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Pepper Explosion

Grades:

K - 3

Duration:

30 min

Subject:

Chemistry

About this Activity

When black pepper is sprinkled onto water it simply sits on top of the water. The pepper doesn't mix with the water due to water’s surface tension. In other words, water molecules like to stay together with other water molecules and not let the pepper mix in easily. When we add soap, the surface tension of water breaks and the water molecules on top move outwards, carrying the pepper!

BC Science Curriculum Tie-Ins:

Kindergarten

  • Properties of familiar materials

Grade 1

  • Specific properties of materials allow us to use them in different ways

Grade 2

  • Physical ways of changing materials
  • Chemical ways of changing materials

Grade 3

  • Atoms are building blocks of matter

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