Sticky Yet Slippery Styrofoam

You know packaging peanuts? You know how annoying they are to get off once they stick to you? Okay, so maybe smaller pieces of the stuff stick to you better, but the point is they are made of styrofoam. First off, this stuff is super annoying. Literally, it takes me five minutes to get a tiny piece of it off of my clothes. Despite it’s VAP (very annoying parts), styrofoam has its uses. Styrofoam cups, plates, packaging, etc. You’ve all seen it at least once in your life. Anyway, I figured I’d better enlighten you all on the properties, and other facts, of styrofoam.

First off,  styrofoam is made up of a long chain of hydrocarbons with a phenol group attached to every other carbon group. Phenol is also called a carbolic acid, and is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula C6H5OH. An aromatic organic compound is a hydrocarbon containing one or more benzene rings that are characteristic of the benzene series of compounds. Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. Its molecule is composed of 6 carbon atoms joined in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom. (Special shoutout to various dictionaries (both in book and website form) for helping me with that!) Chemically, it looks like this:  [CH2-CH(Ph)] n where Ph is a phenol and a C6H5 ring. It is a polymer, or a long chain with repeating atoms (called monomers) from petroleum. Styrofoam, as one source states, “…can also be called vinlybenzene, ethenyl benzene, cinnamene, phenylethylene” and “…is considered a thermoplastic, meaning that it softens with heat and hardens as it cools.” Styrofoam, due to the hydrocarbon known as Polystyrene, is flammable and has an orange flame that produces soot. Because of this Polystyrene, styrofoam contains something called CFC, which is known, at least according to this website, to “drastically deplete the ozone.” Styrofoam has a density of 1050kg/m3, and floats in the water. *Side note: it is slightly denser than water, but not dense enough to sink. For our purposes, it floats, although not completely. Kind of confusing, huh?* Moving on, most “…polystyrene is now manufactured with HCFC-22, which is why some manufactures will claim its “ozone friendly”. While it is less destructive than its chemical cousins CFC-11 and CFC-12, it still is considered a green house gas and harmful to the environment.”

Now that you’ve chewed through that. Two more important facts about polystyrene:

• In 1986 out of a list of 20 chemicals whose production generated the most hazardous waste, polystyrene was #5. This is under the Right to Know act of 1986.

•  Polystyrene recycling programs are heavily subsidized by polystyrene manufactures to improve the environmental image of their products.

Link:

http://nofoamchicago.org/ChemistryofStyrofoam.pdf

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Loving the Lava Lamps!

I don’t know about you, but I have always loved lava lamps. Just the fact that giant blobs of some shade of hot pink or cool blue floating in a psychedelic way makes it cool. My English teacher has an orange one, and, when it’s warming up sometimes, it looks like a brain! Anyway, I’ve missed class today, and his lava lamp hasn’t been on in forever (I have him first period). I do enjoy the lava lamp, even if I don’t enjoy that class (he kind of ruins it for me). I figured,you, like me, would want to know the chemistry behind lava lamps. (And if you don’t, go read something else!)

Lava lamps contain  two liquids that are insoluble to each other, but they still have similar densities, also called immiscible compounds. Despite their similarities, one is still denser than the other, pushing the lighter of the two densities upwards. That’s pretty much all there is to it. However, they aren’t just for fun. Lava lamps can serve for heat, as the light bulb within provides heat, as any energy does, which gets absorbed by the denser solutions. This makes it expand and rise, which brings it to the top, where it cools and sinks. This repeats until the lamp is turned of. That’s why, when you first turn it on, it takes a while to move, as the heat source has disappeared. this is also the reason why the substance is at the bottom. One website states, “This entire reaction is very slow because the change in density of the solution is very fractional and as such both liquids have very similar densities.”

This is important as light can be absorbed by certain solutions, which can cause a chemical reaction. In this case, it causes blobs to rise up and down for entertainment during English class.

(BTW, I don’t hate English. In fact, I usually love English. This particular teacher is not very good, at least in my opinion, and I therefore do not enjoy his class very much. The books we read are good, though! Reading the Scarlet Letter right now!)

Links:

http://www.humantouchofchemistry.com/lava-lamp.htm .

