We are talking about making smoke rings and even your own ice cream! Mike Davis, Associate Vice Chancellor for STEM with City Colleges of Chicago joined us in our ABC7 studio to show us how you can do just that.
Making Small Smoke Rings with Dry Ice
Materials:
Dry Ice
Gloves
Water
Scissors
Plastic Cup
Plastic Wrap
Rubber bands
Instructions:
Make sure you have adult supervision for this activity.
1. Get a plastic cup, and cut a hole in the bottom, about 1" in diameter.
2. Cut a small piece of plastic wrap, and secure it over the top with a rubber band.
3. Put a few small pieces of dry ice in the cup through the hole, and add a small amount of water.
NOTE: Make sure to wear gloves while you handle the dry ice. Handling it with bare hands can give a cryogenic burn, like frostbite. It is -78 degrees C.
4. Turn the cup on its side. Be careful that water doesn't spill out. Tap the plastic and watch the little ring of 'smoke' that comes out.
Making Large Smoke Rings
Materials:
Smoke Balls
Lighter
Garbage Can (20 Gallons or larger)
Scissors
Plastic Wrap (Painters tarp)
Duct tape
Cup lined with aluminum foil
Instructions:
Make sure you have adult supervision for this activity.
1. Get a plastic garbage can, and cut a hole in it about 6" in diameter.
NOTE: This is thick plastic. Be very careful. Have an adult help.
2. Cut another small hole on the side. This will hold the foil-lined cup and eventually the smoke ball.
NOTE: This is thick plastic. Be very careful. Have an adult help.
3. Cut a piece of painters tarp (2mm thick) that is large enough to cover the top of the can, and secure it with duct tape.
4. Put a smoke ball in the cup, and carefully light it. Tap on the plastic, and watch a smoke ring come out.
NOTE: Do this outside, and make sure an adult is supervising.
Making Ice Cream in a Bag
Materials:
one-half cup of milk
one-half cup Heavy Whipping Cream
one-quarter cup Sugar
one-quarter tsp Vanilla Extract
one-half to three-fouths cup Table Salt
Ice
1-quart Ziploc bag
1-gallon Ziploc bag
Measuring cups and spoons
Bowls
Instructions:
Make sure you have adult supervision for this activity.
1. Pour the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla into the 1-quart Ziploc bag. Seal the bag.
2. Put about 2 cups of ice into the 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Add the salt to the ice.
3. Put the quart bag into the gallon bag and seal the bag. Rock it back and forth. NOTE: Wear gloves or use a towel. The bag will be very cold.
4. Continue rocking the bag for about 20 minutes, or until the cream has started to solidify into ice cream.
5. Spoon the ice cream into a bowl and enjoy.
