Saturday, October 14, 2023
Did you know that one of the most useful pieces of equipment in science labs is a centrifuge, a machine that spins up to 50,000 times faster than a Merry-Go-Round? In this session, we will make a centrifuge of our own! Discover how the power of spinning forces can be used to separate mixtures and explore tiny particles.
Materials and Preparation: See below.
Expert: Dr. Hongwei Li is a chemist who specializes in natural resource utilization. She frequently uses separation techniques in the laboratory, where she extracts chemicals from agricultural and forestry residues to create other materials.
“SPIN SCIENCE” MATERIALS & PREPARATION
PREPARATION
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Please cut out your circle (see materials list) before the session (or use a CD).
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If you are using a see-through pen as your small, transparent tube (see materials list for details), please cut the pen in half before the session.
MATERIALS
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A circle (about 15 cm big) cut from a piece of cardboard, cardstock, heavy construction paper, a cereal box, or something similar. An old CD works too!
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Hot glue gun and glue sticks
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String (e.g., kite string, cotton string, embroidery floss, etc)
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A large, 4-hole button (button holes must be large enough to weave the string through)
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Dirt or soil, water, a spoon, and a cup/bowl for mixing them together
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A small, transparent tube, such as a COVID-19 rapid test tube, clear plastic straw, empty sample-size perfume bottle, etc.
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Alternatively, you can use a see-through pen tube that can be cut in half, such as this common BiC pen.
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Scissors
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Pencil or pen
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Ruler or measuring tape
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Roll of tape
- Eye protection (e.g., glasses or goggles) is recommended
This programming was developed by Natalia Mangos and Hongwei Li.
