different experiments in chemistry

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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Cool Chemistry Experiments

Cool chemistry experiments raise student interest in science and boost enthusiasm for learning. They are also a lot of fun! Here are some spectacular demonstrations and experiments to try.

Elephant Toothpaste

Elephant toothpaste is one chemistry experiment you shouldn’t miss. The experiment produces heaps of foam, which you can color or even form into shapes by using special containers. The classic version is a reaction between sodium or potassium iodide and peroxide. There is also a kid-friendly version that is safe for children (and adults) to touch.

Color Change Chemiluminescence

Most likely, you know about chemiluminescence from glow sticks , but there are more dramatic reactions you can try. For example, there is a cool chemistry experiment where you mix together chemicals, add peroxide, and the solution glows red and then glows blue . This experiment illustrates an exothermic reaction and a decomposition reaction.

Colored Fire Cool Chemistry Experiment

Making colored fire certainly qualifies as a cool chemistry experiment. Just choose the chemical for the color you want. Some of the chemicals are appropriate for making colored fire spray bottles , too. In addition to looking awesome, colored fire demonstrates the emission spectra of ions.

Copper and Nitric Acid Chemistry Experiment

The copper and nitric acid experiment is as easy as it gets, but it produces dramatic results that illustrate the metal activity series and coordination complexes. All you do is drop a piece of copper into nitric acid. The liquid changes from clear to blue-green and the reaction releases bubbles of reddish-brown vapor. Eventually, the liquid changes color to brown.

Sodium in Water Reaction

Sodium and other alkali metals react vigorously with water. The reaction become more vigorous as you move down the periodic table, so mixing sodium and water is the safest version of this chemistry experiment. You only use a tiny bit of the metal, yet it burns brightly and gives of sparks and flames. Sodium burns with a yellow flame, but other metals have their own characteristic colors. For example, potassium in water has a purple flame and rubidium in water has a red flame.

Chemical Traffic Light

The chemical traffic light is one of many color change chemistry demonstrations . It is a redox reaction where a solution changes red, green, and amber, like a traffic light. Temperature affects the rate of the color change, so it also illustrates principles of kinetics.

Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction is one of the more dramatic chemistry experiments. All you do is mix a metal and a metal oxide and ignite it. But, this is no ordinary fire. The reaction is very bright and extremely hot. It is the burning of metal, so it serves as an example of oxidation, combustion, and exothermic reactions.

Dancy Gummy Bear

The dancing gummy bear is a chemistry experiment featuring a gummy bear candy “dancing” in purple flames. But, you can use any candy. A related experiment involves dropping a bit of charcoal into a tube of molten potassium nitrate, making the charcoal dance . The project illustrates combustion, oxidation, exothermic reactions, and the flame test for potassium.

Sugar and Sulfuric Acid Cool Reaction

The sugar and sulfuric acid reaction has another name: the carbon snake. This is a dehydration reaction and decomposition reaction that breaks sugar molecules into elemental carbon, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and water. The result is a steaming column of black carbon rising from its container. The experiment smells of burning caramel and rotten eggs.

Flower Shop Reaction

The flower shop or odor of violets reaction does not look as cool as some of the other reactions on this list, but it definitely smells the best. The simple reaction involves mixing two common chemicals and applying heat, releasing a chemical that smells like violets. This experiment demonstrates a rearrangement reaction. Another cool effect is the way the molecule affects the sense of smell such that the fragrance never becomes overpowering or fades.

• Shakhashiri, Bassam Z. (1983).  Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry  (1st ed.). University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN: 978-0299088903.
• Summerlin, Lee R.; Borgford, Christie L., Ealy, Julie B. (1988).  Chemical Demonstrations: A Sourcebook for Teachers Volume 2 (2nd ed.). American Chemical Society. ISBN: 978-0841215351.

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Chem Demos That Teach and Impress

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• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

From colored fire to magic rocks these 10 chemistry demonstrations , experiments, and activities are sure to wow kids and adults alike. 

Make Colored Fire

Fire is fun. Colored fire is even better. The best part is, the additives for this project are readily available and safe. They generally don't produce smoke that is any better or worse for you than normal smoke. Depending on what you add, the ashes will have a different elemental composition from a normal wood fire, but if you're burning trash or printed material, you have a similar end result. Colored fire is suitable for a home fire or kid's campfire, plus most chemicals are found around the house (even of non-chemists).

Make the Classic Chemical Volcano

The classic volcano is the old-school chemistry lab volcano, which is also known as Vesuvius Fire. The mixture glows and gives off sparks as it decomposes, and makes its own cinder cone of green ash. The compounds used in the classic volcano are toxic, so this is a chemistry lab demonstration and not a great choice for the armchair scientist. It's still cool. It involves fire.

Of course, the  baking soda volcano  is always safe, non-toxic option, too!

It's Easy To Make a Borax Crystal Snowflake

Growing crystals is a terrific way to examine the structure formed when molecules bond together. The borax snowflake is a favorite crystal project.

This is a crystal-growing project that is safe and easy enough for kids. You can make shapes other than snowflakes, and you can color the crystals. As a side note, if you use these as Christmas decorations and store them, the  borax  is a natural insecticide and will help keep your long-term storage area pest-free. If they develop a white precipitant, you can lightly rinse them (don't dissolve too much crystal). These snowflakes are super sparkly!

Make a Borax Crystal Snowflake

Make Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream or Dippin Dots

There are lots of fun chemistry ice cream recipes , but the liquid nitrogen versions are the exciting ones.

It's the quick way to make ice cream, plus, if you use your imagination, you can come up with lots of other fun activities involving liquid nitrogen . It's easier to  get and transport  liquid nitrogen than you might think. Try the basic liquid nitrogen ice cream recipe and then show off your skills by making homemade Dippin' Dots ice cream.

• Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Recipes
• Make Homemade Dippin' Dots

Oscillating Clock Color Change Chemical Reactions

Of all the chemical reactions, the color change reactions may be the most memorable. The oscillating clock reactions get their name because the colors transition between two or more hues as the conditions change.

There are many color-change chemistry reactions, pretty much using acid-base chemistry. The Briggs-Rauscher reactions are nice because the colors oscillate on their own for a long time (clear → amber → blue → repeat). The blue bottle demonstration is similar, and there are other colors you can produce depending  on the pH indicator  you select.

• Briggs-Rauscher Oscillating Clock
• Blue Bottle Color Change Demonstration (blue - clear - blue)
• Christmas Chemistry Demo (green - red - green)
• Hot and Cold Valentine (pink - clear - pink)

There's More Than One Way To Make Slime

You don't need to have esoteric chemicals and a lab to have a good time with chemistry. Yes, your average fourth grader can make slime. It's one of the first chemistry projects many kids try. That doesn't mean it's any less fun when you're older.

Recipes for Making Different Types of Slime

Write Secret Messages With Invisible Ink

Experiment with invisible ink to see how chemical changes affect the color of materials. Most invisible inks work by subtly damaging paper, revealing the message by making the alterations in the paper apparent. Other versions of the ink appear clear until an indicator chemical is applied, which reacts with the ink to make the message appear.

A variation is to make disappearing ink. The ink is a pH indicator that becomes colorless upon reacting with air. You can make the color reappear by applying a basic solution.

• Make Invisible Ink
• Make Disappearing Ink

Make Chemical Cold Packs and Hot Packs

It's fun to mix chemicals together to produce temperature changes. Endothermic reactions are those that absorb energy from their environment, making it colder. Exothermic reactions release heat into the environment, making it hotter.

One of the easiest endothermic reactions you can try is mixing water with potassium chloride, which is used as a salt substitute. A simple exothermic reaction you can try is mixing water with laundry detergent . There are many more examples, some much colder and hotter than these.

• Endothermic (Cold Pack) Reactions To Try
• Steel Wool Exothermic Reaction
• Hot Ice Exothermic (Hot Pack) Reaction

Make a Smoke Bomb and Colored Smoke

Chemical reactions are the basis for many "magic" tricks, pranks, and fireworks. One impressive chemistry project, which can be used for tricks or celebrations, is making and lighting smoke bombs.

A smoke bomb is a good introduction to pyrotechnics because it does not explode. It doesn't produce a lot of fire. It does give off copious amounts of smoke, so it's best to light your chemical masterpiece outdoors.

• Classic Smoke Bomb Recipe
• No-Cook Smoke Bomb Recipe
• Make Colored Smoke

Grow a Chemical Garden With Magic Rocks

This is the classic chemical garden or crystal garden, though it's more about precipitation than crystallization.Metal salts react  with sodium silicate  to form fanciful waxy-looking towers.

There are many inexpensive Magic Rocks kits for sale in stores and online, plus you can make Magic Rocks yourself with a few simple chemicals.

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8 Easy Chemistry Experiments At Home (Get a Great Reaction!)

If you want to have some fun with chemistry at home, there are three main ways to go about it. You can buy a chemistry set, subscribe to a subscription box, or find some instructions and use household items. However you go about it, chemistry is a great way to get kids excited about chemistry and science in general.

Related post: Best STEM Subscription Box for Kids (Ultimate Guide 2024)

Chemistry Sets and Subscription Boxes

Before we dive into easy experiments, you can do with things you’ll probably have at home. I just wanted to talk a little bit about your other options.

Chemistry sets can be an excellent investment. They come with equipment that you can reuse over and over. It’s a lot cheaper than having to replace your drinking glasses and measuring jugs because the kids keep using them for chemistry experiments! They also come with instructions on a range of experiments that you can try. If you’ve done a few of the experiments below and are looking for something more, a chemistry set can be a really good option. There are ones aimed at young kids all the way up to teenagers .

Another great option to consider is subscription boxes. These are great for extending learning and keeping kids entertained and engaged for a more extended period. There are loads of great options to choose from. But, when it comes to chemistry, you really can’t go wrong with MEL Science . They have two subscription levels, so you can get a big box or a small one each month. Because everything is in the box, it really takes all the planning and hunting for ingredients out of the equation.

Experiments Using Household Items

If you don’t have a science kit on hand and are looking for something quick and easy to try at home, then these are the experiments you should try. Most of these use items that you will probably have at home, although a few might require you to get a little creative or grab the odd thing the next time you go to the shops.

Chromatography

Chromatography is a technique used in chemistry. It lets you find out what’s inside chemicals. In this version from Fizzics Education, you’ll see what colors are mixed up inside felt tip pens. It’s a straightforward experiment to carry out. All you need is some paper towels, felt tips, and a glass of water.

This is a simple version of this experiment, but there are some easy ways to make it more interesting or scientific. One way to extend this experiment is to try the same technique but using your favorite sweets’ colorings.

For instance, sweets like M&Ms, Skittles, and Smarties all have food coloring on their outside. You can get a sample of this coloring by sitting the candy in a small amount of water. Then you use the colored water in the same way as the felt tip pens.

To add a bit of rigor and math to the experiment, you need a pencil and a ruler. Instead of drawing a line of felt tip, you draw a line with a pencil. Then put a spot of the felt tip on the pencil line. When you take the paper out, you mark a second pencil line to show how high the water went.

