Science and Education

• make a soda bottle boat
  4 or 5 generous spoonfuls baking soda
  4 or 5 squares toilet paper
  1 20-ounce (591ml) plastic bottle (empty)
  1/4 cup (60ml) vinegar
  
  Here's a fun activity to make a kiddie pool seem even more exciting: Lay 4 or 5 squares of toilet paper on a table and put a generous spoonful of baking soda in the middle of each. Working one sheet at time, gather the four corners together, twist loosely to secure the contents, and gently push the bundle through the mouth of an empty 20-ounce (591ml) plastic bottle. When all of the bundles are in the bottle, top it off with 1/4 (60ml) vinegar and give the bottle cap one simple twist so that it is not tightly secured. Lay the bottle on its side in the pool or bathtub, then watch it skim along the surface as the chemical reaction inside sends millions of bubbles shooting out the back (the loosely capped end). Tip: Add marbles to weigh down the bottle opening so that the back end is in the water.

• turn a chicken bone into rubber
  1 cup (250ml) vinegar
  
  The next time you roast a chicken, set aside a thigh bone. Let the kids soak it in 1 cup (250ml) vinegar for 3 or 4 days. When they take the bone out, they'll be amazed to see how easily it can be bent-the vinegar leaches some of the calcium, leaving the bone noticeably softer and more pliable. 

• make a see-through egg
  1 egg
  1 small plastic bowl
  vinegar
  
  Place an egg in a small plastic bowl and cover completely with vinegar. Refrigerate for 24 hours and then use a slotted spoon to lift the egg gently from its vinegar bath. Carefully rinse with water and repeat the process if the shell still remains. Cover with a fresh batch of vinegar and refrigerate for another 24 hours. Soon enough, you should be able to see the inside of the egg through its translucent and flexible membrane. 

• Make objects swim
  2 teaspoons (9g) baking soda
  Tall clear plastic or glass container
  Water
  Vinegar
  Food coloring
  Various small objects (rice, raisins, small pieces of dried pasta, pieces of fruit)
  
  This fun science experiment shows how carbon dioxide helps objects swim. When baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) are combined, a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide. To start, almost fill the container with three parts water and one part vinegar. Slowly and carefully add 1 teaspoon baking soda. This is going to react with the vinegar so be ready for some fizzing and a possible overflow. Once the fizzing dies down, slowly and carefully add the second teaspoon of baking soda, and follow up with the food coloring once the bubbles settle. With the added food coloring, you will see the liquid moving. Drop in an object. It will most likely sink, but once enough bubbles attach to it (thanks to the carbon dioxide!), it will swim. Keep experimenting with different items to watch how they move. TIP: If the movement appears to be slowing down, slowly add carefully add another teaspoon of baking soda.