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Some of our visitors have sent emails with interesting questions, we decided to start having a space to answer them. In this space the blog "Restless Minds" will answer all questions you send us
Send us your question for the email: Restless Minds.

Science progress affects our daily life and "to know" means you are going to chose right, because it allows you to form your own opinion on scientific everyday issues. On the other hand, having an elegant and harmonious vision of the world where we live in leads to a feeling of intellectual satisfaction.
We believe this kind of scientific day to day knowledge should be encouraged from an early age, and that's why this project was born: science, culture, knowledge, crafts for your restless mind.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Lava lamp DIY- Recycling materials

A lava lamp is an object containing droplets of colored wax inside a closed glass container filled with clear liquid, the wax rises and falls due to changes in density caused by heating. This heating is due to the presence of an incandescent lamp.

Today we will build a lava lamp using plastic bottles.

What we need:
  • empty plastic bottle,
  • cooking oil,
  • funnel,
  • water,
  • food coloring,
  • tape or glue.
How to:
  1. Wash the bottle, remove the label and any residues of glue that may have;
  2. With the funnel fill the bottles to 3/4 with oil;
  3. Fill a measuring cup of water;
  4. Add water 3 or 4 drops of food coloring, the red gives it "that" look!;
  5. Add the water to the bottle, use the funnel;
  6. Cap and seal the bottle with glue, adhesive tape can also be used, but the glue is safer;
Your restless will love to see the bubbles go up and down, do not stir too intensely, always use smooth movements.

Plastic bottles are certainly a fantastic item to use on your crafts!

Et Voila!
A homemade lava lamp.

Enjoy!

Easter painting pages

Painting pages just for you.
Print and color.
All of this images were found on the internet.















Et voilá!
Have fun!

Enjoy!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Super restless bottle animals

I found his idea here in Banana Craft blog , and you can find the step by step here.

This craft recycle PET bottles, and the result is a lot of color and fun animals.

What we need:
  • PET bottles, The step by step instruction use 600ml bootles, but you can use any,
  • hot glue;
  • soft paper;
  • EVA;
  • felt;
  • googly eyes, or small buttons;
  • PET caps, yogurt or soda;
  • rice, you can use sand or beans;
  • paint, spray works best;
I think the step by step is very good, so I will leave you with the final result.

Et Voilá!
Fun fun fun!

Enjoy!

Frame with yogurt recicled caps


This is fun, colorful, easy and pretty.

What we need:
  • yogurt caps, all of the same kind, we used 56,
  • thin wire,
  • pliers,
  • small drill, like a  drummel, use glue if you prefer;
  • acrylic paint;
  • varnish
  • soft brush 
  • swabs.
How to:
  1. Wash the caps;
  2. Let them dry;
  3. Place the caps on the table and see the format you want to give to your frame;
  4. Take 2 caps;
  5. Use the drill to open a small hole on each cap side wall;  
  6. Use the pliers to cut the wire (about 6cm);
  7. Fold the wire in half, like a clamp;
  8. Pass one end through the holes, pull the clamp up and tighten down with pliers; 
  9. With your fingers push wire ends down, to the opposite direction, and then again with the pliers tight it;
  10. Repeat the operation for all the caps; 
  11. You can do line by line, then link the several lines, or you can do it in spiral, like the picture shows;
  12. Before using the drill mark the spot with a pen;
  13. If you are using glue is much easier, just apply the glue and lean the caps.
  14. When you are done clean all the surface with alcohol;
  15. Let it dry;
  16. Use your imagination to paint it, we made some silly faces;
  17. Use varnish to finish the job;
  18. Use the swab to paint the eyes;

Et Voilá!
Everyone can be an artist!

Enjoy!

Grow Stalactites with a string

Mira d'Aire
Stalactite:
a cylindrical mass of calcium carbonate hanging from the roof of a limestone cave: formed by precipitation from continually dripping water
Alvado

Stalagmite
a cylindrical mass of calcium carbonate projecting upwards from the floor of a limestone cave: formed by precipitation from continually dripping water


in http://www.thefreedictionary.com

Let´s try to do our own stalactites and stalagmites, with water and salt.
At first sight may look simple and easy, but in fact is a lot difficult because it will depend on a lot of variables.

