the scientific magic of capillary action.

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

Equally educational and fun, this experiment will teach kids about static electricity using everyday materials. Kids will undoubtedly get a kick out of creating beards on their balloon person!

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

Sure, it’s easy to crush a soda can with your bare hands, but what if you could do it without touching it at all? That’s the power of air pressure!

35. Tell time using the sun

While people use clocks or even phones to tell time today, there was a time when a sundial was the best means to do that. Kids will certainly get a kick out of creating their own sundials using everyday materials like cardboard and pencils.

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

Grab balloons, string, straws, and tape, and launch rockets to learn about the laws of motion.

37. Make sparks with steel wool

All you need is steel wool and a 9-volt battery to perform this science demo that’s bound to make their eyes light up! Kids learn about chain reactions, chemical changes, and more.

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

Kids will get a kick out of this experiment, which is really all about Bernoulli’s principle. You only need plastic bottles, bendy straws, and Ping-Pong balls to make the science magic happen.

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

There are plenty of versions of this classic experiment out there, but we love this one because it sparkles! Kids learn about a vortex and what it takes to create one.

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

This simple but effective DIY science project teaches kids about air pressure and meteorology. They’ll have fun tracking and predicting the weather with their very own barometer.

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

Students will certainly get a thrill out of seeing how an everyday object like a piece of ice can be used as a magnifying glass. Be sure to use purified or distilled water since tap water will have impurities in it that will cause distortion.

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

Can you lift an ice cube using just a piece of string? This quick experiment teaches you how. Use a little salt to melt the ice and then refreeze the ice with the string attached.

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

Light refraction causes some really cool effects, and there are multiple easy science experiments you can do with it. This one uses refraction to “flip” a drawing; you can also try the famous “disappearing penny” trick .

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

We love how simple this project is to re-create since all you’ll need are some white carnations, food coloring, glasses, and water. The end result is just so beautiful!

45. Use glitter to fight germs

Everyone knows that glitter is just like germs—it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage and show kids how soap fights glitter and germs.

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

You can do so many easy science experiments with a simple zip-top bag. Fill one partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

Your backyard is a terrific place for easy science experiments. Grab a plastic bag and rubber band to learn how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration.

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

Before conducting this experiment, teach your students about engineers who solve environmental problems like oil spills. Then, have your students use provided materials to clean the oil spill from their oceans.

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

Kids get a better understanding of the respiratory system when they build model lungs using a plastic water bottle and some balloons. You can modify the experiment to demonstrate the effects of smoking too.

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to collect rocks, and there are plenty of easy science experiments you can do with them. In this one, pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some landforms are created. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

Learn about the layers of the earth by building them out of Play-Doh, then take a core sample with a straw. ( Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here. )

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to learn why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

Use shaving cream and food coloring to simulate clouds and rain. This is an easy science experiment little ones will beg to do over and over.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

This is such a cool (and easy!) way to look at fingerprint patterns. Inflate a balloon a bit, use some ink to put a fingerprint on it, then blow it up big to see your fingerprint in detail.

57. Snack on a DNA model

Twizzlers, gumdrops, and a few toothpicks are all you need to make this super-fun (and yummy!) DNA model.

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

Take a nature walk and find a flower or two. Then bring them home and take them apart to discover all the different parts of flowers.

59. Craft smartphone speakers

No Bluetooth speaker? No problem! Put together your own from paper cups and toilet paper tubes.

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

Kids will be amazed when they learn they can put together this awesome racer using cardboard and bottle-cap wheels. The balloon-powered “engine” is so much fun too.

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

You’ve probably ridden on a Ferris wheel, but can you build one? Stock up on wood craft sticks and find out! Play around with different designs to see which one works best.

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

There are lots of ways to craft a DIY phone stand, which makes this a perfect creative-thinking STEM challenge.

63. Conduct an egg drop

Put all their engineering skills to the test with an egg drop! Challenge kids to build a container from stuff they find around the house that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

STEM challenges are always a hit with kids. We love this one, which only requires basic supplies like drinking straws.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. This experiment takes a little more time and effort, but the results are always impressive. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

There are plenty of bridge-building experiments out there, but this one is unique. It’s inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old self-supporting wooden bridge. Learn how to build it at the link, and expand your learning by exploring more about Da Vinci himself.

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

This is one easy science experiment that never fails to astonish. With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

Combine physics and engineering and challenge kids to create a paper cup structure that can support their weight. This is a cool project for aspiring architects.

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected by windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge kids to build a tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

Explore the ways that sound waves are affected by what’s around them using a simple rubber band “guitar.” (Kids absolutely love playing with these!)

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

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Laboratory Experiments

Last updated 22 Mar 2021

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Experiments look for the effect that manipulated variables (independent variables, or IVs) have on measured variables (dependent variables, or DVs), i.e. causal effects.

Laboratory experiments pay particular attention to eliminating the effects of other, extraneous variables, by controlling them (i.e. removing or keeping them constant) in an artificial environment. This makes it more likely for researchers to find a causal effect, having confidence that no variables other than changes in an IV can affect a resulting DV. Laboratory experiments are the most heavily controlled form of experimental research.

Participants can also be randomly allocated to experimental conditions, to avoid experimenter bias (i.e. the experimenter cannot be accused of choosing who will be in each experimental condition, which could affect the results).

