|
Consumables
|
Sources
|
Approximate cost
|
Suggestions for use
|
Special notes
|
Checklist
|
|
Adhesive Tape
|
Stationers
Supermarkets
Budget retail stores
|
12mm x 66mm, $195 per roll
Pkt of 4 rolls 15mm x 10m $2.95
|
Construction
Microscope slides
Collecting cells and fingerprints
|
Adhesive dries out on old stock.
|
|
|
Alum
[Aluminium potassium sulfate, AlK(SO4)2]
|
Pharmacists
|
|
Crystal growing
|
Poisonous in large quantities
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$12.45 per 500g
|
|
Aluminium foil
[Al]
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.99 - $3 per roll
|
Covering containers
Electricity
|
|
|
|
Ammonia solution
[NH3, (aqueous)]
(cloudy ammonia)
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.95 per 750mL
|
An alkaline (base) solution
Gas diffusion
|
Poison - irritating gas
DO NOT mix with bleach because chlorine gas is produced (refer to Safety and Science, page 47).
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$31 per 2.5L
|
|
Baking soda
[Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3]
|
Supermarkets
Scientific suppliers
|
$1.22 per 210g
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
|
Alkaline solution
It reacts with acids to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) gas.
|
|
|
Balloons
|
Supermarkets
Budget retail stores
|
$6.99 pkt 100
$1.95 pkt 25
|
Action/reaction for hovercraft (rockets)
To model expanding universe theory
|
|
|
|
Bamboo skewers
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.75 pkt 100
|
Use as axles.
|
|
|
|
Benedict's solution
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$31.00 per 500mL
|
Testing for the presence of simple sugars
|
Use container of hot water as source of heat.
Solution contains copper sulfate (refer to Safety and Science, pages 48 and 61).
|
|
|
Secondary schools
|
|
|
Bleach
(contains sodium hypochlorite, NaHClO)
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.29 per 750mL
|
For whitening paper and cleaning
|
Poison - irritating gas
DO NOT mix with acids or ammonia because chlorine gas is produced (refer to Safety and Science, page 47).
|
|
|
Blu-tack
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.89 pkt
|
|
|
|
|
Borax
[Sodium borate, Na3BO4]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$9.35 per 500g
|
Making slime
|
Refer to page 66 of Making Better Sense of the Material World for handling.
|
|
|
Bottles, PET
(soft drink bottles)
|
Plastics retailers
Educational suppliers
|
.
|
Making rockets
Funnels
|
Use only a fine-toothed saw for cutting PET bottles, NOT a craft knife.
|
|
|
Bulbs, Garden
|
Garden centres
|
|
Growing
|
|
|
|
Bulbs, Light
|
Electrical suppliers
|
99c - $1.50
|
Electrical circuits
|
|
|
|
Cabbage
(red)
|
Supermarkets
|
|
Red cabbage juice is an acid-base indicator.
|
Other plants such as impatiens, hibiscus, or beetroot also provide coloured extracts that can be used as acid-base indicators.
|
|
|
Calcium chloride
[Ca(Cl)2]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$21.78 per 500g
|
Moisture absorbent
|
|
|
|
Candles
|
Supermarkets
Craft shops
Budget retail stores
|
$2.99 per 6
(large)
|
Properties of matter
Change of state
Energy conversion
Composition of air
|
Birthday candles are often appropriate.
Do not use candles for heating.
|
|
|
Cardboard tubes
|
Homes
|
|
Modelling
Sound activities
Light activities
|
|
|
|
Cellophane
|
Stationers
|
|
Colours
Light
|
|
|
|
Chalk
|
Supermarkets
Budget retail stores
|
39c per 12 white sticks
|
|
|
|
|
Chocolate chippies
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.79 pkt
|
Mining activity (how to mine the chips from the bedrock)
Fair test (comparing chips in different brands)
|
|
|
|
Cling film
|
Supermarkets
|
$3.99 per 45mL
$1.69 per 15mL
|
Covering
|
|
|
|
Citric acid
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.23 per 100g
|
An acid
Making sherbet
|
|
|
|
Clay
|
Educational suppliers
|
$25 per 10 kg
|
An alternative to plasticine for modelling and construction
Investigating properties
|
|
|
|
Cobalt (II) Chloride
Co(C12)
|
Pharmacists
|
|
Crystal gardens
Coal gardens
Soak paper in solution, dry, and use as a humidity (water) indicator
|
Refer to Safety and Science, page 62.
