I think we do experiments all the time, especially as kids, and the usual reason is to find out what happens. One of the ones that sticks in mind from high school was flame testing different metals to see way colour they went in a flame. This relates to the different electrons each metal has and can be used to identify different metals. Think of yellow street lights – these use the metal sodium.
I think @DJ is spot on. When we’re young everything around us is new and we just have to figure it all out. Most people learn best through experience and if you’ve not done something before, well thats a form of experiment.
The first experiment in school that I can remember was adding sodium into water. I remember it so well because the teacher make a mistake and put way too much in the glass bucket which then exploded breaking the glass and sending it all over the students. Pretty dangerous if you ask me now, but I thought it was funny at the time.
My first experiment that I designed myself was about using electricity to clean toxic chemicals out of water. It was a long experiment that I needed to repeat many times. One time I made a mistake, pushed the wrong button and instead of cleaning the water I made a new explosive chemical. Thats the great things about research, sometimes your mistakes can be just as important.
@blue11fudge: My friend and I used to make conconctions in the backyard bush cubby! We’d mix up blackberries and water and flowers, then let it sit for a day or 17, then taste it. I think we thought we were making wine. We did it because it was FUN and we were CURIOUS. We were about 6.
@DJ: If you need any wine making tips, obviously, I’m here to help 😉
The first experiment I remember doing was with my friend’s chemistry set in his backyard when I was about ten years old. The question we were trying to answer was “What happens if we mix THIS with THAT?”
The answer, it turned out, was, “We melt the tablecloth and catch the picnic table on fire!”
Fortunately, we didn’t do any serious damage, nor did we really get in trouble. I don’t think that’s necessarily the best experiment I’ve ever done, but it was certainly one of the most memorable!
Too long ago for me to remember.
I do remember with some friends making ether (an anaesthetic) in a backyard shed – mixed with air it is highly explosive, and we were using an open flame to heat the mixture. We were very lucky not to blow ourselves up.
I also remember setting fire to a local park trying to make a ram jet (I did not realize then that ram jets need to go faster then sound to work properly).
blue11fudge
I think we do experiments all the time, especially as kids, and the usual reason is to find out what happens. One of the ones that sticks in mind from high school was flame testing different metals to see way colour they went in a flame. This relates to the different electrons each metal has and can be used to identify different metals. Think of yellow street lights – these use the metal sodium.
1
I think @DJ is spot on. When we’re young everything around us is new and we just have to figure it all out. Most people learn best through experience and if you’ve not done something before, well thats a form of experiment.
The first experiment in school that I can remember was adding sodium into water. I remember it so well because the teacher make a mistake and put way too much in the glass bucket which then exploded breaking the glass and sending it all over the students. Pretty dangerous if you ask me now, but I thought it was funny at the time.
My first experiment that I designed myself was about using electricity to clean toxic chemicals out of water. It was a long experiment that I needed to repeat many times. One time I made a mistake, pushed the wrong button and instead of cleaning the water I made a new explosive chemical. Thats the great things about research, sometimes your mistakes can be just as important.
1
@blue11fudge: My friend and I used to make conconctions in the backyard bush cubby! We’d mix up blackberries and water and flowers, then let it sit for a day or 17, then taste it. I think we thought we were making wine. We did it because it was FUN and we were CURIOUS. We were about 6.
@DJ: If you need any wine making tips, obviously, I’m here to help 😉
0
The first experiment I remember doing was with my friend’s chemistry set in his backyard when I was about ten years old. The question we were trying to answer was “What happens if we mix THIS with THAT?”
The answer, it turned out, was, “We melt the tablecloth and catch the picnic table on fire!”
Fortunately, we didn’t do any serious damage, nor did we really get in trouble. I don’t think that’s necessarily the best experiment I’ve ever done, but it was certainly one of the most memorable!
0
Too long ago for me to remember.
I do remember with some friends making ether (an anaesthetic) in a backyard shed – mixed with air it is highly explosive, and we were using an open flame to heat the mixture. We were very lucky not to blow ourselves up.
I also remember setting fire to a local park trying to make a ram jet (I did not realize then that ram jets need to go faster then sound to work properly).
0