Evaluation of laboratory experiments:

- High control over extraneous variables means that they cannot confound the results, so a ‘cause and effect’ relationship between the IV and DV is often assumed.

- Results of laboratory experiments tend to be reliable, as the conditions created (and thus results produced) can be replicated.

- Variables can be measured accurately with the tools made available in a laboratory setting, which may otherwise be impossible for experiments conducted ‘in the field’ (field experiments).

- Data collected may lack ecological validity, as the artificial nature of laboratory experiments can cast doubt over whether the results reflect the nature of real life scenarios.

- There is a high risk of demand characteristics, i.e. participants may alter their behaviour based on their interpretation of the purpose of the experiment.

- There is also a risk of experimenter bias, e.g. researchers’ expectations may affect how they interact with participants (affecting participants’ behaviour), or alter their interpretation of the results.

• Laboratory Experiment

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Summer holiday science: turn your home into a lab with these three easy experiments

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Audrey O'Grady receives funding from Science Foundation Ireland. She is affiliated with Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick.

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Many people think science is difficult and needs special equipment, but that’s not true.

Science can be explored at home using everyday materials. Everyone, especially children, naturally ask questions about the world around them, and science offers a structured way to find answers.

Misconceptions about the difficulty of science often stem from a lack of exposure to its fun and engaging side. Science can be as simple as observing nature, mixing ingredients or exploring the properties of objects. It’s not just for experts in white coats, but for everyone.

Don’t take my word for it. Below are three experiments that can be done at home with children who are primary school age and older.

Extract DNA from bananas

DNA is all the genetic information inside cells. Every living thing has DNA, including bananas.

Did you know you can extract DNA from banana cells?

What you need: ¼ ripe banana, Ziploc bag, salt, water, washing-up liquid, rubbing alcohol (from a pharmacy), coffee filter paper, stirrer.

What you do:

Place a pinch of salt into about 20ml of water in a cup.

Add the salty water to the Ziploc bag with a quarter of a banana and mash the banana up with the salty water inside the bag, using your hands. Mashing the banana separates out the banana cells. The salty water helps clump the DNA together.

Once the banana is mashed up well, pour the banana and salty water into a coffee filter (you can lay the filter in the cup you used to make the salty water). Filtering removes the big clumps of banana cells.

Once a few ml have filtered out, add a drop of washing-up liquid and swirl gently. Washing-up liquid breaks down the fats in the cell membranes which makes the DNA separate from the other parts of the cell.

Slowly add some rubbing alcohol (about 10ml) to the filtered solution. DNA is insoluble in alcohol, therefore the DNA will clump together away from the alcohol and float, making it easy to see.

DNA will start to precipitate out looking slightly cloudy and stringy. What you’re seeing is thousands of DNA strands – the strands are too small to be seen even with a normal microscope. Scientists use powerful equipment to see individual strands.

Learn how plants ‘drink’ water

What you need: celery stalks (with their leaves), glass or clear cup, water, food dye, camera.

• Fill the glass ¾ full with water and add 10 drops of food dye.
• Place a celery stalk into the glass of coloured water. Take a photograph of the celery.
• For two to three days, photograph the celery at the same time every day. Make sure you take a photograph at the very start of the experiment.

What happens and why?

All plants, such as celery, have vertical tubes that act like a transport system. These narrow tubes draw up water using a phenomenon known as capillarity.

Imagine you have a thin straw and you dip it into a glass of water. Have you ever noticed how the water climbs up the straw a little bit, even though you didn’t suck on it? This is because of capillarity.

In plants, capillarity helps move water from the roots to the leaves. Plants have tiny tubes inside them, like thin straws, called capillaries. The water sticks to the sides of these tubes and climbs up. In your experiment, you will see the food dye in the water make its way to the leaves.

Build a balloon-powered racecar

What you need: tape, scissors, two skewers, cardboard, four bottle caps, one straw, one balloon.

• Cut the cardboard to about 10cm long and 5cm wide. This will form the base of your car.
• Make holes in the centre of four bottle caps. These are your wheels.
• To make the axles insert the wooden skewers through the holes in the cap. You will need to cut the skewers to fit the width of the cardboard base, but leave room for the wheels.
• Secure the wheels to the skewers with tape.
• Attach the axles to the underside of the car base with tape, ensuring the wheels can spin freely.
• Insert a straw into the opening of a balloon and secure it with tape, ensuring there are no air leaks.
• Attach the other end of the straw to the top of the car base, positioning it so the balloon can inflate and deflate towards the back of the car. Secure the straw with tape.
• Inflate the balloon through the straw, pinch the straw to hold the air, place the car on a flat surface, then release the straw.

The inflated balloon stores potential energy when blown up. When the air is released, Newton’s third law of motion kicks into gear: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the air rushes out of the balloon (action), it pushes the car in the opposite direction (reaction). The escaping air propels the car forward, making it move across the surface.

• Science experiments

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Secret experiments by a 16th-century alchemist involved an element that nobody knew about at the time

• Tycho Brahe, an astronomer, studied alchemy to help make medical elixirs.
• Researchers found traces of tungsten in shards of glass and ceramic from his laboratory.
• Tungsten wouldn't be isolated for nearly 200 more years, making it an unknown element at the time.