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$28.50 per 100g
|
|
Coloured sweets and inks
|
|
|
Chromatography
|
Darker colours give better results.
|
|
|
Copper sulfate
[CuSO4]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$22.00 per 2kg
|
Crystal growing
|
Poison (1 tsp can kill a small child). Keep in locked cupboard. Refer to Safety and Science, pages 48, 61, and 62.
|
|
|
Garden centres
|
$8 per kg
|
|
Fertiliser works
|
|
|
Cordial powders
|
Supermarkets
|
|
Dissolving
Fair testing (speed of dissolving; effect of temperature)
|
|
|
|
Cornflour
|
Supermarkets
|
80c pkt
|
Mixtures
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Making oobleck (see pages 64 - 65 of Making Better Sense of the Material World for recipes).
|
|
|
|
Cotton buds
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.26 pkt 100
|
Taste testing
|
Ensure that each bud is used by only one child.
|
|
|
Crayons
|
Stationers
Budget retail stores
|
|
Temporary and permanent change
|
|
|
|
Detergent
|
Supermarkets
Scientific suppliers
|
$2.50
|
Cleaning
Making bubbles
|
|
|
|
Epsom salts
[Magnesium sulfate, MgSO4]
|
Garden suppliers
|
$4 per kg
|
Growing crystals
|
Bitter tasting
Poisonous in large quantities
Powerful laxative
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$17 per 500g
|
|
Fabric samples
|
Fabric shops
Homes
|
|
Sorting activities
Investigating properties
Electrostatics
|
|
|
|
Felt pens
|
Budget retail stores
Stationers
Supermarkets
|
$2 - $6
|
Chromatography
|
Water-based pens are most convenient for chromatography.
|
|
|
Filter paper
(economy grade)
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$6.15 pkt 100
|
Chromatography
Separation
Making indicator paper
|
Alternatively, use paper towels or coffee filters.
|
|
|
Flour
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.10 per 1.5kg
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Mixtures
|
|
|
|
Food colouring
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.35 per 28mL
|
Surface tension
Making oobleck and slime
|
|
|
|
Gelatine or jelly crystals
|
Supermarkets
|
$3 per 125g
|
Making jellies (fair testing)
|
|
|
|
Gloves
(latex, disposable)
|
Scientific suppliers
Medical suppliers
Supermarkets
|
$13.60 per 100
|
For protection
|
|
|
|
Glucose
[C6H12O6]
|
Supermarkets
Pharmacists
|
.
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Demonstrating Benedict's test
|
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$3.55 per 450g
|
|
Glue
(PVA - poly vinyl acetate)
|
Supermarkets
Hardware stores
Budget retail stores
|
$2.95 per 100mL
|
Making slime
Fair testing
Constructions
|
|
|
|
Golden syrup
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.35 per kg
|
Making hokey-pokey
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Mixtures
|
|
|
|
Glycerine
(glycerol)
|
Pharmacists
|
|
Making bubbles
Fair testing
|
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$13.20 per 500mL
|
|
Stock and station agents
|
|
|
|
|
Consumables
|
Sources
|
Approximate cost
|
Suggestions for use
|
Special notes
|
Checklist
|
|
Ice
|
Service stations
Liquor wholesalers
|
$2.5 per bag
|
Cooling
States of matter
Temporary and permanent change
|
|
|
|
Iceblock sticks
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.70 pkt 50
|
Stirring
Mixing
Constructions
|
|
|
|
Iodine
(I2)
Crystals
|
Pharmacists
|
|
States of matter
|
Iodine is poisonous and stains.
Stains can be removed if they are immediately treated with sodium thiosulphate solution. Refer to Safety and Science, pages 49, 51, and 58.
Iodine solution can be made by dissolving iodine crystals in methylated spirits.
