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Listed under:  Science  >  Matter  >  Chemical reactions
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Food innovation and molecular gastronomy lesson

In this lesson, students explore connections between science, design, and technologies through the lens of food innovation and food science. Students look at interesting and unusual food products, using food textures as a jumping off point to explore the relationship between chemistry and food. Students then experiment ...

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Water-powered engine theories need hosing down

This ABC article by Dr Karl addresses the question: will we one day be able to power cars with water? The chemical reactions involved in the formation and decomposition of water are described. Energy transformations are explained. A very useful resource to get students thinking.

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Mercury is released as coal is burnt in power stations

This resource describes research into environmental disease resulting from the heavy metal mercury. It is estimated 60,000 babies are born each year in the United States with mercury-related diseases from the burning of coal in power stations. World wide, this is a significant problem. Mercury also enters the environment ...

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Cleaning by chemical reaction

This resource provides a scaffold for students to undertake a simple experiment. Learn how museum conservators clean, and prevent deterioration and damage to silver artefacts using chemistry. In this resource, students clean a piece of silverware using the electrolysis of silver technique which incorporates redox reactions, ...

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Climate change – creating critical thinkers … not sceptics!

Climate change was once just part of the science domain, but today it is a political juggernaut! This unit explores the science of climate change as a scientific concept and a political issue. The unit includes PDF resources and video quiz challenges for teachers and student and the library section provides extra resources ...

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All about hydrogen

This is a fact sheet providing information on how we produce hydrogen from fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. The uses of hydrogen are briefly discussed and information is provided about hydrogen fuel cells.

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Floating froth experiment

Find out how to use froth to separate minerals from unwanted rock. This is an activity sheet giving instructions for a simple experiment that demonstrates how froth flotation works. It includes a blank data table.

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Integrated gasification combined cycle

Find out how emissions from coal-burning can be reduced by turning the coal into syngas. This is a fact sheet describing methods of coal gasification, and how the resulting syngas can drive a combined cycle power generator. It lists the advantages of the technology, including lower emissions and increased efficiency, as ...

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Low-carb cars

This ABC In Depth feature article explores the electric car as an alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles, with a brief reference to hydrogen powered cars. This article is comprehensive, but it is dated at 2008.

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher

Different types of chemical reactions are used in many everyday products. Watch this clip to see how two common household substances can be combined to create an 'Invisible Candle Extinguisher'.

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Atoms of Fire: Vitalism disproved through evidence

Discover how the scientific theory of vitalism, championed by the Swedish chemist Jöns Berzelius, was disproved by his former student Friedrich Wöhler. Find out the way chemists study how the different atoms in organic compounds combine in set ratios depending on the 'valence' of those atoms.

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Experimentals: Raiders of the lost Anti-Bubble

Doctor Ruby and Bunsen Bernie are bubble hunters in search of the mysterious Anti-Bubble. Before they can enter into the Chamber of the Anti-Bubble, they must pass three challenging bubble tests. This is part one of a two-part episode.

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Catalyst: Underground coal gasification

How are scientists using technology to get energy out of coal without having to dig it up? Find out how underground coal gasification (UCG) burns and converts the coal to gas underground. Visit UCG trial sites in Queensland and hear how UCG avoids some of the environmental effects of traditional coal mining, but may have ...

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Atoms of Fire: Chemical products that change our lives

Travel back one hundred years in time to observe the technologies that people were using and to consider the technologies that had have yet to be invented. View the types of new substances that were invented by chemists during the last century.

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Make a lava lamp model using oil and water

Imagine making your very own lava lamp using materials from your kitchen and bathroom. Watch the Surfing Scientist team show you how it can be done, then try and figure out why it works.

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The bang behind fireworks!

Ever wondered how fireworks are created? In this clip, pyrotechnics expert John Conkling describes the chemical and physical components of fireworks, and demonstrates many coloured explosions in a laboratory. Discover that a fireworks display is a chemical reaction between an oxidiser such as potassium nitrate and a fuel ...

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Magic tricks revealed using chemistry

Some magic tricks, such as disappearing ink or candles that won't blow out, can be explained by chemistry. In this clip, three classroom chemistry experiments demonstrate that some familiar magic tricks rely on acid-base chemical reactions, and the properties and behaviour of gases. Watch closely if you've ever wanted to ...

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Fountain of fizz

Have you ever wondered how many bubbles there are in a bottle of soft drink? What if they all shot out the bottle at the same time in a fountain of fizz! Watch as Ruben Meerman, the Surfing Scientist explores where bubbles come from and how they form, with spectacular results!

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Atoms of Fire: What makes salt and sugar so different?

Have you ever accidentally sprinkled sugar on your dinner or spooned salt into your coffee? Those white crystals might look the same but they taste very different because they are made of different kinds of atoms bonded in different ways. Discover how chemists identify what kinds of atoms a compound is made of, then find ...

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Can We Help?: Exploring nanotechnology

Peter Binks, CEO of Nanotechnology Victoria, answers the question 'How does nanotechnology work?' Discover what nanotechnology is and see several examples in action, such as scratch-resistant paint used in the car industry. Consider future applications of nanotechnology in areas such as sports, health care, clothing and cleaning.