Recycled lanterns, DIY project

For Christmas, Halloween or any acasion, handmade lanters with cans! Its a great way o reuse and recycling metal can's thats would end in trash can..
I found this super restless idea here and i think the final result is great. 
this project needs adult supervision and I fond it to be a bit more difficult o execute then it appear.


What we need:

• cans, sausage cans, mushrooms, peas ... in short, those who we often have around in the kitchen,
• hammer, careful with your fingers,
• nail, it will look better if you use a thin nail,
• water, enough to fill up the cans,
• dishcloth,
• freezer, ya the one in refrigerator,
• candles, as many as the cans;
• indelible marker.

How to:

1. Fill up the cans with water;
2. Place then in the freezer;
3. Wait about 24 hours;
4. With the indelible marker draw the form you want to illuminate in the can, you can draw it in a piece of paper and secure it with tape to the can;
5. Cover a table with a cloth, make sure the table is resistant;
6. With the nail and the hammer punch some holes along the drawing lines, those must be equally spaced;
7. Place the can in the sink, wait until you can remove the ice block;
8. Dry the can; 
9. Now you can paint it like they did here; 
10. Place the candle inside.

Et voilá!
Light effects!

Enjoy!

Measuring time with a candle

Clock: Any instrument for measuring time intervals.
Dicionários Porto Editora

The clock is one of the earliest inventions of mankind. The first instruments used to measure time were based on solar motion and daylight. These mechanisms had a huge problem; in order to work the sun has to be visible.

Because of this fact it soon becomes obvious that it was necessary to find other methods "to read" the time, methods that were not dependent on weather conditions. Soon people find other mechanisms to track the time such as the hourglass, in which a small amount of sand is placed in a container which has a small hole in the base witch allows the sand to a second container, by changing the amount of sand and / or the hole size is possible to change the velocity of the sand, this mechanism is still used in some community games, it is effective and visually pleasing.

Water clock

Another mechanism is the water clock. This clock like an hourglass consists of two containers, initially empty, the containers and placed one above the other. The top container has a hole in the base; the other one has a scale. We fill up the top container that will "pouring water" to the second container.

Today we use clocks with milimetric precision, and we have atomic clocks that set universal time. The website zenite.nu, states that until 1986 the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT was used as the world standard but was replaced by the Coordinated Universal Time ou UTC, which is based on atomic standards

Sun clock- Lisbon Cathedral walls

UTC is the world standard accepted by "International Bureau of Weights and Measures".
0.00 UTC still means 0.00 in the GMT standard.

Today we are going to build a candle clock.
It's simple to understand and easy to work with.

What we need: 

• 2 candles, similar,
• string,
• black marker,
• 2 candle holders,
• 1 dish,
• a few bolts,



Hourglass

• clock.

How to:

1. Make sure the candles are similar, size and thickness;
2. Place both the candles on the candle holders;
3. Light the first candle;
4. Count 10 min, you can set an alarm;
5. When the alarm goes off make a mark with the pen in the second candle, marking the high of the first candle after 10 min;
6. Repeat the step 4 and until the first candle runs out.
7. At the end you should have a candle like the one in the picture;
8. Tie the bolts to the candle, one in each pen mark;
9. Place the candle+ candle holder in the dish;
10. Light the candle.

Marked Candle

What happened?
Every10 minutes a bolt will fall in the dish, working as an alarm.

Why?
The first candle works like a standard, we used it to know the rate of burning of the second candle, that’s why it's important both candles are similar.
Of course this clock is completely inaccurate, but it’s a good start. We can read in many candle tags its estimated life time, this is always only a reference, in fact a candle duration is related with many factors.
Another thing we must have in mind is that the "marks" on the second candle were made without using a measuring instrument.

If you want to go further:

Industrially marked candle

• Use the ruler to mark 1/2 inch segments on the candle, light it and measure the time it takes to get there. Answer the question: All segments take the same time to burn? Why?
• Get similar candles in different colors. Do they all burn at same rate?
• Get similar candles, all at same color but with different brands. Do they all burn at the same rate?
• Get similar candles, all at same color and brand but with different wax. Do they all burn at the same rate?

Important:

• Use at least 3 candles of each to get more accurate results. You will take the average at the end;
• Change one, and only one variable at time, otherwise you will not be able to get a real cause/effect;
• Take note of all results and observations in your notebook

Warning: The candle is hot, caution! Do not move the candles while the experiment is going. 

References:
http://www.sobre.com.pt; http://www.infopedia.pt; http://www.zenite.nu; Mandell, Muriel, 1998, "Experiências Simples sobre o tempo com materiais Disponíveis" Bertrand Editora

Et voilá!
You will never let the time fly again.

