2014

The Solomon Group/Outreach/2014

1. Gak and Dino Eggs activity. Gak is a combination of glue, borax and water. The borax reacts  to connect glue molecules together, making it into a polymer.  Dino eggs is a “cooking with chemistry” exercise in which students make lemonade-filled droplets in water.

Staff member helping camper's with the experiment.
Campers attentively watch and listen to staff member going over the experiment.
Camper happy about trying some dino eggs.
Camper asks question to staff member about the process.
Image of several camper's cups of dino eggs.
Camper collects some glue in creating Gak.
Campers seated for the Gak and Dino Eggs activity.
Staff members explain the process of making Gak and Dino Eggs.

2. Dancing Oobleck and microscopic properties of complex fluids activity. A small amount of Oobleck on a speaker is fluid when undisturbed while the vibrations from music causes the Oobleck to “dance”. Milk, shampoo and nail polish under the microscope.

View of campers and staff looking at a laptop screen.
Staff member places a small volume of Oobleck on a speaker, with a music video shown on the small laptop screen.
Campers attentively listen to the staff member's explanation of Oobleck microscopic properties.
Wide image of staff and campers in the lab.
Campers excited after seeing the results of Oobleck microscopy on Apple laptop.
Campers witness on computer screen microscopic images of Oobleck chemical properties.
Campers and staff prepare to see what happens when Oobleck is on a speaker.
Staff member explaining chemical readings after microscopic analysis of Oobleck.

3. Running across an Oobleck pool. The shear-thickening property of Oobleck allowed the students to run their hands through a pool of Oobleck like one would a fluid, but also run across the pool without sinking. It is now a Solomon group tradition.

Two staff members together. On the left, the staff member is clean and happy! On the right, the other staff member is doused with Oobleck and is pouty.
Camper balancing over Oobleck pool.
Staff member walking over Oobleck pool.
Campers watch as people run over the Oobleck pool one by one.
Staff member finds Oobleck all over his hair potentially due to his friend.
Camper plays with Oobleck from Oobleck pool.
Overview of all the campers playing in the Oobleck pool.
All campers playing in Oobleck pool.
Many campers standing on top of the Oobleck pool.
Camper preparing to walk over Oobleck pool.
Camper reacts in surprise after placing her hands within the Oobleck pool.
Staff holds up towel after cleaning up from the Oobleck pool.
Image of all camp staff and Solomon group faculty.
Camper completes walking over the Oobleck pool.
Image of staff outdoors.