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Salty Stuff: How Salt Melts Ice (Even when it is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, cold outside)

I don’t know about you guys, but it is c-c-c-cold up here in New Jersey! We just had some snow these past couple of days, and, although it looks pretty, it is cold and icy! Everything freezes overnight, so we use a lot of ice to try and keep our ramp from being slippery (ramp to the front of our house- not a skateboard ramp 🙂 ). Since my mom has trouble walking, it is even more important for my family to make sure there isn’t a chance to slip. But, with all this snow, I couldn’t help but wonder: why does salt melt ice, even when it is still freezing outside?

Salt lowers the freezing or melting point of water, so, either way, salt creates a lower melting point! This is common knowledge, but this article restated it so clearly, “Ice forms when the­ temperature of water reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). When you add salt, that temperature drops: A 10-percent salt solution freezes at 20 F (-6 C), and a 20-percent solution freezes at 2 F (-16 C).”  This means the salt has to dissolve into the water before it can melt it.

This is so fascinating to you guys, that I just know you’ve tried to watch this happen! If you have actually tried to watch ice melting via salt, the first part that dissolves is the area immediately around the grain of salt. The melting part then spreads, and it is a chain reaction until it is all melted. However, if the temperature is already below 15 degrees F, then the salt won’t do anything, as it can’t melt the ice if there isn’t any water. After all, the solid salt can’t go into the solid ice, right?

Because I know just how hot it is out, you’ll want to understand how to make ice cream! If you want the mixture to freeze, it has to be lower than 32 degrees F. That’s because there is often salt in these mixtures. The salt mixed with ice creates a brine which is lower than 32 degrees F. When the melting point is lowered, the brine is so cold that it freezes the ice cream! So, instead of running over to Dunkin’ Donuts to get that piping hot Iced Hot Chocolate, curl up with a bowl of your favorite, warming ice cream! Enjoy!

Link:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/road-salt.htm

(BTW, my mom is fine, but she had her ankles reconstructed a long time ago. One ankle worked, the other didn’t. So now, it hurts to walk because of that one ankle.)

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Spritzing Seltzer

 (Picture from the sweet-always thinking about chemistry, even when I’m having fun! 🙂 )

I went to a sweet over the weekend and they had sparkling cider, spite, and coke among other drinks. These three all have bubbles! As I have previously done a blog post about bubbles (see post here: https://tflstar89.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/bubble-licious/ ) I figured I’d do a different one! So here we go!

In regard to soda, it’s usually made of carbonated water and, the best thing in the world for you, high-fructose corn syrup! Carbonated water has carbon gas in it. This causes bubbles in the water. Its chemical composition is H2CO3, which shows that both water and carbon dioxide are present.  Together, it creates carbonic acid, an ingredient in soda that makes it bubbly. High fructose corn syrup is made of, you guessed it,  sugar! Fructose is just sugar from fruit, and the corn syrup part is, wow, made of corn! The only reason it’s in syrup form is because it’s easier to put into the soda. High fructose corn syrup usually gets the sugar from beets, and are crushed into liquid form. Natural enzymes are added, and produces a paste-like substance. This reaction produces fructose, or C6H12O6.  The rest of the procedure is best summed up from the following excerpt, ” The now broken down liquid is passed through activated (reacting) carbon and is filtered. What results is an isotope of HFCS(High Fructose Corn Syrup). However, in order to be used as a sweetener for soda pop, the isotope must be combined with another isotope of HFCS. After then, the process is complete and it can be used for soda pop.” There are other things put in by companies, too, like:

• Phosphoric Acid:

  H3PO4, Phosphoric acid makes that sensation that makes it hard to chug soda, you know, the burning fizziness. (And that is why I don’t like to drink soda! Thanks a lot,  phosphoric acid!) Most of the acidity in soda is from phosphoric acid, not from carbonation. It also slows bacteria growth,  which are lively in sugary solutions.

• Caffeine:

  A  stimulant drug in the human body, acting upon the central nervous system, people often use soda to keep themselves awake. This caffeine is also used to get people addicted to soda, so they buy more. Soda can be used to solve headaches, but, more often than not, more than a few sips will do the opposite. However, it doesn’t affect the taste!