What we need:
    • Epsom salts,
    • water,
    • 2 identical glasses,
    • string or paper towel,
    • 2 paper-clips or weights,
    • spoon,
    • bowl or pot,
    • a good place to leave the glasses siting for a few days
    How to:
    1. Fill a glass twice with water and dump it in the pot,
    2. Add 1 Epsom table spoon;
    3. Mix;
    4. Repeat again and again until the solution is saturated;
    5. Heat the heat the pot on a stove, caution!
    6. Add more salt and keep stirring, hot water can  dissolve more salt, do not boil the water;
    7. Split the water for the 2 glasses, try to be the more exact as you can;
    8. Find the location where they will sit for the next few days...;
    9. Leave a 3 or 4 inches between the glasses;
    10. Cut a string big enough to cover the distance between the glasses and hang down to the bottom of both glass;
    11. Tie the paper clips in both string ends;
    12. Place each one on a glass;
    13. Wait, observe ad take notes.
    What happens?
    After a few days we will notice a little stalactite on the string.
    With a bit of luck you will be able to see a stalagmite too.


    Why?
    The water travels through the string and the salt goes with it. While the path is vertical the salt "plays along" with water, but when the path becomes vertical, the gravity wins and the saltwater is pulled down. The water trickle and leaves the salt behind on the string. With time the salt will form a  stalactite.
    If you are lucky and wait enough time you will be able to see the stalagmite formation, under the stalactite.

    NOTE THIS:
    This demonstration is not so easy as it seams.
    • You need a strong and concentrate solution of salt;
    • For better results immerse the string in the solution, before you place it between the glasses.
    • If the water is dripping very fast increase the distance between the cups, that will reduce the inclination angle.
    • Do not use a wood surface, it may damage the wood.
    A step further:
    • Use different strings;
    • Use other salts;
    • Use different concentration solutions;
    Important:
    • Change one thing at time;
    • Register everything
    Sources:http://www.sciencekidsathome.com,
    Dicionário de Mineralogia e geologia ilustrado

    Et voilá!
    Geology in the kitchen

    Enjoy!

    Build a Terrarium- Ecosystem inside a jar

    In National Geographic
    A terrarium is a completely self-sustaining ecosystem in a container that is designed to house small animals and plants under controlled conditions.

    The closed nature of a terrarium creates an environment easy to control, allowing the simulation of environments from desert to rain forest.
    In general it is made in a clear naked container, but can also be constructed in wood, for example.

    The top can be open or closed depending on the environment we want o recreate. When open it's protected with a net to prevent the "escape" and the entrance of living beings.

    How does it works?

    The plant resets the oxygen, the light is a source of energy, the water comes from moisture in the soil. As the dead leaves fall and decompose providing food for the soil.

    We can build a Terrarium, that's today proposal.

    What we need:
    • transparent glass container, with a wide opening,
    • small stones,
    • activated charcoal, you can buy it in a pet shop,
    • potting soil,
    • small sponge,
    • a net with a fine mesh 
    • canvas
    • moss and/or plants.
    How to:
    1. Chose what plant you want to use, they must be small and slow growth;
    2. Place the small stones in the container -terrarium;
    3. Spread a small amount of activated charcoal on the top of stones;
    4. Take a piece of canvas and make a small cut in the middle
    5. Cover the charcoal with the canvas;
    6. Place a sponge (with 3cm wide) in the canvas cut, this will take the moisture to the plants;
    7. Cover the all hing with soil; 
    8. Place the plants. Just like you will do it in the garden;
    9. Spray your plants with water;
    10. You can add o your garden some action figures;
    11. Close the Terrarium with the net;
    12. Wait to see if it works.
    At first the Terrarium will look fragile, but after a few days the ecosystem will start operating normally. It's normal if the first try fail, but don't give up, use different plants and different soil and try again.

    Et Voilá!
    Can you make it work?

    Enjoy!
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