Summer Science Project: Ice Cream in a Bag
(Image from Wayland Library)
If your kids are enjoying the summer heat, they may need a treat to help them cool down. Turn your afternoon treat into a “cool” chemistry project by creating ice cream in a bag!
This classic experiment is one of Mobile Ed’s favorites (as well as our students’) and awes students across different grade levels. Not only is there a delicious treat involved, but there are several scientific concepts that students can learn from this experiment. This project creates an emulsion and results in chemical changes.
Emulsions are the combination of two liquids that do not typically mix well, and in this example, we are mixing fats (milk) and water. When we combine the milk mixture with the low temperature, the mixture begins to change from a liquid to a solid. Adding salt to the bag of ice creates a freezing point depression, which makes the temperature at which the water freezes lower than normal water. As the salt encourages the ice to melt faster, the ice mixture will absorb heat from the milk mixture, lowering its temperature and creating solids.
Shake up your summer with some hands-on learning by completing this timeless science experiment with your students!
What You’ll Need:
What You’ll Do:
ADVANCED VERSION: Repeat the above experiment with different types of salt to see which forms the best ice cream consistency.
NOTE: Please consider allergies before serving to students or children.
Did your student enjoy this chemistry project? Our Magic of Science educational program introduces students to even more chemistry projects to show students how “magical” science really is! Help your students be amazed by science by bringing more captivating hands-on experiments right to their classroom.
In the Magic of Science program, students will learn:
Visit the Mobile Ed website for more resources that help educators get students excited about learning!
Blog post inspired by Science Buddies.