Have you ever been waiting for your shower to warm up and noticed that the pitch of the water changes when the water is warm? The hosts of my local radio station were talking about that very thing on my way to work a few days ago. The female host said that she knows her shower is ready because the water sounds different. I agree with her. The male host thought that people like us (who think the shower sounds different) are nuts. Do hot and cold water really sound different? The girls and I decided to try an experiment... Do hot and cold water really sound different? Why do they sound different? Let's explain... Water changes it's viscosity, or stickiness, when it's temperature changes. Cold water molecules move slower than hot water molecules. Therefore, cold water is more viscous or sticky than hot water. Because cold water is more viscous, it pours in a more steady stream, splashes less, and bubbles less than hot water. This makes the pitch of cold water a lower sound than … [Read more...]

Lately the girls have been very excited to come home from school and show me the science experiments they've been doing in school. The DIY Lava Lamp was one Nutty did and today's Floating M&M Experiment is one Tottie did. For this experiment all you need is a glass of cold water and M&M candies. Drop one or more M&Ms into the cold water and wait... ...and wait...you'll see that the candy loses it's color and begins to turn white. Continue waiting (about 10 minutes or so). Do not disturb the water. You might see tiny bubbles beginning to form on the candy and you'll see some chocolate starting to peak through. Suddenly you'll see bits of shell start to break lose and the "M" will rise off of the candy! It's kinda cool! This Floating M&M Experiment works because of water solubility. The hard candy coating that contains the printed "M" is not water soluble. While the rest of the shell (the part that contains the color) dissolves … [Read more...]

Nutty came home from school a few days ago all excited about a science experiment she did at school that day. She wanted to show me and Tottie a DIY Lava Lamp and thought it was perfect for my blog too. So...without further ado, her is Nutty showing you how to make a lava lamp... Don't worry, if you can't view the video, here's the written instructions... You'll need: A glass jar or vase Water Food coloring Cooking oil (such as vegetable oil or olive oil) Salt 1) Fill the jar 1/2 to 3/4 full with water 2) Add oil so that it forms a thick layer on top 3) Add about 3 drops of food coloring. If the coloring gets stuck in the vegetable oil, swirl the jar until it drops or pop the food coloring bubbles with a tooth pick. I'm not sure why you can't add the food coloring before the oil but Nutty was insistent that you have to add it after the oil. 4) After the food coloring disperses through the water, pour salt into the jar and watch the lava lamp! *PLEASE … [Read more...]

You know we love science activities here on Toys In The Dryer. We especially love ones that use things we normally keep on hand in our house or kitchen. This hot ice experiment is one you can do if you have a little time as I guarantee you have the ingredients in your kitchen! You'll need: 1 liter of distilled white vinegar 4 tablespoons of baking soda a large sauce pan a bowl with a lid or a bowl with plastic wrap Does this experiment sound an awful lot like a volcano experiment? It sure does, but in my opinion, the hot ice experiment is MUCH cooler. I must give you fair warning before I give you the directions for hot ice: You'll need time for this experiment as it takes a minimum of 2 hours to set up. You'll also need to be prepared for your house to smell like vinegar as you boil it. In fact, Hubby came home from work, took one whiff of the house and asked Nutty if we were doing science experiments that day! 1) Mix the vinegar and baking soda in your … [Read more...]

I remember trying this hanger and string sound lesson when I was younger. I came across it again while searching the internet one day and knew that my girls would love it! To try this sound wave experiment yourself, you'll need a wire coat hanger, yarn, and objects to hit the coat hanger against (a wall, a table, something else metal...). That's it! 1) Tie the yard onto the hook of the hanger leaving (about) equal amounts on both ends of the yarn. 2) Start by hitting the hanger against an object and listen to the sound. 3) Next, wrap the ends of the yarn a few times around your pointer finger. 4) Lightly put your fingers in your ears (do not plug your ears completely) 5) Hit the hanger in the same spot again, this time with your fingers in your ears. How is the sound different? My girls spent quite a while hitting the hanger against different objects to see how the sound varied. It sounded different against metal than it did against wood and even … [Read more...]