Flash Science videos are short and flashy science experiments that can be done with everyday objects. All of these experiments are designed to be done by adults, or with careful adult supervision.
Flash Science: Colorful Concoctions
Here’s a fun one to try at home: Brightly colored teas and juices often undergo cool color changes when you add vinegar or baking soda. It’s some fun, colorful, kitchen chemistry that anyone can try! Colorful Concoctions
Flash Science: Wash Your Hands
One of the best weapons against the coronavirus (and other similar nasties)? Soap. This video shows how soap can disrupt a cell-like structure with an enclosing layer made of kerosene and plastic, just as soap disrupts the lipid bilayer that surrounds the coronavirus particles.
Flash Science: Index of Refraction
The Little Shop of Physics team is making more episodes of a series we called Flash Science—quick, simple experiments that anyone can do—with a twist: We’ll do them in the studio, and then we’ll join some folks at a distance to see how it works out in the world. In this installment, we see how [...]
Flash Science: Surface Tension and Pressure
Can a mesh fabric trap water in a glass? Sometimes! Brenna and Brian explain it all in this simple experiment!
Flash Science: Pixelated Picture
Beads on a picture create an instant low tech pointillist painting.
Flash Science: Heat Shrinking Plastic
A piece of clear plastic shrinks and turns white with heat. A great way to re-use #1 containers!
Flash Science: Chips in the Microwave
The electric fields inside of a microwave cause sparks, heat, and even shrinks a bag of chips!
Flash Science: Soap in the Microwave
A bar of soap in the microwave grows to tremendous proportions.
Flash Science: Lightly Microwaved
You can light a bulb in the microwave (for a little while) and the electric fields in the oven will cause it to light!
Flash Science: Ping Pong Canon
A water bottle and a grill igniter make a ping-pong ball launcher.
Flash Science: Worlds Simplest Motor
This week, Kenn shows us how to build world’s simplest motor!
Flash Science: Graphite Glow
This week, Rachel shows us an awesome experiment which uses electricity to heat up the graphite in a pencil lead, making it glow very bright!
Flash Science: Secret Message With Windex
Goldenrod paper turns red when ammonia or other base is added. Rachel shows us how we can use this to write secret messages!
Flash Science: Flashy Grape
A grape makes a great dipole antenna, and makes a great (small and safe) series of sparks in the microwave.
Flash Science: Flaming Smoke Fuse
Smoke from an extinguished candle makes a “fuse” that relights it.
Flash Science: Heat Flash
The heat from a camera flash makes a puff of smoke from a black surface.
Flash Science: Erasing With Heat
A pen with thermochromic ink is erased with heat and made to reappear when cold.
Flash Science: What Keeps the Ball in the Cone?
A small ball is placed in a funnel—and cannot be blown out.
Flash Science: Bubble Trumpet
A bubble on a stadium horn… Will it pop when the horn is played?
Flash Science: Bubbles Squared
A plastic frame can be used to create square—and other unusual shape—bubbles.
Flash Science: Arc of the Air
A stream of air is used to levitate a small ball—and also a light bulb.
Flash Science: To Pop or Not To Pop
A water-filled balloon can be held over a candle or a torch, and not pop!
Flash Science: Steel Fire
Fine steel wool will burn brightly with the help of a 9 V battery.
Flash Science: Needle Through a Balloon
You can push a knitting needle through a balloon if you take certain precautions.
Flash Science: Pouring Air
Carbon dioxide can be poured like water, extinguishing candles.
Flash Science: Flame Hound
A stuffed animal saturated with alcohol and water can be set on fire, and touched while alight.
Flash Science: Water Hammer
Using the power of air pressure to blow out the bottom of a bottle.
Flash Science: Hydrogen Bubbles
Passing a current through water makes hydrogen and oxygen gas, which fill a bubble that can be ignited.
Flash Science: Alcohol Rocket
Alcohol vapor in a plastic bottle is lit, giving forward propulsion.
Flash Science: A Glass Conductor
We typically think of glass as an insulator, but it will conduct electricity if it gets hot enough!
Flash Science: Electric Pickle
A ground fault protected cable passes electricity through a pickled cucumber, this produces a surprising glowing effect in the cucumber.
Flash Science: Plasma Cutter
A pencil lead and some batteries make a small plasma cutter that we use to etch a pattern in aluminum foil.
Flash Science: Sweet Fire
Some powdered sugar, a straw and a propane torch produce a flame, that is circus-like in its drama.
Flash Science: Reflecting in the bath
An internally frosted, large light bulb is dipped into a fish tank of water, and the total internal reflection effect produces ‘other-worldly’ consequences to how the bulb looks in the water. The bulb goes from white to a silvery orb. Turning the bulb on, produces a similar, but more alluring effect.