By measuring the distance, each of the colors went and the distance the water went, you can calculate something called the retention factor. The retention factor will be unique for different dyes. To find the retention factor, you take the distance your sample travels and divide it by the length the solvent (water in this case) traveled. You can use this number to see if the same dye is used in different pens.

Pop Rockets

This is one of my favorite chemistry experiments for kids. It does get a little messy, so make sure you have some cloths on hand. Alternatively, you can do it outside to make it a little easier to clean up. Steve Spangler Science has some great instructions to follow.

In their version, they use an old film canister. But these can be a bit hard to get hold of these days since everything is digital. Some good alternatives that work well include empty glue stick containers. It’s also worth keeping your eye out for any food containers with push-on lids, as these can work well. There are always a lot of good options around Halloween, Christmas, and Easter – the snack size containers tend to be pretty good options.

The reason I love this experiment is that it’s a lot of fun. There’s the excitement of the pop and watching the canister fly. But, there are also a lot of opportunities to turn this into a real investigation. You can try changing the volumes of liquid or the type of liquid. You can find the best mix to make the biggest noise, the loudest pop, or the perfect mix to make it pop in precisely 8 seconds.

Make Oobleck Dance!

Oobleck is the name that’s been given to an awesome type of slime that you can make at home. If it sounds like something out of Dr. Suess, that’s because it is. This slime is just a mix of cornstarch and water, so it’s pretty easy to make. These instructions from Housing A Forest are pretty good.

What’s cool about Oobleck is that it’s a Non-Newtonian solid. That means that it behaves a little differently than you might expect. For instance, when you try to stir it quickly, it gets hard and almost solid. If you run your fingers through it slowly, it flows like runny syrup.

Now just playing with this stuff is fun, but if you have a speaker to hand, you can do something even cooler. In the guide from Housing A Forest, they suggest using a subwoofer and a cookie sheet. The speaker’s vibrations make the Oobleck bounce around and switch from a solid to a liquid to the beat of the music.

If you have an old speaker that you don’t mind breaking, you can wrap the speaker in saran wrap and put the Oobleck straight onto that. It works a lot better, but if you don’t cover the speaker correctly, it can break.

Make Rubber Eggs

Eggs are an excellent ingredient for science experiments. This experiment from 3P Learning lets you turn a hardboiled egg into a bouncy rubber one. To do this, all you need to do is soak it in vinegar for a day or so. This will dissolve the calcium carbonate of the eggshell. When it’s done, you’ll be able to rub off the tough outer shell.

Without the shell, you’ll be left with the membrane that lines the shell. This membrane helps hold the egg together. This membrane is strong enough to drop the egg onto a surface from a reasonable height, and it will bounce back without falling apart.

The harder your egg is, the less it will bounce. If you want a mix between bounciness and minimal potential for mess, then you’ll want to aim for a soft boiled egg. But, if you don’t mind the mess, try a raw egg. You remove the shell in the same way. When it comes off, you get a peek inside the raw egg. Because it’s raw, it’s squishy and bounces better. Of course, if you drop it from high enough, it will break. When you do this, you’ll find the stretchy membrane, which is pretty cool to feel.

Lemony Eruption

I’m sure you’ve all done the classic volcano eruption with baking soda and vinegar. This is a twist on that experiment. It takes advantage of the fact that lemons are already full of natural citric acid. Here are some great instructions from Babble Dabble Do. They have some handy tips on how to make the most out of each lemon. The great thing about this version is that your room will smell lovely and lemony for the rest of the day.

If you want to extend this, you try investigating which other fruits this would work with. You could explore a whole citric family of volcanoes.

Concoct Some Invisible Ink

Write Secret Messages With Invisible Ink! by Science Buddies

Making invisible ink is really easy. There is some fun chemistry behind how it works. As a bonus, once your kids get the hang of it, they’ll have loads of fun sending coded messages. It’s a great way to keep them entertained.

This great recipe from Thoughtco can be revealed using two different methods. If you have a safe and controllable heat source, you can hold the paper up to that. Ironing the paper works as well, although that’s best left to adults. Otherwise, you can use purple grape juice to reveal the message. If you paint over the page with grape juice, the message will show up in a different color.

If sending secret messages isn’t appealing to your kids, you could challenge them to create something artistic with this technique. The only limit is their imagination.

If you’ve done any chemistry experiments for kids, then you probably know that an acid + baking soda makes for an awesome fizzy experiment. I’ve seen this used in many different ways, but this version from STEAM powered family is one of the best.

In this experiment/activity, you encase small dinosaur toys in a paste made of baking soda and water. By adding food coloring, you can create multicolored eggs. You can even hide glitter inside for an added surprise. When made, you freeze the eggs for about an hour, so they are set hard.

To hatch the eggs, you give your kids syringes and a cup of vinegar. They can then apply the vinegar wherever they want to discover what’s hiding inside the eggs. Just remember to place the eggs in an easy to wash container with reasonably high sides.

Fireworks Alternative

I love fireworks, but I feel guilty about enjoying them because they are an environmental disaster. So, whenever bonfire night rolls around, I always set this up to have some fun and color in our home without having to damage the environment. It’s not quite as good as fireworks, but it’s pretty cool never-the-less.

All you need is:

• Oil – any sort will do. Cheap vegetable oil is just fine
• Food coloring (The liquid kind, not gel)
• Droppers (medicine syringes work well too)
• A clear, tall jar – a mason jat is perfect

To get the magic going, all you need to do is fill your jar ¾ full with warm water. Then add a good layer of oil on top. About an inch deep is plenty. Then you use your dropper to drip food coloring into the jar.

At first, the food coloring will sit at the interface between the oil and water. Then all of a sudden, it will drop through, leaving a trail of color behind it in the water. It looks impressive if you do lots of drops of different colors and then sit back and watch as they drop through the liquids.