One of history's leading 16th-century astronomers, Tycho Brahe , was also an alchemist who kept the secrets of that pursuit under wraps.

Researchers previously found that Brahe regularly consumed gold and wanted to learn more about the kind of chemical substances he used in his laboratory, which was located on what's now the Swedish island of Ven.

So, they examined shards of glass and ceramic collected from the lab's remains to see which elements and chemical elixirs Brahe was mixing up.

Many of the elements they found were what any alchemist would have on hand. But the presence of tungsten was extremely puzzling, the researchers reported in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Heritage Science .

How and why tungsten — a shiny, silvery-white metal — came into Brahe's possession "is quite a mystery," Kaare Lund Rasmussen, who led the research, told Business Insider via email.

The element wasn't isolated until nearly 200 years later.

"It's the first time we've had any kind of indication that any alchemist was working with tungsten," Lawrence Principe, a professor at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved in the research, told BI.

The secret recipes of alchemists

Not all alchemists were trying to transmute metals into gold. Brahe, for example, was mainly concerned with its medical applications.

He had a trio of medicines for treating plague , scabies, and other diseases, but — like many alchemists of his time — Brahe mostly kept his recipes and research secret.

After his death, Brahe's elaborate laboratory and observatory was destroyed, taking many of its secrets with it. However, excavators salvaged pieces of glass and ceramic from the garden in the 1980s and early '90s, which is still helping researchers today.

Rasmussen and colleagues recently analyzed the shards for evidence of 31 trace elements to determine which Brahe may have used in his laboratory.

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Some of the elements the researchers found, like copper, gold, and mercury, were referenced in Brahe's medical recipes, but Rasmussen said it's impossible to know if that's how he used them.

In addition to medical experiments, Brahe could have been trying to uncover the secrets of other minerals. Anything containing tungsten would have likely fascinated him because of its weight.

When you pick it up, "you immediately realize you've got something unusual in your hand because it's so heavy," Principe said. It would have been easy to mistake it for another dense, heavy element : gold.

The endless search for better medicine

What Brahe thought of the tungsten in his possession — if he even realized its uniqueness at all — may never be known.

But Principe, who's been studying alchemists for decades, thinks these newer techniques for analyzing remnants from their laboratories offer incredible insight it what was once a highly secretive discipline.

"That's really giving us, as you could say, sort of firsthand knowledge" of alchemists' work, he said, adding, "It's giving us a lot more information to go on."

Though alchemists' elixirs were a far cry from the scientific rigor and effectiveness of today's medicines, Principe said the hoped-for outcome was the same.

"We're always looking for some kind of better medicine," he said, "something that will extend life or make one healthier or stronger."

Rasmussen said they only tested a small number of samples and hope to analyze more shards to better understand exactly what Brahe was studying with his secret experiments and what he may have discovered.

Watch: 'Alien tech' purportedly discovered by Harvard team might just be coal waste

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This Old Experiment With Mice Led to Bleak Predictions for Humanity’s Future

From the 1950s to the 1970s, researcher John Calhoun gave rodents unlimited food and studied their behavior in overcrowded conditions

Maris Fessenden ; Updated by Rudy Molinek

What does utopia look like for mice and rats? According to a researcher who did most of his work in the 1950s through 1970s, it might include limitless food, multiple levels and secluded little condos. These were all part of John Calhoun’s experiments to study the effects of population density on behavior. But what looked like rodent paradises at first quickly spiraled into out-of-control overcrowding, eventual population collapse and seemingly sinister behavior patterns.

In other words, the mice were not nice.

Working with rats between 1958 and 1962, and with mice from 1968 to 1972, Calhoun set up experimental rodent enclosures at the National Institute of Mental Health’s Laboratory of Psychology. He hoped to learn more about how humans might behave in a crowded future. His first 24 attempts ended early due to constraints on laboratory space. But his 25th attempt at a utopian habitat, which began in 1968, would become a landmark psychological study. According to Gizmodo ’s Esther Inglis-Arkell, Calhoun’s “Universe 25” started when the researcher dropped four female and four male mice into the enclosure.

By the 560th day, the population peaked with over 2,200 individuals scurrying around, waiting for food and sometimes erupting into open brawls. These mice spent most of their time in the presence of hundreds of other mice. When they became adults, those mice that managed to produce offspring were so stressed out that parenting became an afterthought.

“Few females carried pregnancies to term, and the ones that did seemed to simply forget about their babies,” wrote Inglis-Arkell in 2015. “They’d move half their litter away from danger and forget the rest. Sometimes they’d drop and abandon a baby while they were carrying it.”

A select group of mice, which Calhoun called “the beautiful ones,” secluded themselves in protected places with a guard posted at the entry. They didn’t seek out mates or fight with other mice, wrote Will Wiles in Cabinet magazine in 2011, “they just ate, slept and groomed, wrapped in narcissistic introspection.”

Eventually, several factors combined to doom the experiment. The beautiful ones’ chaste behavior lowered the birth rate. Meanwhile, out in the overcrowded common areas, the few remaining parents’ neglect increased infant mortality. These factors sent the mice society over a demographic cliff. Just over a month after population peaked, around day 600, according to Distillations magazine ’s Sam Kean, no baby mice were surviving more than a few days. The society plummeted toward extinction as the remaining adult mice were just “hiding like hermits or grooming all day” before dying out, writes Kean.