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$24.20 per 100g
|
|
Iron (II) ammonium sulfate
[Ferrous ammonium sulfate, Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$13.90 per 250g
|
Growing crystals, crystal gardens, and coal flowers
|
Refer to Safety and Science, page 62.
|
|
|
Iron (II) sulfate
[FeSO4]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$15.30 per 500g
|
Growing crystals, crystal gardens, and coal flowers
|
Refer to Safety and Science, page 62.
|
|
|
Garden centres
|
$3 per 500g
|
|
Iron filings
[Fe]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$10 per 500g
|
Demonstrating magnetic fields
|
Keep dry, or else they will rust.
|
|
|
Labels
|
Stationers
|
$1.50 pkt 200
|
|
|
|
|
Lemon juice
(citric acid)
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.70 per 250mL
|
Acid
Invisible writing
Taste testing (sour taste)
|
|
|
|
Lime water
|
Scientific suppliers
Secondary school
|
$2.75 per 750mL
|
Testing for carbon dioxide
|
|
|
|
Litmus paper
(neutral)
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$4.40 for 100 strips
|
Acid-base indicator
|
|
|
|
Manganese sulfate
[MnSO4]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$15.50 per 250g
|
Growing crystals, crystal gardens, and coal flowers
|
Refer to Safety and Science, page 62.
|
|
|
Marble chips
[Calcium Carbonate CaCO3]
|
Scientific suppliers
Stonemasons
|
$15.50 per 500g
|
Rock types
Making carbon dioxide (add acid)
|
Fossils can be seen in many marble panels in buildings.
|
|
|
Marshmallows
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.99 per 400g
|
|
|
|
|
Matches
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.32 pkt 50
(extra long)
|
|
|
|
|
Methylated spirits
|
Supermarkets
|
$4.28 per L
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Chromatography
|
Poisonous and flammable Store in a locked cupboard.
Seek medical advice if swallowed. Refer to Safety and Science, page 46.
|
|
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$14 per 2L
|
|
Service stations
|
|
|
Milk cartons
|
Home
|
Free
|
Paper: plant pots, storage
Plastic: funnels, jugs, storage
|
Make sure these are well washed.
|
|
|
Newsprint
|
Stationers
Budget retail stores
Printing works
|
|
Display
Brainstorming
Protective covering
|
|
|
|
Oil
Vegetable
|
Supermarkets
|
$5.92 per 2L
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Friction activities
|
|
|
|
Machine
|
Service stations
|
$2.47 per 500mL
|
|
Paper
(coloured)
|
Stationers
Budget retail stores
|
|
Construction
Posters
Displays
|
|
|
|
Paper clips
|
Stationers
Budget retail stores
|
75c - $1 pkt 100
|
Electrical circuits
Measuring mass
Magnetism
Model making
|
|
|
|
Paper towels
|
Supermarkets
|
$3.40
(twin set)
|
Filtering
Chromatography
Cleaning up
Fair testing
|
|
|
|
Peanuts
|
Supermarkets
|
$1.79 per 500g
|
Burning
|
Raw peanuts (unshelled) can be successfully used to grow plants.
|
|
|
Health shops
|
|
|
Pins or safety pins
|
Fabric shops
|
|
Construction
|
|
|
|
Plaster
[Calcium sulfate, CaSO4]
(plaster of Paris)
|
Paint shops
Hardware shops
|
$12.30 per 20kg
|
Modelling and constructions
Making fossils
|
Gib-stopping compound could be used instead.
|
|
|
Plastic containers and bags
|
Homes
|
|
Plastics units
Storage
Construction
Investigating
Packaging
Fair testing
Raising seedlings
|
Zip-lock plastic bags are an excellent way of displaying items such as birds' nests and fungi, which may be hazardous to some children. Chemical reactions can also be carried out inside the zip-lock plastic bags.
|
|
|
Plasticine
|
Toyshops
|
$2.95 pkt
|
Modelling
|
|
|
|
Popcorn
|
Supermarkets
|
|
Fair test (comparing different methods of heating)
Soak kernels for different periods of time to show seed structure.
|
|
|
|
Potting mix
|
Garden suppliers
Supermarkets
|
|
Raising seeds and growing plants
Fair testing
|
Different types and brands of potting mix have different compositions.
|
|
|
Raisins
|
Supermarkets
Health shops
|
$2.34 per 400g
|
Reversible change by soaking in water and then drying
|
Raisins are dried grapes.
|
|
|
Rubber bands
|
Stationers
Budget retail stores
|
$1.20 pkt 100
|
Construction
Forces
Lego Technic
Fair testing
|
|
|
|
Salt
[Sodium chloride, NaCl]
|
Supermarkets
Scientific suppliers
|
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Growing crystals, crystal gardens, and coal flowers
|
Table salt contains additives that may affect its properties.
