Potassium nitrate produces oxygen when heated.

[fifthdream]

Toshi is a 5th grade boy and Tae is a 3rd grade girl.
A few days ago he read about how to make slime somewhere in the internet.
He decided to try this experiment. Soon he went to a library and borrowed a book.
Toshi: "The book says we can make slime by mixing three kinds of liquid together. I think I can do it by ourselves."
Tae: "I'm afraid Mom may not be pleased to see us making slimy things."
Toshi: "I've already got OK from Mom. Don't worry!"
Tae: "Really? If so, I want to make slime right now!
Toshi: "Tae, which color do you like?"
Tae: "I can see red, yellow, and green. I prefer red color."
Toshi: "I'll take green color."

And that is the glory that is Internet Version [Naruhodo no Mori]
Home science experiments for mothers of elementary school children
by Yumiko Mori.

I have a new favorite web page.

This page is full of pretty nifty science experiments. But on top of that, is the fact that it is translated from Japanese, which gives it a charm all its own. Let's take a look, shall we?:

Satoshi: "Mom, I want to do this!"
Satoshi has brought fireworks which are left-over from the last year.
Mom: "Fireworks? It's a bit too early for the season. Do you want to try in the kitchen?"
Satoshi: "Yes I do!"
Mom: "How about doing fireworks in water? "
Satoshi: "Let's do it, Mom! "

Oh no! Fireworks in the kitchen? In water? Oh, yes...

Toshi: "I bet you cannot do fireworks in water."
Tae: "I agree. You are going to waste fireworks."
Tae: " If fire isn't extinguished by water, how can firemen extinguish fire?"
Mom: "Shall we start anyhow?"

Yes, please do. I must warn you, though, not only are you going to waste fireworks, but you are also going to burn down the house.

Tae: "This is the first time we play with fireworks inside the house."

And it may be the last...

Tae lights up a firework and dips it into water.
Tae: "No! Fire went out, Mom!"
Mom: "Dip the sparkler more slowly the next time."
This time Mom tried.
This time the sparkler starts burning.
Emitting red sparks, the sparkler burns in water until it completely burns out.
Toshi: "Really amazing!"
Mom: "It's still unbelievable even after we saw the fireworks."
Tae: "I agree it was amazing. But can you do something with this smoke and smell?
This is terrible! We should always do fireworks outside."

Really?! Then you should remember that BEFORE you light them in the kitchen! Also remember this:

*The experiment produces smoke and unpleasant smell. Open windows to exchange air.

* A lot of gas comes out when you burn a sparkler in water.
Warning! Do not breath this gas! The gas includes carbon monoxide.

Now, why exactly would you do this in the kitchen in the first place? It's poisonous! Oh yeah, i forgot:

He likes anything to do with fire and something dangerous.

Ahh, he's a pyromaniac AND has a very permissive mother. That explains it.

But that's not all. After Satoshi poisoned his family with fumes, and nearly burned the house down, they came back for more.

Mom: "They say it will make sound like 'zzzzz' and also fire sparkles.
Mom is reading an article from a journal.
Toshi who was sitting next her responds with an excitement.
Toshi: "Let's do the experiment you just mentioned right now!"
He likes anything to do with fire and something dangerous.
Toshi: "What? Just putting into a microwave? "

Mom and Toshi go straight to the kitchen.
Mom and Toshi get bits of steel wire pad and aluminum foil and microwave them.

Aarrgh! No! Stop it! You'll put your eye out!

Zzzzzzzz!!
Toshi: "Amazing! It sounded like thunder!"
Mom: "I am shocked. I thought the microwave was going to explode."
Toshi: "The edge of the foil is melting. It's amazing! Let's do it again."
Mom: "Again? I hope you will not break the microwave, Toshi!"

Sounded like thunder?! Shocked?! Explode?! Aaaggh! Again?! Aaaggh! Stop now, while there's still time!!

We have to have brave mind when we place a fluorescent light tube into the microwave machine and turn its switch on.

I don't have brave mind! Save me! Save the microwave machine!

The microwave did not break. Mom is so pleased.

Well, thank God for that. But see, we learned a lesson from all of this:

My children loved the sparkles we made in the microwave. On the other hand, I was most amazed by a fact that ice did not melt in the microwave. Why can we defrost frozen beef but not ice? I was so curious, that I investigated about ice. I learned the properties of ice are quite complicated. When you leaned one thing, you want to ask further questions. I don't think I myself can understand these difficult problems. But scientists are pursuing unsolved problems further and further.

Ahh, a lesson in science, and a lesson in life. But i don't think i myself can understand why you let kids use fireworks in the kitchen and put metal objects in the microwave machine. Read the instructions on the side of the microwave machine; it says do not put metal objects inside the microwave machine.

My favorite philosophical lesson and moral of the story so far is this one:

Against common sense
Most people would not believe it possible to do fireworks in water. Common sense is 'fire is extinguished by water'. When I faced the reality of fireworks burning in water, my common sense was turned over completely. If your thought is always based on common sense, you may be restraining your mind. Common sense is not always right. I felt my mind has become a little more flexible due to this experiment.

Well, isn't that what life is all about? "If your thought is always based on common sense, you may be restraining your mind. Common sense is not always right. " That's something i believe very wholeheartedly. This sums up my whole outlook on life. I wish i had something to put a sig into, because that would be it.

Now, i don't want you to think the whole page is about blowing up the kitchen and the microwave machine (though there is a lot of that), but the kids also make slime.

Toshi: Come here, Tae! I am going to do something interesting.
Tae: What is it?
Toshi: "Do you want to make slime today?"

Yes i do, Toshi. Very much so.

You mix laundry starch with your favorite colored water.
By increasing or decreasing the amount of the starch, you can adjust how softer or harder your slime will be.
Then you add borax (sodium borate), which dissolved in water, into the starch mixture by little by little. As you mix the starch with a chopsticks or a spoon, your slime will be done.

Time for a trip to the store... I need chopsticks.

Tae: "It's amazing! You really made a slime!"
Toshi: "Tae, shall we mix different colors this time?"
Tae: "Can we do that?"
Toshi: "We can try. I'm going to mix red and yellow to make orange color."
(later)
Tae: "Your new slime is so beautiful! I want to make my beautiful one."

I want to make my beautiful one, as well. I'll take blue color.

It starts to break down here, though:

* Slimes you can made by this procedure look very similar to jelly. So please take caution for small children to swallow slimes accidentally.

* Since borax is very toxic, please take care into a mouth absolutely to be unable to enter.

I think the translator needed a nap. Anyway, the real kicker is this; not only do you get awesome science experiments, and a healthy dose of tightly-translated Japanese-to-English text, but you also get this:

http://member.nifty.ne.jp/kume/naru/001/naru001d.gif

Cute!

I love this page. I want to do some of these experiments. I really want to make some slime.

Go visit this page. It's absolutely amazing. I can't recommend it enough.

Okay, i'm going to go read more of this page. If you smell smoke of hear the fire alarm go off, don't worry; Fourth of July comes early this year.......