Calhoun launched his experiments with the intent of translating his findings to human behavior. Ideas of a dangerously overcrowded human population were popularized by Thomas Malthus at the end of the 18th century with his book An Essay on the Principle of Population . Malthus theorized that populations would expand far faster than food production, leading to poverty and societal decline. Then, in 1968, the same year Calhoun set his ill-fated utopia in motion, Stanford University entomologist Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb . The book sparked widespread fears of an overcrowded and dystopic imminent future, beginning with the line, “The battle to feed all of humanity is over.”

Ehrlich suggested that the impending collapse mirrored the conditions Calhoun would find in his experiments. The cause, wrote Charles C. Mann for Smithsonian magazine in 2018, would be “too many people, packed into too-tight spaces, taking too much from the earth. Unless humanity cut down its numbers—soon—all of us would face ‘mass starvation’ on ‘a dying planet.’”

Calhoun’s experiments were interpreted at the time as evidence of what could happen in an overpopulated world. The unusual behaviors he observed—such as open violence, a lack of interest in sex and poor pup-rearing—he dubbed “behavioral sinks.”

After Calhoun wrote about his findings in a 1962 issue of Scientific American , that term caught on in popular culture, according to a paper published in the Journal of Social History . The work tapped into the era’s feeling of dread that crowded urban areas heralded the risk of moral decay.

Events like the murder of Kitty Genovese in 1964—in which false reports claimed 37 witnesses stood by and did nothing as Genovese was stabbed repeatedly—only served to intensify the worry. Despite the misinformation, media discussed the case widely as emblematic of rampant urban moral decay. A host of science fiction works—films like Soylent Green , comics like 2000 AD —played on Calhoun’s ideas and those of his contemporaries . For example, Soylent Green ’s vision of a dystopic future was set in a world maligned by pollution, poverty and overpopulation.

Now, interpretations of Calhoun’s work have changed. Inglis-Arkell explains that the main problem of the habitats he created wasn’t really a lack of space. Rather, it seems likely that Universe 25’s design enabled aggressive mice to stake out prime territory and guard the pens for a limited number of mice, leading to overcrowding in the rest of the world.

However we interpret Calhoun’s experiments, though, we can take comfort in the fact that humans are not rodents. Follow-up experiments by other researchers, which looked at human subjects, found that crowded conditions didn’t necessarily lead to negative outcomes like stress, aggression or discomfort.

“Rats may suffer from crowding,” medical historian Edmund Ramsden told the NIH Record ’s Carla Garnett in 2008, “human beings can cope.”

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Maris Fessenden | | READ MORE

Maris Fessenden is a freelance science writer and artist who appreciates small things and wide open spaces.

Rudy Molinek | READ MORE

Rudy Molinek is  Smithsonian  magazine's 2024 AAAS Mass Media Fellow.

What’s in 2XKO Alpha Lab?

Alpha Lab is 2XKO’s first at-home playtest. We’re inviting players in participating regions to give feedback that will help improve the game for launch in 2025.

Like we said in our Alpha Lab Dev Q&A , this is the first time players will experience the online gameplay loop for 2XKO, and it’s a super early build . Many screens and UI elements are still in progress, so don’t expect things to be polished—in fact, you’ll probably encounter a decent amount of jank. Some features might not work correctly, and you could experience crashes or other errors. 

Two super important things to keep in mind (and tell your friends):

Make sure to log in to Alpha Lab with the correct Riot Account. Double-check your account’s username in your access email. Creating a new account or signing into the wrong Riot Account will lock you out of Alpha Lab.

Do not stream the process of linking your Riot Account and console account. Anyone can scan the QR code used for linking, including your viewers. 

We’re still making the game, but we’re here so you can tell us what you think so far. Testing at this stage will give us time to incorporate feedback before launch. Basically, this is your chance to actually shape 2XKO with your notes. You’ll receive a feedback survey via email after Alpha Lab ends on August 19. Fill it out to make sure we hear you.

With that said, here’s what you’ll find when you launch the game:

Casual Matches

Select FIGHT!, then choose Casual mode to enter a public lobby, where you’ll find matches with other players. During Alpha Lab, you’ll be able to partner up with a friend before entering the lobby, find a duo while you’re there, or just jump in solo. 

Queue for a game by pressing the key displayed next to the Find a Match popup. When a match has been found, go to the highlighted cabinet and accept the match to start playing.

Outside of the queue system, there are a few other ways to get into a game. You can directly challenge any other player in the room, or sit down at an empty cabinet to warm up in training mode while waiting for someone to queue up. 

We think playing with friends and making new ones is an amazing part of the fighting game experience, so our lobbies are built to bring that vibe to an online space. We really care about getting this right, so let us know what's working and what isn't.

Private Matches

Select Private mode to create your own personal room, complete with a training cabinet for you and a duo. You can invite up to 16 players from your friend list to this space. 

Personalization

Alpha Lab players will get a first look at skins, stickers, chromas, and customizable avatars.

