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Coke and Diet Coke

To demonstrate: that things that look the same can have different densities.

Equipment: Can of Coke, Can of Diet Coke, tall glass/plastic container, water

Procedure

• Show a can of Coke to the students
• Ask the students: Will it sink or will it float?, get them to put up there hands.
• Put the can of coke into the container (upside down and at an angle) – it will sink.
• Repeat the above procedure with a can of Diet Coke – it will float.
• Ask the students: What is in Coke that is not in Diet Coke? After some time they will say sugar.

What happened?
The volumes of the cans are the same but their weights are different because there is sugar is Coke and a sweetener in Diet Coke. The sweetener is less dense than sugar. The difference is weights of the cans are very small but this it is enough to make the Coke can more dense than water and the Diet Coke less dense.

Precautions
1. When you are putting in the can of Coke, make sure that you put it in upside down and at an angle, this is to prevent air been trapped in the top of the can which will keep the can of Coke from sinking.

2. Try this demonstration before hand because some Coke cans don’t sink. We are not clear why this happens but it happened during a show!

On Monday 7th December Virgin Galactic unveiled SpaceShipTwo to the world at Mojave Spaceport, California. Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan led the press conference, special recognition went to the team at Scaled Composites whose hard work and dedication have made this happen. Governors Bill Richardson and Arnold Schwarzenegger both contributed at the press conference, celebrating this huge milestone and also joining Holly, Richard’s daughter in naming the spaceship, VSS Enterprise.

Despite gale force winds and stormy weather, guests gathered on the runway after the press conference to see SpaceShipTwo for the first time. The spaceship was carried down the runway by her mothership, VMS Eve, to a spectacular display of lights, music and snow which only helped increase the anticipation of her arrival and excitement and awe as she appeared before the crowds.

The event was a huge success and images and footage are now available to download at www.virgingalactic.com/SS2Unveil

The RDS is the 2010 sponsor of the Primary Science Fair,an exciting part of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

The Primary Science Fair forms an integral part of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. Whilst not part of the competition itself, it encourages primary students to think about science in practical and fun ways. Making science real to them is what counts. The Fair also develops the students’ skills in communicating their interest and knowledge of science to others.

The RDS Primary Science Fair at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition takes place on Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th of January 2010 at the RDS in Dublin.

For more details about the RDS Primary Science Fair and how to enter please click http://www.rds.ie/primarysciencefair

Straw Structure

The Straw Structure Design Challenge took place on Thursday 12^th and Friday 13^th November 2009. The schools design challenge is run by Declan Holmes of Science Ireland and the Mayo Science and Technology Festival. The challenge was to build the tallest structure capable of supporting a 200g orange, using a maximum of 50 straws and a roll of tape.

Four regional finals took place throughout the County during the week of the festival. Each regional winner was invited to showcase their Straw Structure Design at the Science In Action Open Day in the TF Royal Theatre.

The winning teams are as follows:

1st Place – Pullathomas N.S.

2nd Place – Ballycushion N.S.

3rd Place – St. Josephs N.S.

4th Place – Cornanool N.S.

Science Week 2009

Jasmine Glavey from Aghamore had a hair-raising experience when she assisted Declan Holmes from Science Ireland with the Van De Graff Generator, demonstrating static electricity.  The show was part of the Mayo Science and Technology Festival Open Day held on 15th Nov 2009 in the TF Royal hotel.

The free Open Day organised by the Mayo County Enterprise Board was to a mixture of exhibits and hands -on science shows. It was a hugh sucess this year and Science Ireland had a big attendance at its three science shows held on the day.

Mayo Science and Technology Festival Website

[Image published in Mayo News 24 Nov 2009,  Photo by Michael Mclaughlin]