Eventually, your water will turn a muddy, muddle color. But, this is such an easy experiment that you can wash out your jar and try again.

Just a little not to say that if you can’t get hold of a dropper or syringe then you can just drip the food coloring from the bottle. As long as you only put in small amounts at a time it does still work.

If you want to extend the fun, keep the oil and some of the colored water when you pour out the container. You want to have more oil than water this time, so I suggest moving them to a second smaller bottle. Then if you add an Alka-Seltzer tablet, you’ve got a homemade lava lamp. To get the best effect, stand your lava lamp bottle on top of a light.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most useful household ingredients for chemistry experiments.

When it comes to chemistry experiments, having the right ingredients makes all the difference. If you like explosions, then you’ll probably want to have a good supply of baking soda and vinegar on hand. Other common ingredients include ice, food coloring, citric acid, cornflour, and borax.

If you’re planning on doing lots of experiments, you might want to have a clear measuring jug and a few clear bowls of glasses that you don’t mind sacrificing.

Is cooking chemistry?

Absolutely! There is loads of chemistry behind making food taste great. If you like a perfectly browned steak, then you’re a fan of the Maillard reaction. If you like sweets and desserts, then you’re benefiting from the careful balance of ingredients and use of temperature needed to create the textures and flavor you love.

There is a whole field of science called food science, which is a specific field of chemistry. A great introduction to this field is to experiment with the ratio of ingredients in a simple recipe. You’ll learn what effect the different ingredients have on the outcome. Alternatively, you could make a sourdough starter.

What is the easiest science project?

All of the experiments on this list are pretty easy to try. The chromatography experiment is probably the one that has the most common equipment and is pretty hard to mess up. The fireworks alternative is also an easy experiment that looks great.

Sandy is an experienced STEM educator, having spent a decade teaching Physics. She also loves to volunteer at local STEM fairs to show kids, especially girls, how awesome it is. She is so passionate about science that one science degree wasn’t enough and she decided to complete a second part-time, while working.

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Expertly communicate the excitement of chemistry with these time-tested classroom practicals.

These resources have been compiled from the book Classic chemistry experiments : a collection of 100 chemistry experiments developed with the support of teachers throughout the UK.

If you'd like to buy a copy of the book, visit our online bookshop . If you're a Royal Society of Chemistry member, don't forget to use your 35% discount.

A Cartesian diver

An old favourite experiment, the Cartesian diver is easy for students to complete. Explore important ideas that build a foundation of knowledge. 

Chemistry and electricity

Create coloured writing from acids, alkali, and salt solution, all activated through electrolysis.

Disappearing ink

Explore the reaction between acids and bases as students create disappearing ink, in this favourite classroom practical.

Electricity from chemicals

Use various metals, in pairs, and n electrolyte to form a cell. Then observe the formation of ions around the reactive metal, and compare the speed with which they form around the less reactive metal. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Experiments with particles

Explore physical states, and how material interact with three practicals. Students use common classroom items to explore, and then note their findings. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Identifying the products of combustion

In association with Nuffield Foundation

Illustrate the presence of water and carbon dioxide in the products of hydrocarbon combustion in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Particles in motion?

Explore the movement of gas particles in this practical but reacting calcium carbonate with hydrochloric acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Producing a foam

Explore foams and their properties in this experiment, so students learn how foam is produced and produce their own. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Properties of the transition metals and their compounds

Student discover the diversity of transition metals in this practical that puts their knowledge of these common elements to the test. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

Rubber band experiment

A rubber band, a hairdryer, and a curious mind will see students discover the principles of heat based reactions. Includes kit list and safety instruction.

Testing salts for anions and cations

A full range of chemicals will guide students into discovering how to identify the composition of unknown substances. Includes kit list and safry instructions. 

The effect of concentration and temperature on reaction rate

Reaction rate can be altered by many things, in this practical students explore how temperature and concentration effect reaction in an closer look at kinetics. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The effect of temperature on reaction rate

Discover more about collision theory in this practical, where a sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid mixture produce an interesting reaction. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The effect of temperature on solubility

Hot or cold, which water is better for soluble substances? Explore your finding from this practical into the effect of temperature on solubility. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

The electrolysis of solutions

Electricity is passed through various solutions and the products are identified. Includes kit list and safety instructions

The preparation and properties of oxygen

Produce a potassium manganate(VII) reaction using a test tube, Bunsen burner, and scientific inquisition to detect the presence of oxygen. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

The reactivity of the group 2 metals

Compare group 1 and group 2 metals with this practical that shows their reactivity rates, where students can take control of their own observations and come to their own conclusions

The volume of 1 mole of hydrogen gas

Understand the volume of one mole of hydrogen gas through a magnesium and acid reaction, taking note of the temperature and pressure. Includes kit list and safety instructions. 

Compare the viscosity of thick and thin liquids in this experiment, which gets young learners exploring how viscosity alters the speed of an air bubble through the substances. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

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Top 10 Chemistry Experiments You Don't Want to Miss

May 03, 2021 3 min read

A few years back we shared a series about how to teach the different areas of science at home, which you can find here:

• Teaching Biology at Home
• Teaching Earth Science at Home
• Teaching Astronomy at Home
• Teaching Chemistry at Home
• Teaching Physics at Home

The posts in the series have remained some of our most popular posts and so we thought we would help you all out by sharing our favorite experiments for each discipline!

So far we have shared our favorite biology , earth science , and astronomy experiments. Today, we are going to share ten of our favorites for chemistry.

And without further ado, here are our top 10 chemistry experiments!

