Fire in the Kitchen!!!

But the good kind of kitchen fire. I have Saturday Science Academy tomorrow and I was just looking for cool experiments to do with the kids. I know that I probably should have had this figured out a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time ago but I just can't make up my mind. I want something that is truly cool and that the kids will love.

I've found a plethora of ideas on the Internet but just can't seem to find that right one to fit my needs. It needs to be something that I can do with a group of kids in 15 minutes from beginning to end. It needs to be safe enough to not only do at school but for the kids to do on their own if they decide to ignore the adult supervision needed part. I also want it to be cool. Really, really cool.

There are lots of little experiments that are neat but not nearly cool enough. I have narrowed it down to two possible ideas. The first has to do with grapes and a microwave and the second with Diet soda and Mentos.

I tried the grape experiment here in my kitchen and it was totally AWESOME!!! You take a grape and slice it down the middle. Make sure that the two halves of the grade are still connected with a little bit of the grape skin. Place the skin on a microwave safe dish and place in your microwave. Set microwave for 10 seconds and stand back and watch the show.

Within the first five seconds you will notice explosions happening in your kitchen. It was so cool that I actually stopped the whole thing with time on the clock. I didn't want to actually start something on fire. Also Mr. Husband was not happy that I was playing with "his microwave" in "his kitchen." Just because he cooks and cleans about 13 times more often than I does not mean that they are his kitchen but I can say that I do not clean the inside of the microwave because I'm too short. (It's over the stove.)

The other thing that I'm considering is Diet Coke and Mentos. If you place a packet of Mentos into a 2 liter of Diet Coke you will get a very quick and very large reaction. There is a reaction between the surface of the candy and the ingredients of the soda. The surface area of the candy and the chemical reaction with the sweetener in the soda produce lots of bubbles. I mean a whole lot O'bubbles. The soda will actually fly out of the bottle.


This picture is not me or anyone that I know. It was taken from the web but it shows what will happen.

I'm really thinking that I will go with the Mentos because the the explosion is much larger, I understand the reasons behind it much better and it does not involve things starting on fire, no matter how cool that is. The Mentos are something that the kids could actually go home and show their parents or friends without calling the fire department.

I am thinking that I will take some grapes in to scare my teaching partner and Assistant Principal. I'm just evil in that way.