Five Science Experiments for Teenagers to Do at Home

Materials:

• Gummy bears
• A glass of water
• A glass of vinegar
• A glass of water with two tablespoons of salt
• A glass of water with a tablespoon of baking soda
• A set of weighing scales
• A ruler

Instructions:

First we measure and weigh each gummy bear. Next, place one gummy bear in each glass, leave overnight in a dry and warm place. After 24 hours, carefully remove each gummy bear from its glass. You can put them on absorbent paper to dry them. Observe how each one has changed. To make it more interesting, you can weigh and measure each bear again after being in the liquid.

What We Learn About:

Gummy bears change through osmosis, which is the mixture of two liquids (or gases) through a semipermeable membrane. You should know that there are hypotonic, hypertonic, and isotonic liquids, which cause the effects on our gummy bears.

Materials:

• Empty plastic CD cases
• Seeds (we recommend bean seeds)
• Water
• Plastic marker
• Wet earth

Instructions:

The first step is to open the CD case so that the hinges are at the top. We then have to put a little soil in the case and place the seed in the middle, a few millimeters below the surface. After this, you must close the bottom. Water it with a dropper once a day, and within a week, your plant will have grown. Use the marker to mark the date, and you can also record the height the plant is growing each day.

What We Learn About:

Here we can explain the life cycle of plants and their structures and see how the organism grows. The combination of soil and water makes the nutrients that are in the soil available to the plant, allowing it to grow. Because of the shape of the CD box and the fact that it is see-through, you will be able to see the birth of the plant from when the seed germinates.

Materials:

• Two cardboard recycling tubes (one slightly larger in diameter than the other)
• Scissors
• A small concave lens
• A large convex lens
• Felt strips
• Glue
• Rule
• Cutter

Instructions:

This is one of the most interesting science experiments for teenagers interested in the sky and astronomy. Before assembling the telescope, you have to know what the diameter and focal length of your lenses are (concave and convex); if you do not know what they are, you can look for information and videos that are very easy to understand. Later you have to glue each lens to the end of one of the tubes; if it is too large, stick it with the glue; if it is small, you can fill the gap with the felt strips. Now we have to join the two tubes by putting one on inside the other and filling the space between the two tubes with strips of felt; you have to make sure that the tubes can slide (to focus).

What We Learn About:

The combination of convex and concave lenses causes a magnification effect, and focal length affects this. You can experiment with different lengths and diameters of lenses and tubes and see the stars whenever you can.

Materials:

• A subwoofer
• A few tablespoons of cornstarch
• Dyes of various colors
• A tray to place the mixture on
• A glass of water
• MP3 or similar to connect to the subwoofer

Instructions:

In a bowl, add a few tablespoons of cornstarch, then pour enough water to make a mixture with a texture similar to porridge (at the beginning, it will look very liquid); as time passes, you will notice that the mixture becomes more solid. Now continue by connecting the music device to the subwoofer. Put the mixture on the tray and set it on the subwoofer. Finally, put a few drops of food coloring in the cornstarch mixture, turn on the subwoofer and test it at different Hz. This is another of the best science experiments for teenagers.

What We Learn About:

The mixture of cornstarch with water results in a very surprising liquid; it is part of non-Newtonian fluids. The characteristic is that the viscosity of this substance decreases with increasing agitation. You can also learn about and see the famous Faraday waves on this mix.