Top 10 Chemistry Experiments

1. Explore marker chromatography.

This STEAM activity versatile enough to do with what you have on hand and definitely delivers the "WOW" factor.

It's a great project for   decorating a tree, making   beautiful butterflies, or for making a scientific version of a   tie-dye t-shirt. Whatever you decide to do with your marker chromatography artwork, the process is the same.

2. Test which one freezes first. 

Winter is a great time to explore the principles of chemistry through experimentation! Although, with a freezer you can enjoy this experiment year-round.

This simple experiment will help your students to see   how salt changes the freezing point of water .

3. Make a bioplastic in your kitchen.

This chemistry experiment shares how to make a simple bioplastic in your microwave!! What is a bioplastic you ask? It's a plasticky material made from biological chemicals.

Now, we can't exactly make a completely hard bioplastic in our microwave. However, we will make a super cool gel-like bioplastic using cornstarch and a few other items.

4. Polishing silver with chemistry.

I know you are thinking - silver polish can't possibly be a super fun chemistry experiment. But, the directions in this post contain the best possible homemade silver polish.

Uncle Cecil and President Lincoln of Sassafras Science fame tried hundreds of experiments just to make sure. This silver-polishing, scientific magic trick will make an afternoon chore into a super fun chemistry experiment.

5. Experiment with Borax.

Borax is an old-school laundry booster that many of the slime recipes use. But what do you do with the rest of the box when you are done? 

You could get all retro and add it to your next load of laundry, but what fun is that? Today, we are going to share with you three chemistry experiments that use Borax - ones that you will want to do over and over again until the whole box is gone!

6. Do a kitchen acid test.

A kitchen acid test is always fun because of the color changes.  But more than that, this hands-on science activity is a great way to show your kids a bit about the chemistry of acids and bases!

7. Send a secret message.

You use chemistry to be like a spy and send a secret message ! This  kitchen science activity is one you can use over and over again.

8. Explode fireworks in your kitchen.

There is a lot of chemistry behind fireworks - the colors alone are due to different chemicals!

And although, you can't explode actual fireworks in your kitchen, but you can learn about them and then do a simple chemistry experiment to see fireworks in your kitchen !

9. Play with dry ice.

Dry ice is a fun way to explore the states of matter. It's one of those materials that appear to boil in room temperature water, sending out billows of white, wispy smoke.

This post shares three  chemistry activities with dry ice from our lab to yours that you can use to explore this amazing material.

10. Mix up a batch of crazy colors.

This chemistry experiment is part color-change , part stink-up-the-kitchen and it requires a bit of preparation, but it is totally worth it! It's one of the best ways to show the difference between acids and bases.

Wrapping it Up

There are loads more options for chemistry experiments out there that we love - in fact, we probably could have done a post with 100 experiments! But these are the ten we don't want you to miss.  If you want more chemistry experiments, check out our   Chemistry Pinterest board .

If you want it all pulled together for you, check out the following our homeschool science programs with easy-to-use plans for teaching chemistry:

• For Preschool –   Intro to Science  and Summer's Lab
• For Elementary Students –  Chemistry for the Grammar Stage  and  Chemistry Lapbooks
• For Middle School Students –   Chemistry for the Logic Stage
• High School Students –  Chemistry for High School

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20 Awesome Science Experiments You Can Do Right Now At Home

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Morenike Adebayo

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We can all agree that science is awesome. And you can bring that awesomeness into your very own home with these 20 safe DIY experiments you can do right now with ordinary household items.

1. Make Objects Seemingly Disappear Refraction is when light changes direction and speed as it passes from one object to another. Only visible objects reflect light. When two materials with similar reflective properties come into contact, light will pass through both materials at the same speed, rendering the other material invisible. Check out this video from BritLab  on how to turn glass invisible using vegetable oil and pyrex glass.

2. Freeze Water Instantly When purified water is cooled to just below freezing point, a quick nudge or an icecube placed in it is all it takes for the water to instantly freeze. You can finally have the power of Frozone from The Incredibles on a very small scale! Check out the video on this "cool" experiment. 

3. Create Oobleck And Make It Dance To The Music Named after a sticky substance in a children’s book by Dr Seuss , Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means it can behave as both a solid and a liquid. And when placed on a sound source, the vibrations causes the mixture to gloopily dance. Check out these instructions from Housing A Forest  on how to make this groovy fluid funk out in every way.

4. Create Your Own Hybrid Rocket Engine With a combination of a solid fuel source and a liquid oxidizer, hybrid rocket engines can propel themselves. And on a small scale, you can create your own hybrid rocket engine, using pasta, mouthwash and yeast. Sadly, it won’t propel much, but who said rocket science ain’t easy? Check out this video from NightHawkInLight on how to make this mini engine.

5. Create "Magic Mud" Another non-Newtonian fluid here, this time from the humble potato. "Magic Mud" is actually starch found in potatoes. It’ll remain hard when handled but leave it alone and it turns into a liquid. Make your own “Magic Mud” with this video.

6. Command The Skies And Create A Cloud In A Bottle Not quite a storm in a teacup, but it is a cloud in a bottle. Clouds up in the sky are formed when water vapor cools and condenses into visible water droplets. Create your own cloud in a bottle using a few household items with these wikiHow instructions .

7. Create An Underwater Magical World First synthesized by Adolf van Baeyer in 1871, fluorescein is a non-toxic powder found in highlighter pens, and used by NASA to find shuttles that land in the sea. Create an underwater magical world with this video from NightHawkInLight .

9. Make Your Own Lava Lamp Inside a lava lamp are colored bubbles of wax suspended in a clear or colorless liquid, which changes density when warmed by a heating element at the base, allowing them to rise and fall hypnotically. Create your own lava lamp with these video instructions.

