Silly Putty Lab (Chemistry)
| During our fall chemistry unit students are introduced to four types of chemical reactions. Elmer's white school glue is a polymer with long chains of atoms bonded together. When Borax is added to elmer's glue, 'cross links' begin to form between these chains. The more borax that is added, the more cross-links are formed and the 'stiffer' the silly putty becomes. Adding just a little borax produces what might be called 'slime.' Adding more borax (1 tablespoon added to each 500 ml of water) produces the 'silly putty' you will see in the photo gallery below. Once students created their own supply of 'silly putty,' it was time to begin running tests to determine the characteristics of their new substance. Students were familiar with the properties of Elmer's glue, but what about this new material? Had they created a solid or a liquid? Could it bounce? Could it be poured? Did it feel hot (exothermic) or cold (endothermic) in their hands? What would happen if they left it on the table for 3 minutes? Could it be stretched? Would it 'break?' Could it be used to 'lift' a pencil diagram off notebook paper? |
Photos by Mr. Clauset. 1 - 63 of 63 Total. 247 Visits. |
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