Your avatar is how you’ll show up in 2XKO’s lobbies. You’ll be able to unlock new customization options with battle pass progress. Later versions will feature more ways to switch up your appearance.

Chromas are alternate colors. They can help differentiate when both teams pick the same champion, and they’re also a great way to show off some personality.

Unlock base champion chromas by navigating to the Champions section of the main menu, selecting a champion, then highlighting the Skins option. For Alpha Lab, chromas will be unlockable for 100 credits, but in later versions the currency and cost might change.

Emotes and Stickers

There are a few ways to express yourself while in a lobby. Use emotes to perform an action with your avatar, such as cheering or giving a thumbs up. Use stickers to show off an icon above your avatar.

Access the emote wheel while in lobby using the ( - ) key on PC, the RT button on Xbox Series X|S, or the R2 button on PlayStation 5. The emote wheel won’t be customizable during this playtest, but acquiring a new sticker from the battle pass will automatically equip it. 

Skins change the way your champion looks. Skins for Yasuo and Ahri will be available to unlock for free in the battle pass during Alpha Lab. We want you to get an idea of what playing with different skins is like in this test. 

Once skins are unlocked, they can be equipped in the champion select screen before any match. Additional chromas for skins can also be earned from the battle pass in Alpha Lab.

Bladesong Yasuo

Dynasty Ahri

How to Play

Check out our How to Play article for a basic rundown of champs, mechanics, and default button layouts.

Tutorial Mode

For an in-game tutorial, select FIGHT!, then choose Tutorial mode from the menu at the top of the screen. Follow the guides on the left to learn your controls.

Training Mode

Use training mode to get a feel for the game or try out new champs. 

Training Bots

In training mode, your default opponents won’t move, block, or attack. To fight a bot, visit the settings menu. 

Open Settings (your input will be displayed at the bottom of the screen), select Bot Settings, then switch the Controller Setting option from Training Bot to CPU. From there, you can change all kinds of things about the bot’s behavior, like difficulty level and playstyle. Note: With “Dynamic” CPU difficulties, the bot will adjust its behavior as you play. Turning off infinite HP will produce better quality matches.

Co-op Training Mode

You can access co-op training mode using the leftmost cabinet in any private lobby. Use this with a duo to practice against bots. Another duo can join at the second cabinet, or you can also train solo against a duo. Hop on with any team variation and lab things out with your friends.  

Battle Pass

An early version of the battle pass will be automatically unlocked for free for all Alpha Lab participants. It’ll feature 20 levels of rewards that can be earned by playing games and completing missions. We're still tweaking what this looks like, so tell us how it feels to progress through the pass.  

Complete missions to unlock rewards like credits . We’re adjusting a lot about how missions work, like how fast they can be finished, how often they’re refreshed, and what rewards they’ll grant. Let us know what you think when submitting feedback.

Credits are the main currency you earn by playing 2XKO. During Alpha Lab, credits can be used to unlock chromas, but in future playtests they’ll also be used to unlock new champions. 

All account progress (including chromas, skins, and other unlocked rewards) will be reset between playtests, so feel free to spend all your credits and have fun. 

Ahri, Braum, Darius, Ekko, Illaoi, and Yasuo will be available to play during Alpha Lab. All six will be unlocked for every player from the first day of the Alpha Lab playtest, but in future playtests some champions will need to be unlocked through missions or credits. 

Four stages will be available during Alpha Lab: 

Spirit Hills

Bridge of Progress

The Brazen Hydra

Scuttler’s Strand

2XKO Netcode

We’ve implemented rollback netcode to minimize latency. We’re still testing these systems and will be monitoring any outliers throughout Alpha Lab. We'll release a deeper dive into 2XKO’s netcode sometime in the future to talk through the tech that powers our matches.

Friend List

Form duos with players from your friend list. Your friend list is accessible via the (Tab) key on PC and the Menu button on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. 

Add friends by searching for their full Riot ID, including the tagline. For example: AhriMain#NA1

Cross-Platform Play

Cross-platform play is available between PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 players located in the same region.

Cross-Region Play

We plan to support cross-region private matches in the future, but cross-region play will not be available during Alpha Lab. 

Offline and Local Play

Offline and local play will be available in the future, but not during Alpha Lab. 

2XKO will be using Riot’s proprietary anti-cheat tool, Vanguard. Our friends in the anti-cheat department released an in-depth blog post about the value of anti-cheat. You can also check out this post if you’re interested in top level information. 

All players in the test will receive a feedback survey after Alpha Lab ends. Make sure to fill it out, because we’ll use your feedback to continue developing 2XKO. Anything you liked or disliked about your experience is super valuable to us.

Again, 2XKO is a work in progress, so don’t hold back! Tell us what you would change. We’ll read every single Alpha Lab feedback survey, so this is your chance to get your thoughts on our radar.

If you’d like to share clips, bugs, or comments on social media during Alpha Lab, we’re keeping an eye on the tag #2XKO_AlphaLab . Use it on your posts to join the conversation, even if you don’t have Alpha Lab access.

Also, this won’t be the last chance to playtest. If you register on the Alpha Lab website, you’ll be notified when more sign-ups open later this year.

Known Issues

We have a couple of fixes that didn’t quite make it into this version! If you encounter any of these issues, know that they’re already on our radar.

