Transition metals are the largest group in the periodic table. Find out what similarities they share, and how we make use of these metals. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Transition metals are found as a block in the middle...

Material that conducts heat or electricity very poorly, and so can be used to provide some measure of protection. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual...

We place two privet hedge shoots under different conditions to see how the amount of water they draw up will change. They are both placed in measuring cylinders with the same amount of water and a layer of oil is added to the top to...

We investigate the amount of energy stored in maize snacks and peanuts by burning them. The food is placed under an aluminium beaker of water before being set alight and the temperature change of the water is recorded. We can compare the...

We use a supersaturated solution of sodium ethanoate to demonstrate instant crystallisation. Sodium ethanoate is added to water and is then heated to allow all of the crystals to dissolve. When it is cooled it forms a supersaturated...

We use filtration and evaporation to separate out a mixture of water, sand and salt. The sand is removed using filtration, as it did not dissolve in the water. The remaining solution is heated until the water evaporates, leaving behind...

We use a metal box holding rods of different materials to test their ability to conduct heat. The box is filled with boiling water and a paperclip is attached to the end of each rod using petroleum jelly. As the heat moves through the...

We look at how an incandescent light bulb can be made. First we attach a tungsten wire to electrodes in a flask of air and pass a current through the wire. The wire glows briefly before burning and breaking. Next we fill the flask with...

We use two cans, one painted black and the other painted white, to investigate heat absorption. The containers are placed in front of a heat source and the temperature change is recorded. This shows that the black container absorbs heat...

We use distillation to remove the water from ink. The ink is heated in a conical flask with a delivery tube running to a beaker. The water has a lower boiling point and so it evaporates before the ink. The water condenses as it travels...

We demonstrate an endothermic reaction by mixing hydrated barium hydroxide with ammonium thiocyanate. When these two solids react they take heat from the surrounding air. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Breaking bonds takes in...

We compare two cans, one painted black and the other painted white, to see how quickly they lose heat. The containers are placed in front of a heat source and heated to the same temperature. The temperature in each container is recorded...

We use a metal ball and hoop to demonstrate heat expansion. When cool, the ball fits through the hoop, but there is little extra space. The ball is then heated over a Bunsen burner. When hot, the ball doesn't fit through the hoop. We see...

We look at how the mass of wire wool changes when it is burned. Wire wool is almost 99% iron. When we burn it, it combines chemically with oxygen from the air to form iron(III) oxide. The mass of the product is more than the mass of the...

We investigate the properties of two types of gas bubbles: methane gas bubbles and bubbles of the gas we breathe out. The air-filled bubbles sink and we are unable to set them alight, while the methane bubbles float upwards and are...

We use a Hero's engine model to show how equal and opposite forces can cause propulsion. Two holes are pierced in a metal bottle and some water is added. This is suspended above a Bunsen burner, and as the water boils and leaves the...

We add a jelly baby to a boiling tube containing potassium chlorate. When the chemicals react, gas is rapidly produced. The screaming sound is created as the gas escapes from the tube. The sweet burns brightly as the reaction occurs....

We discover how to extract lead from lead(II) oxide. We mix lead(II) oxide with charcoal powder and then heat the mixture using a Bunsen burner. It glows bright red as a reaction occurs and after a few minutes we are left with pure lead....

We create an underwater volcano by placing a conical flask of hot coloured water in a tank of cold water. The hot coloured water rises through the cold, demonstrating convection. Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points....

We examine the different properties of iron and sulfur when they are mixed and when they are chemically combined. When iron and sulfur are mixed they retain their individual properties. When they react chemically to form iron sulfide...

We demonstrate the effects of imbalances of pressure. A metal can is crushed by atmospheric pressure. We add some water to a can and boil it until the can is full of water vapour. It is then sealed and left to cool and after a few...

How the four sensory receptors in our skin, which detect heat, cold, pain and pressure, help us to feel an object, and can even help us tell if we like something or not. Biology - Being Human - Learning Points. The skin contains millions...

Explore the difficulties of extracting aluminium from its ore, and how the vast quantities of heat and electricity generated by electrolysis allow this to happen. Chemistry - ReactionsLearning Points. Aluminium is difficult to extract...

For centuries, humans have been extracting metals from molten ores. Today, the basic technique remains the same, but how does extraction work? Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Metals can be extracted from rocks if they are heated...