Co2 is that fizziness when you open a soda can. Carbon dioxide is often forced into these tiny cans at high pressure, about 1,200 pounds per square inch!The best way to explain it, “The “fssst” you hear is millions of carbon dioxide molecules bursting out of their sweet, watery prisons, where they have been held against their will.” Something interesting I learned was that an unopened can can technically be bubble-free, as the CO2 is still dissolved in the soda!  Once the can is opened, pressure is released and the bubbles try to get out of the liquid. This uses energy, as it has to “… overcome the force holding the liquid together.” While I don’t drink soda much, this was interesting because it is usually the main drink at parties! So next time you pick up a can of soda, just think, do I really need that extra dose of sugar and caffeine?

Link:

http://www.livescience.com/32492-why-does-soda-fizz.html

http://www.chemistryislife.com/the-chemistry-of-soda-pop

P.S. Please vote for my friend Sarah! She writes a blog 10 times better than mine, called Avogadro Salad, and is up for an edublog award! Please support her by taking a minute to vote for her! She is currently at number 2! Please help her get to number one! Thanks! Link: http://avogadrosalad.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/vote-for-avogadro-salad/ )

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Hot and Cold

With the frigid weather that comes with the holidays, I decided to pick a, well, warmer topic. And what is a better topic than what I use, or something similar anyway, for marching band! Which, just for the record, is every bit as fun as it is cold! But these hot pack things, as I call them, are really wonderful. Some heat packs are single use, but the ones in the following article are multi-use.

Before you open a package, you need to know what’s in them. They are what’s considered a closed system. That means that everything needed for the reaction to occur and reset itself is inside the pack. In these reusable packs, there is a metal disk and gel. the gel is usually sodium acetate in water or another different supersaturated solution. One article states, “The salt – sodium acetate in this case – can be forced to dissolve even after saturation occurs by heating the solution. When brought back to room temperature, the sodium acetate does not return to its solid state, but creates a clear gel. Since the water is now holding a greater load of salt than it would otherwise accept, the resulting solution is very unstable. This is known as supersaturation.” As my chemistry class is currently learning about electrons and configuration, I thought this tidbit about being unstable was relevant. The metal disk breaks the unstable solution apart. The disk itself is concave, and snaps back and forth when pressure is applied. This snapping starts a reaction throughout the entire solution, which causes the salt to crystalize. One site states it best: the salt creates “…a lattice of solid sodium acetate that turns the gel inside the pack opaque. Heat is the byproduct of this reaction…When sodium acetate dissolves in water it dissociates, meaning the sodium ion separates from the rest of the molecule. The salt is willing to dissociate up until the solution is saturated, at which point extra energy in the form of heat has to be added to force the sodium ion away.” The higher the temperature of the solution becomes, the more slat that is dissolved, which, at the same time, can absorb more heat energy. Once the sodium acetate form crystals, more heat energy is released, enough to dissolve the solid. The heat pack can then be boiled in water again until clear gel appears. This means it is supersaturated again, and is ready for use.

I play a lot of sports in addition to marching band, and using it on muscles, or to warm up, makes this a great item. Even if it wears out over time, this product is still worth the price, as it can only help you in the long term.

Link:

http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/the-chemistry-of-reusable-heat-packs-16678/

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reactions soon!

Burning Bright on the Last Night

As tonight is sadly the last night of Hanukkah, I figured I should write an Ode to Hanukkah, but I ran out of time. Instead, I sit here writing this blog post all about candles!