Ensure that plain salt is purchased.
|
|
|
Non-iodised
|
|
$1.58 per 2kg
|
|
Rock salt
|
|
$1.25 per 500g
|
|
Sand
|
Garden suppliers
Hardware stores
Beaches
Rivers
|
|
Modelling
Observing under microscope
Showing sound vibrations
|
Sands from different locations are excellent for observation and comparison.
|
|
|
Sandpaper
|
Hardware shops
|
|
Friction activities
|
|
|
|
Seeds
(Broad bean, cress, mustard, etc.)
|
Garden suppliers
Supermarkets
|
$2 pkt
|
Growing
Broad beans are useful for demonstrating the structure of seeds.
|
Most seeds sold for planting are coated with fungicide. Either ensure that children wash their hands after handling, or wash seeds well before using them in seed structure investigations.
|
|
|
Shells
|
Beaches
Homes
|
|
Animal study
Classification and grouping
Adaptation
Study of environment or habitat
|
|
|
|
Soap
|
Supermarkets
Pharmacists
|
70c per cake
|
Reducing friction
Personal hygiene
|
|
|
|
Sodium carbonate
[Washing soda, Na2CO3.10H2O]
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$18.65 per 500g
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
Growing crystals, crystal gardens, and coal flowers
|
|
|
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.69 per kg
|
|
Sodium silicate
[Na2SiO3]
(water glass)
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$17.80 per L
|
Crystal gardens
|
Egg preserver
Sodium silicate is used as the solution in which to grow crystal gardens.
|
|
|
Spaghetti, dried
|
Supermarkets
Health shops
|
$1.50 per 400g
|
Temporary and permanent change
|
|
|
|
Starch
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$17.05 per 500g
|
Dissolving - temporary and permanent change
|
|
|
|
Steel wool cleaning pads
|
Supermarkets
Paint shops
|
$2.50 pkt 10
|
Temporary and permanent change
Individual strands can be used as fuses in electrical circuits
|
Use non-soapy rather than soapy pads.
|
|
|
Straws
|
Supermarkets
Catering wholesalers
|
$1.27 pkt 50
|
Construction
Bubbling carbon dioxide
Making pipettes
|
|
|
|
String/cotton
|
Fabric shops
Supermarkets
|
Polystring: $2.40 per 150m
Jute: $1.84 per 65 m
|
Crystal growing
Construction
|
|
|
|
Sugar
[C12H22O11]
|
Supermarkets
|
$3.88 per 3kg
$2.01 per 1.5kg
|
Dissolving
Crystal growing
Temporary and permanent change
Sorting
Fair testing
|
A range of sugars (coffee crystals, cubes, white, brown, raw, castor, icing) can be used.
|
|
|
Talc
(climber's talc)
|
Sports shops
|
$15.95 per 500g
|
Fingerprinting
|
|
|
|
Tape, masking
|
Stationery shops
Budget retail stores
Paint shops
|
$1.90 per 20m roll
|
Construction
Fair tests
Marking out floor areas
|
Adhesive dries out on old stock; store in plastic bags.
|
|
|
Tartaric acid
|
Supermarkets
Scientific suppliers
|
$3.40 per 100g
|
Acid
|
|
|
|
Tissue paper
|
Newsagents
Supermarkets
Educational suppliers
|
$1 per 5 sheets
|
Hot air balloons
Kites
Modelling
|
|
|
|
Toothpicks
|
Supermarkets
|
95c pkt 50
|
Construction
|
|
|
|
Universal indicator
solution
paper
|
Scientific suppliers
|
$56.00 per 500mL
$14.10 for 10 packs of 20 leaves in a booklet
|
Acid-base indicator
|
Universal indicator give a range of colours indicating different pH.
|
|
|
Vinegar
[acetic acid CH3COOH]
(white)
|
Supermarkets
|
$5.22 per 2L
$2.25 per 750mL
|
Acid
Making carbon dioxide (add to a carbonate, e.g., marble)
|
Vinegar contains acetic acid. White vinegar is preferable to malt. Refer to Safety and Science, page 61.
|
|
|
Wallpaper paste
|
Supermarkets
Paint and hardware shops
|
$5.99 - makes 8L
|
Constructions
|
|
|
|
Wax, paraffin
|
Supermarkets
|
$2.29 per 100g tin
|
States of matter
Temporary and permanent change
|
Beeswax can also be used.
|
|
|
Yeast
|
Supermarkets
|
Active yeast: $3.55 per 150g
Dried yeast: $3.60 per 130g
|
Fair testing between dried and compressed yeast
|
Yeast has a finite shelf-life.
|
|