10. Create Magnetic Fluid A ferrofluid is a liquid that contains nanoscale particles of metal, which can become magnetized. And with oil, toner and a magnet , you can create your own ferrofluid and harness the power of magnetism! 

12. Make Waterproof Sand A hydrophobic substance is one that repels water. When sand is combined with a water-resistant chemical, it becomes hydrophobic. So when it comes into contact with water, the sand will remain dry and reusable. Make your own waterproof sand with this video .

13. Make Elephant's Toothpaste Elephant’s toothpaste is a steaming foamy substance created by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, which sort of resembles giant-sized toothpaste. Make your own elephant’s toothpaste with these instructions.

14. Make Crystal Bubbles When the temperature falls below 0 o C (32 o F), it’s possible to freeze bubbles into crystals. No instructions needed here, just some bubble mix and chilly weather.

15. Make Moving Liquid Art Mixing dish soap and milk together causes the surface tension of the milk to break down. Throw in different food colorings and create this trippy chemical reaction.

16. Create Colourful Carnations Flowers absorb water through their stems, and if that water has food coloring in it, the flowers will also absorb that color. Create some wonderfully colored flowers with these wikiHow instructions .

17. "Magically" Turn Water Into Wine Turn water into wine with this  video  by experimenter Dave Hax . Because water has a higher density than wine, they can switch places. Amaze your friends with this fun science trick.

18. Release The Energy In Candy (Without Eating It) Dropping a gummy bear into a test tube with potassium chlorate releases the chemical energy inside in an intense chemical reaction. That’s exactly what's happening when you eat candy, kids.

19. Make Water "Mysteriously" Disappear Sodium polyacrylate is a super-absorbent polymer, capable of absorbing up to 300 times its own weight in water. Found in disposable diapers, you can make water disappear in seconds with this video .

20. Create A Rainbow In A Jar Different liquids have different masses and different densities. For example, oil is less dense than water and will float on top of its surface. By combining liquids of different densities and adding food coloring, you can make an entire rainbow in a jar with this video .

There you have it – 20 experiments for you to explore the incredible world of science!

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Okay, this is the hardest part of the whole project…picking your topic. But here are some ideas to get you started. Even if you don’t like any, they may inspire you to come up with one of your own. Remember, check all project ideas with your teacher and parents, and don’t do any project that would hurt or scare people or animals. Good luck!

• Does music affect on animal behavior?
• Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
• Where are the most germs in your school? ( CLICK for more info. )
• Does music have an affect on plant growth?
• Which kind of food do dogs (or any animal) prefer best?
• Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
• What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
• What level of salt works best to hatch brine shrimp?
• Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
• How effective are child-proof containers and locks.
• Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
• Does acid rain affect the growth of aquatic plants?
• What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
• Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
• What plant fertilizer works best?
• Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
• Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
• What brand of battery lasts the longest?
• Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
• What type of food allow mold to grow the fastest?
• Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
• Can plants grow in pots if they are sideways or upside down?
• Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
• How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
• Can some people really read someone else’s thoughts?
• Which soda decays fallen out teeth the most?
• What light brightness makes plants grow the best?
• Does the color of birdseed affect how much birds will eat it?
• Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
• Can mice learn? (you can pick any animal)
• Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
• What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
• Does age affect human reaction times?
• What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
• Does shoe design really affect an athlete’s jumping height?
• What type of grass seed grows the fastest?
• Can animals see in the dark better than humans?

Didn’t see one you like? Don’t worry…look over them again and see if they give you an idea for your own project that will work for you. Remember, find something that interests you, and have fun with it.

To download and print this list of ideas CLICK HERE .

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70 Best High School Science Fair Projects in Every Subject

Fire up the Bunsen burners!

The cool thing about high school science fair projects is that kids are old enough to tackle some pretty amazing concepts. Some science experiments for high school are just advanced versions of simpler projects they did when they were younger, with detailed calculations or fewer instructions. Other projects involve fire, chemicals, or other materials they couldn’t use before.

Note: Some of these projects were written as classroom labs but can be adapted to become science fair projects too. Just consider variables that you can change up, like materials or other parameters. That changes a classroom activity into a true scientific method experiment!

To make it easier to find the right high school science fair project idea for you, we’ve rated all the projects by difficulty and the materials needed:

Difficulty:

• Easy: Low or no-prep experiments you can do pretty much anytime
• Medium: These take a little more setup or a longer time to complete
• Advanced: Experiments like these take a fairly big commitment of time or effort
• Basic: Simple items you probably already have around the house
• Medium: Items that you might not already have but are easy to get your hands on
• Advanced: These require specialized or more expensive supplies to complete
• Biology and Life Sciences High School Science Fair Projects

Chemistry High School Science Fair Projects

Physics high school science fair projects, engineering high school stem fair projects, biology and life science high school science fair projects.

Explore the living world with these biology science project ideas, learning more about plants, animals, the environment, and much more.

Extract DNA from an onion

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

You don’t need a lot of supplies to perform this experiment, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Turn this into a science fair project by trying it with other fruits and vegetables too.

Re-create Mendel’s pea plant experiment

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium ADVERTISEMENT

Gregor Mendel’s pea plant experiments were some of the first to explore inherited traits and genetics. Try your own cross-pollination experiments with fast-growing plants like peas or beans.

Make plants move with light

By this age, kids know that many plants move toward sunlight, a process known as phototropism. So high school science fair projects on this topic need to introduce variables into the process, like covering seedling parts with different materials to see the effects.

Test the 5-second rule

We’d all like to know the answer to this one: Is it really safe to eat food you’ve dropped on the floor? Design and conduct an experiment to find out (although we think we might already know the answer).

