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Children become mad scientists for a day
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Dr. K . lights a sticker on fire after her assistant uses her five senses to describe what the sticker is like. The sticker was thrown into the container Prof. Plasma is holding and comes out completely in tact.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Dr. K. passes out bubbles to children that are created by mixing dry ice and water. The children could hold onto the bubbles without them popping right away.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Children try to catch the fog that was created with dry ice. The fog was the ending to the Mad Science .event and allowed the children to act like they were in a scary movie.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Doctor K. and Professor Plasma set up different experiments for the Mad Science Fire and Ice event at the Poland library on Nov. 21. The experiments were educational while entertaining..
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
Two members of Mad Science of Northeast Ohio came to the Poland library on Nov. 21 to put on a demonstration for children and their family members. Mad Science of Northeast Ohio is a company that allows hands-on experiences for children to learn about science.
Poland librarian Amanda Kollar oversaw the event.
“A few demonstrations will be put on, also a few hands-on science experiments,” she said.
The two specials guests were Dr. K. and Professor Plasma. Dr. K. was the lead presenter who put on the different experiments while Professor Plasma was her assistant. They explained the three main rules to the children before the experiments started so everyone would be safe. After the rules were explained, Dr. K. called up a volunteer to be her first helper.
The first experiment was like a magic trick. Abby, the first helper, was told to use her senses to feel, smell, listen and look at the sticker. Dr. K. then ripped up the sticker and lit it on fire. She asked the children what she thought would happen to the sticker once it was thrown into Professor Plasma’s metal container. The sticker was put into the container, ripped and set on fire, and came out in one perfect piece.
Several other children were called upon to help with the experiments. The crowd really enjoyed the experiments that used dry ice. The children were not allowed to touch the dry ice because it is -109 degrees, but they could see a close-up reaction of the different effects of it. A hot quarter shook when placed in the dry ice, while a hot screwdriver made a screaming noise.
Dr. K. and Professor Plasma ended their show with a dry ice fog. Half of the room was told to make spooky wind noises and the other half made spooky woodsy noises. As the hot water and dry ice mixed together to create the fog, and Dr. K. walked around with the bucket so the fog would surround the children. Dr. K. explained this was how special effects were made in old movies.
The idea behind the program is that the children got to enjoy something different while still getting a lesson in the science field.
“This is a special program. Every now and then we have paid presenters for different programs,” said Kollar.