In honor of Hanukkah, here are eight fun facts about candles!
1. Wax is actual any term that has a waxy texture, like beeswax from honeycomb or candles! One article writes, “Without referring to any specific class of compounds, we ascribe several properties to waxes: they repel water, they are usually less dense than water, they burn, and they may be used as fuel. Wax can be of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin.” Paraffin wax is the most common term used for solid hydrocarbon in candles.
2. The wick of a candle is usually made up of cotton or nylon fibers that are tightly wound up. This makes up a type of twine that is very sturdy. There is a certain solution that all candles are treated with in a process called mordanting. This makes it flame retardant and, without it the wick would be destroyed.
3. Candles have been made from many different materials over the past five thousand years. One website states, “Through the ages, candles have been constructed from a variety of mate- rials—beeswax, yak butter, dried fish, and many others. High-quality candles in the 18th and 19th centuries were made from sperma- ceti, an oil extracted from giant cavities in the heads of sperm whales, with yields of up to three tons of fuel from a single 15-meter-long individual!” Many were made from fat, which created a nasty smell. Most candles today are made of paraffin.
4. Paraffin, as said above, is the name of the type of wax used in candles. It’s also a byproduct of crude oil. Paraffin, as stated best from an online source, “…refers to a class of hydrocarbons known as alkanes, compounds with only carbon–carbon and car- bon–hydrogen single bonds. Methane (CH4), propane (C3H8), and octane (C8H18) are other examples of alkanes.These straight-chain alkanes, like all alkanes, have the general formula CnH2n+2, since they consist of a chain of CH2 groups bonded to each other, and “capped” at each end by a hydrogen atom.” 20 carbon atoms per molecule are found in paraffin compounds.
5. When candles are lit, the wick conducts heat to the wax, which is when the melting starts. The wax has to be in liquid state, as it must travel up the wick for combustion. It travels by capillary action, which according to an article, “…refers to the ability of a liquid to travel upward through a small tube. This occurs due to the cohesion of the liquid paraffin molecules to
candle wicks serve as the fuel delivery system for candles.”
6. There are different parts to each candle. The blue toward the very center of the flame is the hottest, but the top of the flame gives off the most heat. The yellow in the center is the brightest!
7. The wick of a candle used to contain a lead core to keep them upright to help support the flame. Obviously, this led to some, um, deadly concerns. These wicks were soon removed after the health hazards became apparent, and most candles do not have that sturdy of a wick today. If one is needed, zinc is used instead.
8. The miracle of Hanukkah: after the Greeks destroyed our temples, (I skipped ahead to the end of the story) we Jews had to clean it up. However, you can only use oil that had been blessed by a rabbi at that time. There was only one jar of oil that they could use to light the eternal flame, which represented how God was always there. Anyway, it took eight days to get new oil, and the miracle is that the oil that was supposed to only last one day lasted eight, enough to get new oil!

Hanukkah, which coincided with Thanksgiving for the first time in forever, and won’t occur again for 70,000 some odd years, was a truly special occasion! It is fascinating to know so much about something I celebrate every year. Happy Holidays!

Link:
(it’s a PDF)

Click to access chemmatters-december-2007.pdf

My Hanukkiah all lit up on the last night:

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Being Brainy about Beauty

While I don’t really wear makeup, just some lip gloss and the occasional blush, I know many girls at my school who wear makeup (and sometimes too much!). Makeup is a huge industry, and  in the cosmetic field, the use of chemical resources is prominent in beauty products such as shampoos, eye shadows, and moisturizers.

In shampoos,  Glycol stearate is a thickener added to products like shampoos to give them a pearly appearance. Its sole purpose is to create a pleasant look.  Sodium lauryl sulfate is a surface-active substance which is also in shampoo, but it is also used in skin cleansers. It loosens dirt and oils, making it easier to wash them away. In mascaras, Lecithin, a lipid found naturally in plant and animal cells, is used as an emollient and moisturizing agent. It helps protect the outer layers of the epidermis against dryness and irritation. Titanium dioxide is used to lighten cosmetics such as eye shadow and foundation. Talc is also used in eye shadow and other powdery products for it is an absorbent natural compound.

Other substances added are:

• agar: similar to algae; used in moisturizers.
• alcohol SD-40: according to one website: “…a high-grade cosmetic alcohol that acts as an emollient and a vehicle for the other ingredients.”
• cellulose: used as a thickener for creams and skin lotions
• mica: a mineral found in toothpaste and other make-up products; creates a shiny, pearly look
• parabens: used as a preservative in makeup and lotions
• xanthan: a thickening agent used for texture

With so many different products these days, it’s hard to really know what’s in your products.  I found this very interesting because I did not know that many of the products that I use in my daily routine are based on chemistry. Without these substances the field of cosmetics would not be as advanced as it is today.  While most things in products are designed to help you, always be on the lookout for something trying to con you! For more information, and a longer list of chemicals and other substances in makeup, click the link below!

Link:

http://www.divinecaroline.com/beauty/makeup/cosmetics-chemistry-beauty-ingredients-and-their-purposes

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Move Over Monstrous Milk!