Text chat is only available on PC.

Equipping an avatar item requires a double-click in some cases.

On PlayStation 5, the training mode frame advantage feature does not function correctly.

Training mode CPU reversal options sometimes do not function while the CPU is airborne.

Training mode CPU will perform a back air recovery even when neutral is selected.

On PC, running the game while the Steam client is open in the background may cause some controller issues.

On PC, plugging in a gamepad for the first time defaults to incorrect bindings. Default gamepad settings can be restored by going to Settings → Controller Mappings → Pad B.

Avatar outfits may not display properly in heavily populated lobbies.

Connecting to the co-op training mode cabinet with a cross-platform partner may cause training mode to crash.

While warming up in the casual lobby, the Back button may lose functionality, causing players to restart to exit warm up. 

Pressing CTRL+M on the PC version will mute all in-game music.

Choosing “Quit Game” in private lobbies may result in a crash. 

Immediately exiting training mode after being defeated by a bot may result in a crash. 

Choosing “warm up” when sitting at a cabinet in the casual lobby is causing crashes and will be disabled. 

Players standing on a spot other than the left-most positions will cause the co-op training mode cabinet to not function properly.

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Prediction: Rocket Lab Gets a New Neighbor in SpaceX

• Five years ago, New Zealand rocket launcher Rocket Lab announced plans to set up a launch site in the United States.
• Now, U.S. space giant SpaceX may be contemplating setting up a rocket base in Australia.
• Rocket Lab's competitive advantages in the Asian market may be threatened by SpaceX's arrival -- if it happens.
• Motley Fool Issues Rare “All In” Buy Alert

NASDAQ: RKLB

Rocket lab usa.

Rocket Lab's archrival may soon invade its home turf.

Five years ago -- even before its IPO -- small rocket company and SpaceX rival Rocket Lab USA   ( RKLB 0.37% ) had an announcement to make.

Despite its name, Rocket Lab was primarily a New Zealand company at the time. Its founder lived there. It launched its rockets from there. For that matter, its only launch pad was located there. But fresh off its 10th successful rocket launch, Rocket Lab was raring to compete with America's most famous rocket company, SpaceX , to try to win more launch contracts from U.S. customers.

This would be hard, of course, because SpaceX had the advantage of position in winning U.S. government and U.S. commercial launch contracts. Specifically, SpaceX was located in the U.S. -- right next to most of its customers -- lowering their cost of delivering payloads to SpaceX for payload integration and launch.

How could Rocket Lab level the playing field with SpaceX? It probably wouldn't have much luck convincing U.S. customers to relocate to New Zealand. So Rocket Lab decided to build a launch pad on Wallops Island, Virginia .

But it turns out two can play that game. As we just learned, SpaceX may be planning to move into Rocket Lab's backyard, too.

G'day spacemate!

As Reuters reported last week, SpaceX is seeking permission to land a Starship rocket off the Australian coast, and this could be a "first step toward a bigger presence for Elon Musk's company in the region."

The request follows a successful fourth test flight of SpaceX's Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster, in June, in which Starship executed a "water landing" in the Indian Ocean, somewhere to the northwest of Australia. Logically, therefore, SpaceX's request probably relates to a subsequent test flight following a trajectory similar to that used in Test Flight 4 (to minimize the variables between tests). Once again, the aim would be to land near Australia (this time on a landing barge). The rocket would be transported to Australia for inspection, and then probably be shipped back to America.

Reuters notes the plan could also be a first step toward setting up a point-to-point system for using Starship to rapidly deliver cargo and passengers around the globe. Ordinarily, we think of rockets as going from Earth to somewhere other than Earth. But in the era of reusable rockets that both launch from and land back on Earth, there's really no reason why they couldn't be used for point-to-point transport much like airplanes already are . In fact, Elon Musk has been mulling such a scheme for nearly a decade already. And in 2021, the U.S. Air Force backed the plan with an initial $47.9 million budget for a feasibility study.

But I think Musk's plans could be even bigger than that.

Will Starbase go global?

Consider that, right now, all of SpaceX's Starships launch out of just one location: SpaceX's "Starbase" in Boca Chica, Texas. But there's good reason to think SpaceX might want to build a spaceport in Australia from which to launch and at which to recover the rockets -- and perhaps even a factory to build Starships on site. Rocket Lab's success has already shown that Australia (or at least its smaller neighbor) is a good location from which to launch rockets, with a nice big ocean to the east that any misfired rockets can safely fall into.

Plus, for the same reasons that Rocket Lab might want to set up shop in the U.S. (to be closer to U.S. customers and reduce their transportation costs), SpaceX might find it very attractive to set up an Australian Starbase on the other side of the globe, the better to win business from customers in Asia.

What this would mean for Rocket Lab investors

Suffice it to say this might not be great news for Rocket Lab, whose biggest launch customer is in Asia ( Japan, to be precise ), and who might not relish the added competition . In the Asian market, Rocket Lab already has to contend with low-price leader ISRO in India, which charges just three or four times Rocket Lab's price to launch payloads 10 times as big.

On the plus side, though, with Rocket Lab developing a reusable Neutron rocket of its own to compete with Starship -- and Neutron boasting more payload capacity than ISRO's PSLV rocket -- at least this will be a two-horse race, if and when SpaceX does establish a launch site in Australia.

Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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A Department Store For Online Emerging Brands: Welcome To The First Co.Lab In Wales

Co.Lab, is set to debut in Cardiff's St. David’s mall from September.

Small emerging brands looking for a way to make the leap from a temporary pop-up to a full-size store now have a stepping stone in that journey in the form of a new micro-retail destination in Wales, U.K.

Pop-up platform Lone Design Club and powerful real estate developer and shopping center owner, Landsec, have partnered to create Co.Lab a venture that will utilize large, vacant retail spaces to support selected direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands that currently trade online.

The first of several potential spaces will open at the end of September in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, which is gaining a reputation as a retail hotspot and fashion hub thanks to half of Cardiff's population being under 35 . Co.Lab will launch in St. David’s, the largest shopping mall in the city, and will be present until at least Christmas.

The 5,000-square-foot area will effectively be a department store—branded Co.Lab—and housing more than 80 labels. They can choose leases of one to three months to test their potential in physical retail. Units available are large shop-in-shops, smaller concession spaces, or kiosks/counters.

The environment will be a one-stop shop for independent brands. There will be a shared event space (designed for product launches and customer engagement events) and the whole operation will be built on a community-focused model where emerging labels can learn from each other in what is claimed to be a low-cost way to enter physical retail. Rents start at £500/month plus a commission on sales.

A U.K. first

In an exclusive interview, Lone Design Club’s founder and CEO, Rebecca Morter, told me: “This is the first time anyone’s executed a project like this in the U.K., although there are similar models in South America. We hope this pilot will develop into a much bigger relationship with Landsec who are on a mission to bring more emerging, younger, and innovative digital-only brands into their portfolio.”

LDC's Rebecca Morter: “The feedback we’ve been getting from brands in our existing locations is that ... [+] while pop-ups are great for testing, and building confidence, there’s a gap between doing that and taking an actual store.”

She added: “The feedback we’ve been getting from brands in our existing locations is that while pop-ups are great for testing, and building confidence, there’s a gap between doing that and taking an actual store when they might have to start paying £20,000-plus a month. In addition, when it comes to moving out of London, brands often don’t know where to go. The reason is that it’s very difficult for e-commerce businesses to get good data on which locations they should invest in.”

Co.Lab—which has other U.K. locations up its sleeve—believes its stepping-stone model will usher in a new era of retail. It aims to revolutionize the shopping experience by providing a platform for small retailers and shoppers through hosted events, better engagement, and enhanced brand visibility; essentially through curation and event programming in collaboration with tenants—just like a traditional department store.

Co.Lab will employ a central community manager to run the destination and event spaces which has a packed programme through to December. Morter said: “Having supported over 3,000 brands to enter retail locations over the past six years, we saw the need for easier access, and relevant, community-driven spaces. Opening a store is no easy feat, and often, we forget the marketing and community that is essential to its success.”

The Bluewater Shopping Mall in Kent England is vast. (Photo by Chris Gorman/Getty Images)

Landsec has one of Britain’s biggest retail portfolios including the massive Bluewater shopping center in Kent, where the company increased its stake to 66% in June ; Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth; Southside in Wandsworth, London; and Trinity in Leeds. Co.Lab will help with the company’s placemaking initiatives designed to increase the time consumers spend at its retail destinations.

In a statement, Landsec brand director Ilana Sarner said: “We’re excited to welcome a new roster of D2C brands. This is a new way of retailing, where we bring together a community of brands to our customers. We’re opening up an opportunity for an exciting new pipeline and offering our guests a new point of discovery.”

D2Cs want to get physical

According to Shopify’s recent Future of Commerce report, 32% of D2C brands said they would be establishing or expanding their use of pop-up and in-person experiences this year, with 31% planning on establishing or expanding their physical retail footprints.

One reason is to get direct interaction. Commenting on making in-store activities truly experiential, Shopify Retail’s senior product marketing lead Kevin MacGillivray took soap as an example. He said: “(You can) try the soaps, smell them, use them. Do what you can only do in-store and add that bit of magic you can't get from buying on a website.”

Co.Lab’s model can, in theory, bring this kind of “magic” to smaller D2C players—and to consumers. By giving niche online brands a leg-up before they commit to taking full-scale stores, and the associated high rents that go with that, Landsec will also have a pool of businesses to choose from for their full-size units—if they make the grade.

As with previous Lone Design Club activations, the Cardiff store will allow brands to track digital engagement, online sales, and web traffic using a digital dashboard. The data should, for example, make it easier for D2C brands to see the impact of their Welsh physical presence on their online sales. Ideal D2C candidates will have sustainability credentials and follow eco-friendly practices.

Stratasys Sues China-Based Bambu Lab Over 3D Printing Tech

By Lauren Castle

Stratasys Ltd. filed sued multiple Chinese companies alleging they infringed its patents by creating and selling 3D printers under the Bambu Lab label.

Stratasys sent a notice letter to Beijing Tiertime Technology Co., Beijing Yinhua Laser Rapid Prototyping and Mould Technology Co., Shanghai Lunkuo Technology Co., and Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology Co., along with Tuozhu units Bambulab Ltd. and Tuozhu Technology Ltd., about Stratasys’s infringement concerns Aug. 5, according to two separate complaints filed Thursday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

• In one complaint , Minnesota-based Stratasys accused the Chinese companies of infringing patents covering various ...

