Lab files
Every lab file follows the same structure: question, variables, hypothesis, procedure, data table, and what to expect — plus a printable data sheet with an answer key.
Osmosis egg lab
Soak a shell-less egg in water and corn syrup, then track how its mass changes to see osmosis in action.
Gummy bear osmosis
Soak gummy bears in water, salt water and vinegar overnight, then measure which one swelled the most.
Elephant toothpaste
Yeast breaks down 3% hydrogen peroxide into a fast column of oxygen foam — test how the amount of yeast changes it.
Pendulum period
Change the string length, time ten swings, and graph T² against L to find the pattern behind a pendulum's rhythm.
Drops on a penny
Count how many drops of water a penny holds before the dome collapses, then test what soap does to that number.
Strawberry DNA
Mash strawberries with a soap-and-salt buffer, filter, then float DNA out of solution with cold rubbing alcohol.
Density column
Stack honey, dish soap, water and oil in layers, then predict where small objects will settle based on density.
Egg drop challenge
Build a container that cushions a raw egg, then test it from rising heights to find where the padding stops working.
Paper helicopter lab
Cut paper helicopters with different rotor lengths, drop them from the same height, and time how long each one takes to land.
Skittles diffusion experiment
Arrange Skittles in a ring on a plate, add water at different temperatures, and time how fast the color spreads to the center.
Walking water experiment
Fold paper towels between full and empty cups of colored water and watch capillary action carry water — and color — from one to the other.
Mentos and soda geyser
Drop Mentos candies into bottles of diet soda and measure how the number of candies changes the height of the eruption.
Red cabbage pH indicator lab
Boil red cabbage to make a natural pH indicator, then test household liquids to see which colors show up for acids and bases.
Potato osmosis lab
Soak identical potato strips in different salt concentrations overnight, then measure the length and mass change caused by osmosis.
Catalase enzyme lab
Drop hydrogen peroxide onto potato disks and time the bubbling to see how fast the enzyme catalase breaks it down.
Homemade lava lamp lab
Layer oil and colored water in a bottle, drop in effervescent tablets, and measure how long the bubbling lava effect lasts.
Magic milk experiment
Add food coloring to milk, touch the surface with a soap-dipped cotton swab, and compare how milk fat content changes the swirl.
Baking soda and vinegar reaction lab
React different amounts of baking soda with vinegar inside a bottle and measure how big the gas produced inflates a balloon.
Oobleck non-Newtonian fluid lab
Mix cornstarch and water at different ratios and measure how fast a marble sinks into each mixture to find where it stops acting like a liquid.
Salt water egg float lab
Dissolve different amounts of salt into water and lower an egg into each cup to find how much salt it takes to make the egg float.
Plant growth and light lab
Grow identical seedlings under different amounts of daily light and track height every two days to see how light exposure changes growth.
Celery and food coloring lab
Stand celery stalks in water at different temperatures and track how quickly the color travels up the stalk and into the leaves.
Yeast balloon experiment
Mix yeast, sugar and water at different temperatures inside a bottle and measure how much gas the yeast produces as it feeds.
Bouncing ball energy lab
Drop different types of balls from the same height and measure what percent of the drop height each one bounces back.
Paper towel absorbency lab
Test different paper towel brands to see how much water each one can absorb before it starts to drip.
Sink or float lab
Predict and test whether everyday objects sink or float in water, then compare the results to each object's density.
Balloon rocket lab
Send inflated balloons racing along a string and measure how the amount of air inside changes how far each one travels.
Invisible ink lab
Write secret messages with different household liquids, let them dry invisible, then heat each one to see which reveals its message fastest.