I have always hated milk. There’s no way around it. You had to drink it. And I couldn’t. Yes, I was lactose intolerant. I still hate milk, and I most likely always will. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have milk at all, as I could take lactaid, I just prefer not to. Anyway, I was eating something really, really spicy the other day, and I remembered my earlier post, where milk  quells the fire. Click here to read it: https://tflstar89.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/not-nice-spice-vs-timely-tranquilizer/ So, I ran to the fridge, where I found some milk. But it wasn’t any milk: it was almond milk! I drank it, and it, well, didn’t taste that bad. So I had some more. And some more. Why not take my newfould liking for almond milk and find out more? And that’s exactly what I’ve done:

Breaking down the Food Label:

Calcium : When you think of milk, you think of calcium.  Well, calcium makes up majority of almond milk, too. You can get about 200mg of calcium from drinking just a cup of almond milk! Calcium is important for mineralization and strengthening of our bones, as well as other cellular functions.

Potassium and Sodium:  In almond milk, there are about 180mg of potassium and 150mg of sodium. One article stated, “They have similar chemical structures and perform many special functions in the body. Potassium is necessary for nerve transmission and having insufficient levels of this chemical element leads to different cardiac dysfunctions. Sodium, on the other hand, works against potassium to produce cell membrane charges, which are needed for the transmission of nerve impulses.”

Protein: There is only about one gram of protein in a cup of almond milk, but some protein is better than none! However, regular milk usually contains more protein.

Fat: There is less fat in almond milk than in most other kinds of milk, as there are only unsaturated fats. “The fat content in almond milk ranges from 2.5 to 3.5, which includes Omega 3 fatty acids that can treat arthritis, lower bad cholesterol levels, make people’s moods better, and improve memory.”

Carbohydrates: A website wrote, “You don’t have to worry about consuming too many carbs when drinking a cup of almond milk because it only has around 8g: 1g of fibre plus 7g of sugars.”

Other Minerals and Vitamins: Minerals like selenium, magnesium, and manganese are found in almond milk, as well as vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin E, and iron.

While the majority of people encourage almond milk, one website shows another, darker side to the sweet almond milk we know. First, almond milk should not be used instead of regular milk for a baby, as they need the creaminess and the protein. In addition, there is more sugar in it. Those with low thyroid functions should not intake a lot of almond milk, as it contains “goitrogenic foods that include broccoli, flax, cabbage, kale, soy and of course almond makes the thyroid to expand while a large consumption of these foods are known to cause goiters specifically when a chemical component contained in the goitrogenic foods creates a barrier to the sufficient intake of iodine by the body.” The only other threat, would should be a little more obvious than the others, is that it contains tree nuts. However, other than these threats, almond milk is a better solution to regular milk, as long as you also eat a balanced diet!

I know I will definitely drink more almond milk, as opposed to not drinking any milk at all!

Links:

http://www.almondmilkhq.com/almond-milk-dangers/

http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/02/16/too-good-to-be-food-blue-diamond-almond-milk/

http://almondmilk.net/almond-milk-nutrition/

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Popcorn Galore!

I love popcorn! I remember doing a project on popcorn in sixth grade, where I brought in giant bags if popcorn I had made that morning (it was a second period class) so everyone could taste the difference between Jiffy Pop and microwave popcorn. I only got an A- because I didn’t have enough scientific data, but everyone in my class liked it! So, all’s well that ends well!

Anyway, popcorn kernels contain oil and water with starch, surrounded by a hard and strong outer coating. When this is heated, any water tries to escape via steam but cannot, therefore it stays trapped until the got oil and steam make the starch inside the kernel softer.
One article states, “When the popcorn reaches a temperature of 180 °C (356 °F) the pressure inside the kernel is around 135 psi (930 kPa), which is sufficient pressure to rupture the popcorn hull, essentially turning the kernel inside-out.” This pressure is quickly released, making the proteins and starch turn into a foam that cools into the popcorn part that we eat!

I have always hated when a kernel doesn’t pop. The reason? According to one site, ” If the hull has a small crack or otherwise compromised area, pressure will not build within the kernel. As the moisture in the kernel heats and turns to steam, it slowly leaks out of the kernel. These kernels may stay completely intact or will split open before the starch gelatinizes, causing an open but compact kernel.” It can also be due to faulty, uneven heating or low moisture content.

I have always loved eating popcorn, but, when I did my experiment in sixth grade. I didn’t really focus on the chemical properties, or even how popcorn is made! It is just so amazing how we never take it account how something many Americans eat in the movies, at parties, or even as a quick snack! So sit back, relax, and go eat popcorn!

Links:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/f/how-popcorn-pops.htm
http://foodreference.about.com/od/Tips_Techniques/a/Why-Does-Popcorn-Pop.htm

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!