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Long COVID continues to evade diagnosis through lab tests

NEW YORK, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Blood and urine tests are ineffective for diagnosing long COVID -- a constellation of long-term symptoms such as chronic pain, brain fog, shortness of breath and intense fatigue, a new study shows.

Without a clear tool to detect and treat the lingering illness, it remains "a major public health burden," researchers noted, affecting millions of people worldwide and significantly altering quality of life. Advertisement

The new study, funded by the National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery ( RECOVER ) Initiative, was published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Because few large studies looked at standardized laboratory tests as a way to help diagnose long COVID, researchers decided to examine results of 25 measurements in more of than 10,000 adults enrolled in the RECOVER trial. Launched in 2021, this trial received $1.15 billion in congressional funding. Advertisement

At the outset, participants underwent blood tests and were deemed eligible whether or not they had a previous infection of SARS-CoV-2.

Researchers followed them with surveys every three months and laboratory samples at six, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months after infection or the date of a negative test result.

In comparing responses to questionnaires and routine test outcomes, researchers assessed whether SARS-CoV-2 resulted in repeated laboratory abnormalities regardless if participants had symptoms.

The findings basically revealed little, said the study's lead author, Dr. Kristine Erlandson, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. That's because the laboratory results were inconclusive.

However, she and co-researchers recommended in their study report that clinicians still perform routine clinical tests to rule out other treatable causes of the symptoms in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 , the scientific name for long COVID.

Researchers also uncovered evidence to bolster the notion that SARS-CoV-2 could contribute to the risk of diabetes independent of long COVID -- a link found early in the pandemic.

Individuals with prior SARS-CoV-2 also had higher urine albumin to creatinine ratio. This indicator of early kidney disease has shown an association with cardiovascular conditions in other populations. Advertisement

Continuing inflammation may be a possible explanation for smell and taste disruptions and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, researchers said.

"The diversity of symptoms may be one of the reasons that we have difficulty in truly understanding why some people develop long COVID and ultimately how we can treat it," Erlandson said.

"Long COVID is a condition currently defined by symptoms and physical exam findings, not by abnormal routine laboratory measures," she added.

"Similarly, providers should certainly not dismiss a diagnosis of long COVID based on normal clinical laboratory values."

In an accompanying editorial, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore noted that most significant unsolved enigmas of the COVID-19 pandemic pertain to the knowledge, diagnosis and treatment of long COVID.

"When [it is] severe, long COVID can be disabling, resulting in job loss or inconsistent ability to perform other roles, such as caregiving. Even in 2024, long COVID remains common," Drs. Paul Auwaerter and Annukka Antar wrote in the editorial.

"Approximately 1 in 20 U.S. adults reported persisting symptoms after COVID-19 in June 2024, with 1.4% reporting significant limitations The incidence of long COVID is 3.5% among immunized people in the Omicron era, and it can occur after reinfection." Advertisement

The editorial's writers added that "importantly, acknowledging symptoms with empathy and creating a symptom management plan provides a basis for trust and hope amidst uncertainty."

It's impressive that researchers undertook "a high-quality analysis" of 25 routinely available labs in an attempt to help diagnose long COVID, said Dr. John Baratta, founder and co-director of the UNC COVID Recovery Clinic at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He was not involved in the study.

"The study did not show clinically meaningful changes in the blood work between people who have long COVID and those who do not," said Baratta, a specialist in physical and rehabilitation medicine.

"This is unfortunate, but not surprising, as many of us clinicians treating people with long COVID have been unable to find abnormalities on extensive medical workups."

The study "continues to show how difficult it can be to diagnose someone with long COVID," said Dr. Amy Edwards, an infectious disease specialist who heads the Pediatric COVID Recovery Clinic at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland.

Arriving at a diagnosis of long COVID involves taking a detailed medical history and doing a thorough physical exam, Edwards said.

"Currently, physicians have to rule out everything else -- what we call a diagnosis of exclusion -- rather than being able to positively diagnose someone based on a definite blood result," she said. Advertisement

Despite the researchers' findings, Edwards added that researchers should pursue these types of studies "until a clear idea of what causes long COVID is known, so that a test can be developed to make diagnosis easier."

She pointed out that this study didn't include children, so clinicians remain unaware if the same results would apply to pediatric patients.

Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said he appreciates that the researchers made an earnest attempt to study lab abnormalities in hopes of identifying diagnostics for long COVID.

"You won't catch any fish if you don't have your line in the water," Al-Aly said, adding, "If we don't do this as a community of scientists, we're never going to make progress. It's good that they tried."

For now, the lack of abnormal findings in blood tests may complicate long COVID patients' approval process for disability benefits, Baratta said.

"Long COVID is an extremely complex process that reaches beyond the boundaries of current medical knowledge," he said.

"However, there is hope for the future. There are tremendous research efforts underway globally to uncover the mysteries of this disease."

• CDC: U.S. adults with disabilities are more susceptible to long COVID
• Study recommends testing for COVID-19 two days after symptoms
• Group proposes new definition of long COVID
• Johns Hopkins

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