Scientist Rick Crosslin shares fun Halloween science projects
Rick Crosslin, District Scientist in Residence for MSD Wayne Township, joined us today to share more amazing science demonstrations. Today he showed us how to make homemade slime, an exploding pumpkin and more.
Homemade Slime:
- Pour 1/2 cup of glue into the mixing bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well to combine.
- Add food coloring and glitter as desired!
- Mix in 1/2 cup of liquid starch.
- Stir until slime forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove slime and stretch and knead until perfect!
Homemade Oobleck:
- Step One Pour 2 cups cornstarch into a bowl.
- Step Two Add 1 cup of water and stir to combine.
- Step Three If adding food coloring to your oobleck do it at the mixing stage.
Pumpkin Explosion:
Pumpkin, Calcium Carbide and H2O = Actelyn gas, exothermic decomposition
Production of acetylene
The reaction of calcium carbide with water, producing acetylene and calcium hydroxide, was discovered by Friedrich Wöhler in 1862. This reaction was the basis of the industrial manufacture of acetylene, and is the major industrial use of calcium carbide. Used for miners lamps.
More projects:
You can find more of Rick’s science experiments on Youtube.
More about Crosslin: He has received numerous awards recognizing him as a classroom teacher. He was the host and executive director of the Emmy award winning show, Indiana Expeditions, a WFYI PBS science television program where he shares his expertise and motto: Science is for Everyone! He was also host and executive producer of The Great American Total Solar Eclipse 2017.