Description
The liquid hand boiler is such a great demonstration of Charles’s Law and vapour-liquid equilibrium!
The liquid inside the hand boiler is ethyl alcohol. This liquid will begin to expand & evaporate when exposed to the heat of your hand. This shows that when you heat a liquid in a closed space it’s pressure increases. As more heat enters the liquid, the ethyl alcohol begins to vaporise and these bubbles and the liquid rises up the tube into the top bulb. To get the liquid to go from the top bulb to the bottom bulb, just add your hand to the top bulb
NB: the hand boiler will not work if you have cold hands
Use for engaging science at home or in the classroom!
Teaching ideas for a liquid hand boiler
- Learn more about Charles’s Law
- Discuss why liquids do not all boil at 100 degrees celsius like water.
- Find out why liquids all expand at different rates depending on their chemistry.
- Learn how expanding liquids can be used in industry.
- What is the hottest and coldest ever recorded temperature?
- Make your own home-made thermometer
- Investigate buoyancy of liquids with a home-made lava lamps
I just wanted to pass on how much the staff and students really enjoyed it and how perfect it was to launch our science week activities. The students were enthralled, educated and entertained – a perfect trifecta!
-Caulfield Grammar School – Big Science Big FunThanks so much for presenting at our school on Monday. Our students enjoyed the show.
-Greenvale Primary School – Big Science Big FunFizzics Education curated a thoughtful and hands-on experience for the children, incorporating practical, skill-based learning activities and followed by a science presentation at the end of the event involving liquid nitrogen. This was delivered safely and effectively, capturing both the children and the parents for the duration of the presentation.
-Macquarie Bank – Family Fun DayFizzics Education ran a show today at our school and it was wonderful. He was a great facilitator and the show was age appropriate and well done.
-Mount Zion Early learning centre – Little Science Big FunI just wanted to pass on how much the staff and students really enjoyed it and how perfect it was to launch our science week activities. The students were enthralled, educated and entertained – a perfect trifecta!
-Caulfield Grammar School – Big Science Big FunThanks so much for presenting at our school on Monday. Our students enjoyed the show.
-Greenvale Primary School – Big Science Big FunFizzics Education curated a thoughtful and hands-on experience for the children, incorporating practical, skill-based learning activities and followed by a science presentation at the end of the event involving liquid nitrogen. This was delivered safely and effectively, capturing both the children and the parents for the duration of the presentation.
-Macquarie Bank – Family Fun DayFizzics Education ran a show today at our school and it was wonderful. He was a great facilitator and the show was age appropriate and well done.
-Mount Zion Early learning centre – Little Science Big Fun