This activity, produced by Solar Spark, uses "magic dye", a mixture of three different dye molecules. The mixture contains a yellow disperse dye, a direct blue dye and an acid red dye. When a fabric is put into the mixture, the dyes only attach to the types of fabrics they can bond well with. For example, the blue...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP).

Metals have been used for many thousands of years, but it was only in the 20th century that an understanding developed of how their properties could be explained in terms of their...

This activity is provided by ASE and describes a novel way to conduct a number of chemistry experiments on a small scale with clearly visible results and needing a minimum of equipment.

The resource contains...

This resource, provided by the Association for Science Education (ASE), is a pick and mix collection of activities enabling students to create their own stunning scents from scratch. Besides a collection of experiments for making and testing fragrances, there is extension material on applying the particle model to...

Fragrances are full of science, and this activity provided by ASE will enable students to create their own stunning scents from scratch. This resource offers a different way of approaching separating mixtures by linking with other sensory and particle model ideas. Effective use of diagrams, clear explanations and...

Produced by Solar Spark, this activity allows students to make their own plastic from vinegar and milk. Milk contains casein in a form that is soluble in water. Making the milk acidic by adding vinegar makes the casein insoluble so the milk separates into a solid and a liquid known as curds and whey. Removing the...

High levels of ultraviolet radiation out in space drive reactions that can turn white beads into their coloured form. Students investigate how temperature affects the rate at which the beads turn back to white. At Key Stage Five, students can use the results sheet template to find the activation enthalpy. In the...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). ‘Sustainability’ is about using resources in a way that does not deplete them. An increased emphasis on renewable energy is part of the move to greater sustainability, but so is the idea...

The revision of Stage III of Revised Nuffield Chemistry put more emphasis on applied, social and historical aspects of chemistry. This was in response to feedback from teachers that the original version of Stage III included too many academic options that overlapped...

The Laboratory Investigation sheets for Stage 1A and...

The Laboratory Investigation sheets for Stage II of...

Materials by Design is one of the publication themes of the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme.

The earliest artefacts made by humans used whatever materials were naturally to hand. The materials selected were those that had the appropriate properties for the job that needed to be done. Increasingly, as...

Waves and Radiation is one of the publication themes of the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme.

The last one hundred years has seen an explosion in the use of electromagnetic radiation for communication. Using simple practical kits, Radiation and Communication looks at the properties of...