The Return of the Chemistry Cave!

Some of you may remember that I had a Chemistry Cave display last summer.  I decided to bring the display back this year for our science filled summer and do even more experiments!

Experiment 1: Stalactites and Stalagmites

If you remember last year's Cave, you will also remember the infamous Stalactite and Stalagmite Growing Fail.  If you don't, let me give you the short version: the experiment didn't work.  I decided that this summer, I WOULD grow stalactites and stalagmites, no matter what! 

Here's our set up:

Two cups, one filled with Epsom Salt that had been dissolved in water, with a string stretched between them.  The desired outcome: stalactites and stalagmites growing from the string!

I waited.  I waited.  I waited.

Nothing.  Once again, I was defeated.

I will never attempt this experiment again.


Experiment 2: WASH YOUR HANDS!!! 

This next experiment was done by Cassie and our Tweens during a Tween Wednesday program.  They were talking about germs and why we should wash our hands.  For the experiment, they had two pieces of an apple.  For Apple A, as soon as they cut the piece from the apple, they sealed it up in a plastic bag.  For Apple B, they passed the slice around the group, making sure everyone had a chance to hold the apple (it even briefly hit the floor!), before placing it in a plastic bag.  They left the apples to sit to see what happened over a few days.

Remember, Apple A is the "clean" apple and Apple B is the one that was passed around the group.

Do you need to wash your hands now?

Experiment 3: The Bouncing Egg

Yes, you can make an egg bounce!  I placed a regular egg in a bowl, covered it with vinegar, and let it hang out for 24 hours.

Ok, so not much to see.  After 24 hours, I took the egg out of the vinegar and the shell was gone!  The egg also felt a little swollen and it felt SUPER GROSS!!!  But would it bounce?

 

 IF I had followed the instructions and dropped the egg from a height of 3 inches or less, I'm sure it would have bounced.  Good thing I did this over the sink!

 

 I hope you've enjoyed our Chemistry Cave!

Alyssa




 

Exciting changes are coming to the genealogy area!

On or about August 10th, a new desk will be installed near the genealogy area.  That desk will be staffed by Janice who has been doing reference and genealogy work for several years.  She will still be doing reference work and helping anyone who needs answers to questions.  She'll just be closer to the genealogy area.  Indeed this will make things easier for all who are doing genealogy research.  Believe it or not, today someone from New Mexico is doing family genealogy research and has asked several questions.  More and more, this seems to be the type of questions we are getting.  So it makes sense to have someone located in the genealogy area.  However, the desk will be "mobile" so you may occasionally see her in other areas of the library.  She is looking forward to it.

In addition to this change, the reference desk will be staffed by Lorie  from our Monrovia Branch Library.  Check out the blog written just before this one about Summer Reading.  Lorie really knows her stuff and she will be available to help anyone needing assistance on the public access internet computers and much more.  If you follow the library's facebook page, you may have seen her posts about the Monrovia Branch Library and beyond.  We are looking forward to having her here.