Enjoy!

DIY - Wax lantern

Want to impress your restless? Try to make some lanterns to decorate the table on Valentines Day.

We got the idea here, and looks really simple, but it requires some work.

We need:

• paraffin, same we use here,
• balloons, medium size,
• old pot, you will never be able to use it again to cook,
• aluminum foil.

How to:

1. Melt the wax on the pot;
2. Fill the balloon with warm water;
3. Try to keep the wax at the same temperature all time;
4. Dip the balloon in the wax, slow and just to the water level;
5. Keep it there for 4 or 5 seconds;
6. Pull it out;
7. Wait 10 seconds;
8. Repeat the steps 4 to 7 for 3 or 4 times;
9. Let the balloon to cool on the aluminum foil, the bottom will cool with a straight surface;
10. Repeat all over again (4 to 9) 3 or 4 times until the lantern has the  desired thickness;
11. When the wax is completely cold, burst the balloon, do it in the bathroom!
12. Heat up the aluminum foil in the stove and place you lantern on it, upside down.

It's ready! Use a small candle inside of it

NOTE: Don't dive the balloon above the water level!
Clean your lantern with a humid cloth, without detergent







You can:

• Paint it,
• Decorate it with a stencil, or geometric templates,
• Use a small hot object to carve it,
• Dye the wax like we did here,
• ...

Et voilá!
It looks amazing!

Enjoy!

Coanda effect

Try this:

We need:

• a candle,
• a bottle,
• match box, or any other small rectangular box.

How to:

1. Light the candle;
2. Place the bottle between you and the candle, close as possible but without touching each other
3. Place yourself near the on the opposite side and blow to the bottle, like you wish to extinguish the candle, what happens?;
4. Light the candle again;
5. Replace the bottle for the box;
6. Now blow, try to blow with same intensity.

What happens?
When you e a bottle the candle extinguish at first blow. When you use the box, the candle resist, even if you blow harder.
Eventually it will extinguish if we blow very hard, that’s because a vortex will be formed and the air circulation will extinguish the candle at the end.

Why?
This is a simple Coanda effect demonstration.
Coanda effect was discovered in 1910 by the Romanian engineer Henri Coanda (1885-1972), Coanda began to study this phenomenon after having he crashed a prototype aircraft (Coandă-1910). (1)
To the capacity of a fluid, to follow on a curve surface, like it's glued to it, we call Coanda effect- of course this is a very simple way to explain this, in fact is far more complex.

Bottle surface is smooth and curved, and the air we blow travels like its glued to the glass surface, the air goes around the bottle circumference, this allow us to blow the candle with just a little breath. On the other hand, the match box is a rectangular and plain surface, in this case the air flows to the corner of the box, this corner is a 90º angle, and therefore the air can't travel glued to the surface, like in first example. In fact the air is expelled away from the candle; this will form a vortex, which will eventually extinguish the candle.
This effect helps to explain why the plains stay in the air. 

Et voilá!
Simple and fun!

Enjoy!
Sources:
in pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efeito_Coand%C4%83

The mysterious blast

Magic Science Tricks video.

TRICK Nº3. The mysterious blast


NOTE: This trick must heave adult supervision.

What we need:

• candles,
• matches,
• sodium bicarbonate, baking soda,
• vinegar, normal, without flavor,
• a glass container, with a large opening.

How to:

1. Light the candles;
2. Leave it burning for a while;
3. Pour the vinegar in container;
4. Add half a measure of bicarbonate;
5. Quickly put your hand over the cup, keep your hand there for a few seconds, until the bubbling calms down
6. Hold the container 1 in above the candle wick;
7. Tilt it as much as you can without the liquid content spill over the candles.

What happens?
The flame extinguish.

Why?
When we mix vinegar and baking soda a reaction happens, in this reaction water (liquid), carbon dioxide (gas) and sodium acetate (liquid) are formed. The bubbling is the result of this.
When we place our hand on the flask we don't prevent the gas to escape, we just slow it down, a small amount of it stay inside the container. When we tilt the container near the candles the CO2 escapes, and as result the O2 (oxygen) concentration drops, resulting in the extinction of the flame. This happens because one of the 3 necessary elements for a combustion is missing- the O2 -Check more information about this.

NOTE: CO2 molecule is heavier then O2 molecule.

That's why CO2 is a extinguishing agent, but like all extinguishing agents it can't be used indiscriminately:

Referências:
http://www.fiocruz.br/biosseguranca/Bis/lab_virtual/fogo.html 
http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/agents.html

Et voilá!
It's Magic

Enjoy!