Find out if color affects taste

Just how interlinked are all our senses? Does the sight of food affect how it tastes? Find out with a fun food science fair project like this one!

See the effects of antibiotics on bacteria

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Advanced

Bacteria can be divided into two groups: gram-positive and gram-negative. In this experiment, students first determine the two groups, then try the effects of various antibiotics on them. You can get a gram stain kit , bacillus cereus and rhodospirillum rubrum cultures, and antibiotic discs from Home Science Tools.

Learn more: Antibiotics Project at Home Science Tools

Witness the carbon cycle in action

Experiment with the effects of light on the carbon cycle. Make this science fair project even more interesting by adding some small aquatic animals like snails or fish into the mix.

Learn more: Carbon Cycle at Science Lessons That Rock

Look for cell mitosis in an onion

Cell mitosis (division) is actually easy to see in action when you look at onion root tips under a microscope. Students will be amazed to see science theory become science reality right before their eyes. Adapt this lab into a high school science fair project by applying the process to other organisms too.

Test the effects of disinfectants

Grow bacteria in a petri dish along with paper disks soaked in various antiseptics and disinfectants. You’ll be able to see which ones effectively inhibit bacteria growth.

Learn more: Effectiveness of Antiseptics and Disinfectants at Amy Brown Science

Pit hydroponics against soil

Growing vegetables without soil (hydroponics) is a popular trend, allowing people to garden just about anywhere.

More Life Sciences and Biology Science Fair Projects for High School

Use these questions and ideas to design your own experiment:

• Explore ways to prevent soil erosion.
• What are the most accurate methods of predicting various weather patterns?
• Try out various fertilization methods to find the best and safest way to increase crop yield.
• What’s the best way to prevent mold growth on food for long-term storage?
• Does exposure to smoke or other air pollutants affect plant growth?
• Compare the chemical and/or bacterial content of various water sources (bottled, tap, spring, well water, etc.).
• Explore ways to clean up after an oil spill on land or water.
• Conduct a wildlife field survey in a given area and compare it to results from previous surveys.
• Find a new use for plastic bottles or bags to keep them out of landfills.
• Devise a way to desalinate seawater and make it safe to drink.

Bunsen burners, beakers and test tubes, and the possibility of (controlled) explosions? No wonder chemistry is such a popular topic for high school science fair projects!

Break apart covalent bonds

Break the covalent bond of H 2 O into H and O with this simple experiment. You only need simple supplies for this one. Turn it into a science fair project by changing up the variables—does the temperature of the water matter? What happens if you try this with other liquids?

Learn more: Covalent Bonds at Teaching Without Chairs

Measure the calories in various foods

Are the calorie counts on your favorite snacks accurate? Build your own calorimeter and find out! This kit from Home Science Tools has all the supplies you’ll need.

Detect latent fingerprints

Forensic science is engrossing and can lead to important career opportunities too. Explore the chemistry needed to detect latent (invisible) fingerprints, just like they do for crime scenes!

Learn more: Fingerprints Project at Hub Pages

Use Alka-Seltzer to explore reaction rate

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Easy

Tweak this basic concept to create a variety of high school chemistry science fair projects. Change the temperature, surface area, pressure, and more to see how reaction rates change.

Determine whether sports drinks provide more electrolytes than OJ

Are those pricey sports drinks really worth it? Try this experiment to find out. You’ll need some special equipment for this one; buy a complete kit at Home Science Tools .

Turn flames into a rainbow

You’ll need to get your hands on a few different chemicals for this experiment, but the wow factor will make it worth the effort! Make it a science project by seeing if different materials, air temperature, or other factors change the results.

Discover the size of a mole

The mole is a key concept in chemistry, so it’s important to ensure students really understand it. This experiment uses simple materials like salt and chalk to make an abstract concept more concrete. Make it a project by applying the same procedure to a variety of substances, or determining whether outside variables have an effect on the results.

Learn more: How Big Is a Mole? at Amy Brown Science

Cook up candy to learn mole and molecule calculations

This edible experiment lets students make their own peppermint hard candy while they calculate mass, moles, molecules, and formula weights. Tweak the formulas to create different types of candy and make this into a sweet science fair project!

Learn more: Candy Chemistry at Dunigan Science on TpT

Make soap to understand saponification

Take a closer look at an everyday item: soap! Use oils and other ingredients to make your own soap, learning about esters and saponification. Tinker with the formula to find one that fits a particular set of parameters.

Learn more: Saponification at Chemistry Solutions on TpT

Uncover the secrets of evaporation

Explore the factors that affect evaporation, then come up with ways to slow them down or speed them up for a simple science fair project.

Learn more: Evaporation at Science Projects

More Chemistry Science Fair Projects for High School

These questions and ideas can spark ideas for a unique experiment:

• Compare the properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• Explore the impact of temperature, concentration, and seeding on crystal growth.
• Test various antacids on the market to find the most effective product.
• What is the optimum temperature for yeast production when baking bread from scratch?
• Compare the vitamin C content of various fruits and vegetables.
• How does temperature affect enzyme-catalyzed reactions?
• Investigate the effects of pH on an acid-base chemical reaction.
• Devise a new natural way to test pH levels (such as cabbage leaves).
• What’s the best way to slow down metal oxidation (the form of rust)?
• How do changes in ingredients and method affect the results of a baking recipe?

When you think of physics science projects for high school, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the classic build-a-bridge. But there are plenty of other ways for teens to get hands-on with physics concepts. Here are some to try.

Remove the air in a DIY vacuum chamber

You can use a vacuum chamber to do lots of cool high school science fair projects, but a ready-made one can be expensive. Try this project to make your own with basic supplies.

