Science Camp

This week we went to a Science Camp at Imperial College London, EVERY day from 9am-3.30.  We got to explore biology, anatomy, chemistry, physics and engineering & design.


We don't have lots of photos but below is a summary of some of the things we did each day.

Monday (Ecology)

• We dissected a fish and learnt about the swim bladder and gills and removed the heart, eyes, and intestines.

• We made our own Natron salt from baking soda and salt (sodium chloride) and mummified an apple.

• We learnt about neutral and acidic pH levels and put a flower in water and vinegar (a weak acid) to see how they affected it.  Then we learnt about acid rain and how it damages the different parts of the ecosystem.

• We made a clay island and tested the effects of an oil spill.  We learnt lots about how oil spills affect the environment and animals in real life.

• We filtered dirty water using different things such as coffee filter paper, tights, newspaper, a funnel, and cotton buds.  We learnt about the process of filtration.

• We made trees out of sponges, pipe cleaners and kebab stick and tested them against a blow-dryer to mimic the wind.  We learnt about buttress roots and how they keep the trees stable.

Tuesday (Biology)

 

• We looked at an ox's heart and dissected a lamb's heart and learnt about all the chambers.

• We made stethoscopes with balloons, paper cups and strings.  We learned that the covering on the stethoscope works the same way as the skin on a drum.

• We dissected a lamb's kidney and learnt how they work.

• We used candy to make a neuron and learnt how neurons work in our brain to send signals.

• We learnt all about the human digestive system and how it works. 

• We made fake poo from coffee, chocolate, bread, oats, dishwashing liquid and water.

Wednesday (Chemistry)

• We learnt about endothermic and exothermic reactions.  Then we made a hand-warmer with iron filings, silicon beads and vinegar.  

• We went outside to see a demonstration of putting a mentos lolly in a bottle of soda.  We learnt that the carbon dioxide built  up on the surface of the mentos because it was bumpy. We had been learning about solids, liquids and gases at home, so Isaac explained that Carbon dioxide is a gas so it would fill up all the space it could.  Then we made our own mini version in a cup but it didn't explode.   This is because there was a wider space for the gas to escape.

• We learnt about pH levels.

• We used vinegar, food colouring and oil to create a lava lamp.  We learnt that oil and water separate because they are different densities.

Thursday (Physics)

• We learned that you can't make or destroy energy you can only transfer it.  First we made Ping Pong Ball Shooters.  When you pull the balloon back the electrical energy in your arm transfers into elastic potential energy in the balloon.  Then when the balloon hits the ping pong ball, the energy is transferred into the ball and it fires forward.   Then when the ball hits another surface (a face, or the floor for example) the energy goes into that surface.

• Then we made marshmallow blow-pipes.  They didn't work because they were too long and so we couldn't blow it out.  Then when we made them too short they just fell out.  The hole had to be just bigger than the marshmallow so the air couldn't escape out the side, but instead the energy from your breath was supposed to transfer into the marshmallow and blow it out.  Sometimes experiments don't work the way they're supposed to! 

• Next we put raisins in two cups - one with lemonade and one with water.  In the water there is a little bit of carbon dioxide which got attracted to the raisins because of their bumpy surace and When we put them in the lemonade so many carbon dioxide bubbles attached to their bumpy surface that they move to the top of the liquid.

• We learned about friction.  We had a race with jelly and you had to use two chopsticks to get the jelly cubes from one plate to the next.  Then we had a harder race when the teachers had poured oil on the jelly.  It was harder because the oil meant the jelly cubes were more slippery so there was less friction to help us hold on.

• We tied string around a spoon and put the ends of the string in our ears.   We hit the spoon which sounded really loud.  We learned sound travels best through solids.

Friday (Design and Engineering)

• We were challenged to make weatherproof houses out of a cardboard box, sugar cubes, clay, lego and tape.  Then the teacher sprayed them with water, sprinkled flour for snow and used a blow dryer for wind to see how strong our houses were.  Our team were winners!  Yay!

• We discussed how the tunnels were made for trains through mountains and then we made our own tunnels for pedestrians and cars with clay and toothpicks.  

• We made a model airport considering where to put the runway, control tower and carpark.