Light a Candle without touching the wick

This week we will explain the magic tricks in the video "Top 10 quirky science tricks for parties" we saw here.

TRICK Nº1: Light a Candle without touching the wick
NOTE: This trick must heave adult supervision.

What we need:

• a candle,
• matches, or a lighter

How to:

1. Light the candle;
2. Let it burn for a few seconds, until the wick turns incandescent;
3. Blow out the candle, you will see a thin smoke "string" going up;
4. Light another match, quickly, this time place it 1 or 2 in above the wick.

What happened?
The candle reignited.

Why?
The explanation is very simple, but often overlooked.
First of all fire needs 3 things to burn,

1. Oxygen;
2. Fuel;
3. and a Ignition;

In this magic trick, oxygen is all over, the paraffin is the fuel and the lighters the ignition.
The wick burns and at the same time the wax burns, is consumed, in this process energy is released.

If you look close enough to the candle while it burns, you can see smoke, that smoke is the result of paraffin wax combustion when you bow out the candle the smoke gets bigger, this means the fuel wasn't all consumed, some of it is released in the air as vaporized paraffin. When we provide a new source of ignition- the second match- the fuel in that smoke reignite the flame that travels down to the wick, and reignite it

Transform this demonstration in a experiment
Aldo the most of the candles are made of paraffin, you can try different types of candles:

• Try to understand what kind of candle works best.
• Maybe the scented candles don't reignite?
• What happen with a gel candle?
• Beeswax candle ignite faster or slowe?
• What kind of candles burn with less smoke? 

Note: The smoke produced during a fire tells us about combustion efficiency. A flame with a great amount of smoke means a low efficiency combustion- many of the fuel is not burned-, on the other hand a flame with "no smoke" means a great efficiency combustion- almost all the fuel is consumed during the fire.

Et voilá!
Never play with fire without adult supervision!

Enjoy!

Science Magic Tricks for everyone

Today, we bring you a video, from youtube I found this video really cool.

This video bring us 10 magic tricks we can do in a party to stun your friends

Magic tricks list:

1. Light a candle without touch the wick;
2. Balance a soda can on a table;
3. Don't break the plate;
4. Bossy hand;
5. The mysterious blast;
6. Stubborn finger;
7. The ball that returns home;
8. Money mood;
9. Acrobatic matches

NOTE: Never play with fire when you are alone!

Let's check out the real thing, during the week we will see the science behind this:

Et voilá!
It will be amazing!

Enjoy!

Decorated candle with beach stones

Another good application to your restless shell/stones collection is to do some candles. Doing candles can be a highly specialized task but it can be transformed in a very rudimentary task, anyway it's fun. 

To this DIY project you can buy a white and plain candle, if you wish
With this project you can recycle those annoying little crayons your restless keeps in his pencil box.

We will need:

• candle wax,
• candle-wick,
• old crayons,
• beach stones, tiny
• shells,
• an old pot or metal box, the box will be trashed after this, you can use a metal milk powder box for example
• Molds, the plastic yogurt cups work well they aren't the ideal material but they easy to find,
• Wooden sticks, you can use clothes pins.

How to:

1. Wash and clean the yogurt cups very well;
2. Cut the candle-wick with the cup height plus 2in;
3. Chose a tiny, really tiny, stone to work as weight to candle-wick;
4. Tie the stone to the wick.
5. Tie the wooden stick to the other candle-wick end, the wick must be tied in the middle of stick;
6. Place this “stick+wick+stone” set in the yogurt cup,
7. The wick must be stretched, if needed adjust the knot on the stick;
8. Place this cup in a metallic tray;
9. Put the wax into the metal box and take it to the stove fire, don't use to much wax at the same time;
10. Wait until the wax is pasty;
11. Chose your favorite crayon color and chip it into the wax, keep the heat down during this process, this avoid the wax to become dark;
12. Let the chips to dissolve and turn off the heat;
13. Wait a few moments to cool the wax a little, remember you are using plastic yogurt cups and if the wax boil the cup will melt almost immediately, that’s why we use the metallic tray, to avoid accidents,
14. Fill 1/4 of the cup with wax; place some stones against the mold wall;
15. Place the wick on the center and far from the stones;
16. Let it cool;
17. Melt the wax again, you can chose to use another color, repeat the mix and the cool steps;
18. Fill the cup at 1/2, place the stones, adjust the wick, and let it cool;
19. Fill the rest of the cup with wax;
20. Leave it to cool for 24hours;
21. With the exact-O knife unmold the candle.

Et voilá!
Original candles you can use as you wish

Enjoy!