Learn more: Vacuum Chamber at Instructables

Put together a mini Tesla coil

Looking for a simple but showy high school science fair project? Build your own mini Tesla coil and wow the crowd!

Boil water in a paper cup

Logic tells us we shouldn’t set a paper cup over a heat source, right? Yet it’s actually possible to boil water in a paper cup without burning the cup up! Learn about heat transfer and thermal conductivity with this experiment. Go deeper by trying other liquids like honey to see what happens.

Build a better light bulb

Emulate Edison and build your own simple light bulb. You can turn this into a science fair project by experimenting with different types of materials for filaments.

Measure the speed of light—with your microwave

Grab an egg and head to your microwave for this surprisingly simple experiment. By measuring the distance between cooked portions of egg whites, you’ll be able to calculate the wavelength of the microwaves in your oven and, in turn, the speed of light.

Generate a Lichtenberg figure

See electricity in action when you generate and capture a Lichtenberg figure with polyethylene sheets, wood, or even acrylic and toner. Change the electrical intensity and materials to see what types of patterns you can create.

Learn more: Lichtenberg Figure at Science Notes

Explore the power of friction with sticky note pads

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Basic

Ever try to pull a piece of paper out of the middle of a big stack? It’s harder than you think it would be! That’s due to the power of friction. In this experiment, students interleave the sheets of two sticky note pads, then measure how much weight it takes to pull them apart. The results are astonishing!

Build a cloud chamber to prove background radiation

Ready to dip your toe into particle physics? Learn about background radiation and build a cloud chamber to prove the existence of muons.

Measure the effect of temperature on resistance

This is a popular and classic science fair experiment in physics. You’ll need a few specialized supplies, but they’re pretty easy to find.

Learn more: Temperature and Resistance at Science Project

Launch the best bottle rocket

A basic bottle rocket is pretty easy to build, but it opens the door to lots of different science fair projects. Design a powerful launcher, alter the rocket so it flies higher or farther, or use only recycled materials for your flyer.

More Physics Science Fair Projects for High School

Design your own experiment in response to these questions and prompts.

• Determine the most efficient solar panel design and placement.
• What’s the best way to eliminate friction between two objects?
• Explore the best methods of insulating an object against heat loss.
• What effect does temperature have on batteries when stored for long periods of time?
• Test the effects of magnets or electromagnetic fields on plants or other living organisms.
• Determine the best angle and speed of a bat swing in baseball.
• What’s the best way to soundproof an area or reduce noise produced by an item?
• Explore methods for reducing air resistance in automotive design.
• Use the concepts of torque and rotation to perfect a golf swing.
• Compare the strength and durability of various building materials.

Many schools are changing up their science fairs to STEM fairs, to encourage students with an interest in engineering to participate. Many great engineering science fair projects start with a STEM challenge, like those shown here. Use these ideas to spark a full-blown project to build something new and amazing!

Construct a model maglev train

Maglev trains may just be the future of mass transportation. Build a model at home, and explore ways to implement the technology on a wider basis.

Learn more: Maglev Model Train at Supermagnete

Design a more efficient wind turbine

Wind energy is renewable, making it a good solution for the fossil fuel problem. For a smart science fair project, experiment to find the most efficient wind turbine design for a given situation.

Re-create Da Vinci’s flying machine

Da Vinci sketched several models of “flying machines” and hoped to soar through the sky. Do some research into his models and try to reconstruct one of your own.

Learn more: Da Vinci Flying Machine at Student Savvy

Design a heart-rate monitor

Smartwatches are ubiquitous these days, so pretty much anyone can wear a heart-rate monitor on their wrist. But do they work any better than one you can build yourself? Get the specialized items you need like the Arduino LilyPad Board on Amazon.

Race 3D printed cars

3D printers are a marvel of the modern era, and budding engineers should definitely learn to use them. Use Tinkercad or a similar program to design and print race cars that can support a defined weight, then see which can roll the fastest! (No 3D printer in your STEM lab? Check the local library. Many of them have 3D printers available for patrons to use.)

Learn more: 3D Printed Cars at Instructables

Grow veggies in a hydroponic garden

Hydroponics is the gardening wave of the future, making it easy to grow plants anywhere with minimal soil required. For a science fair STEM engineering challenge, design and construct your own hydroponic garden capable of growing vegetables to feed a family. This model is just one possible option.

Learn more: Hydroponics at Instructables

Grab items with a mechanical claw

Delve into robotics with this engineering project. This kit includes all the materials you need, with complete video instructions. Once you’ve built the basic structure, tinker around with the design to improve its strength, accuracy, or other traits.

Learn more: Hydraulic Claw at KiwiCo

Construct a crystal radio

Return to the good old days and build a radio from scratch. This makes a cool science fair project if you experiment with different types of materials for the antenna. It takes some specialized equipment, but fortunately, Home Science Tools has an all-in-one kit for this project.

Learn more: Crystal Radio at Scitoys.com

Build a burglar alarm

The challenge? Set up a system to alert you when someone has broken into your house or classroom. This can take any form students can dream up, and you can customize this STEM high school science experiment for multiple skill levels. Keep it simple with an alarm that makes a sound that can be heard from a specified distance. Or kick it up a notch and require the alarm system to send a notification to a cell phone, like the project at the link.

Learn more: Intruder Alarm at Instructables

Walk across a plastic bottle bridge

Balsa wood bridges are OK, but this plastic bottle bridge is really impressive! In fact, students can build all sorts of structures using the concept detailed at the link. It’s the ultimate upcycled STEM challenge!

Learn more: TrussFab Structures at Instructables

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