Snow Cool!

Winter is just around the corner, and what’s better than learning about the chemistry behind snowflakes? You’ve probably heard of Snowflake Bentley, and how he photographed different snowflake shapes. We are photographing snowflakes, but there’s more to a snowflake than just the outside. So let’s go outside, into the world of the widely sung about white wonderland!

Snowflakes are a form of water ice. They form in clouds, which are made up of water vapor. At  32° F (0° C) or colder, water turns to ice. Temperature can influence snowflakes, as well as currents, humidity, and dirt and dust particles. The dirt makes the snowflake heavier, which can make it easier to melt.

I found some great information on one website about what snowflake shapes are created when:

• 32-25° F – Thin hexagonal plates (high clouds)
• 25-21° F – Needles (middle height clouds)
• 21-14° F – Hollow columns
• 14-10° F – Sector plates (hexagons with indentations)
• 10-3° F – Dendrites (lacy hexagonal shapes) (low clouds)

Colder temperatures produce snowflakes with sharper tips on the sides of the crystals and may lead to branching of the snowflake arms (dendrites). Snowflakes that grow under warmer conditions grow more slowly, resulting in smoother, less intricate shapes. However, not all snowflakes are symmetrical, as many conditions can effect the balance and appearance of a snowflake. Some can be, of course, as its shape represents the order of the water molecules within the snowflake. Based off one site, “Water molecules in the solid state, such as in ice and snow, form weak bonds (called hydrogen bonds) with one another. These ordered arrangements result in the symmetrical, hexagonal shape of the snowflake. During crystallization, the water molecules align themselves to maximize attractive forces and minimize repulsive forces. Consequently, water molecules arrange themselves in predetermined spaces and in a specific arrangement. Water molecules simply arrange themselves to fit the spaces and maintain symmetry.” Basically, hydrogen bonds are formed from water molecules, which are aligned in a symmetrical way. During crystallization, water molecules move into certain spaces to fit.

In chemistry class, we recently discussed quantum numbers. The idea of the fourth quantum number, the spin quantum number, talks about the direction of the electrons within an atom on a given energy level. This means that while the energy levels, the axis, and the orbitals can be the same, the spin will change. This is one of the reasons why no two snowflakes are the same, among other factors like the number of water molecules and the isotope abundance of hydrogen and oxygen. As we cannot individually look at every single snowflake in the world (that would be awesome), there have most likely been identical, or very near to it, snowflakes. However, in your lifetime, you will most likely never see two identical snowflakes. Sorry!

Snow is white, right? Well… Long story short. Our eyes are playing tricks on us, so we see white light being reflected off the snowflake’s many surfaces. Based off one source, ” Even though the light source might not be truly ‘white’ light (e.g., sunlight, fluorescent, and incandescent all have a particular color), the human brain compensates for a light source.” That also explains why polar bears’ fur appears white.

I have always loved snow, from building snowmen to jumping and playing in giant piles of snow. My sister and I would keep the snow as neat as possible, stepping in each other footprints. I remembered learning about Snowflake Bentley in class, and, now that I am older, I might as well learn the chemistry behind snow. It has been really interesting to learn about the different shapes, because I never thought about why snowflakes are always portrayed in only one way. That’s why we would make the paper snowflakes, where you cut out holes using scissors. To make the craft, follow instructions below!

Craft:

Materials:

• copy paper or thicker type of paper if you want.
• scissors, preferably sharp (safety scissors for younger children are fine, too! 🙂 )
• glitter and glue (optional)
• string or tape (optional)
• nearby garbage to place scraps in

Procedure:

1. Fold the paper into a square, triangle, or any other shape, so long as it folds evenly. (I personally suggest a triangle shape) It should easily fold 3-4 times.
2. Carefully cut out holes, triangles, squares, diamonds, etc. out of the paper. You can cut along the edge or in the middle. Get creative!
3. Unfold it! Voila! You have made your very own snowflake! Feel free to edit as you like.
4. For extra pizzazz: put some glue on one side of the snowflake and carefully put glitter on it. You may want to put a paper plate or paper towel underneath to catch excess glitter. Lay it out to dry.
5. You can tape or hang your masterpiece using string or tape. Enjoy!

Link:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/moleculescompounds/a/snowflake.htm

So ta ta for now and I hope to see your chemical reaction soon!