Polymers - Making Fluorescent Worms Kit
Grades 4-12.
Allow students to learn about polymers and cross-linking using this fun and colorful activity. Students add a solution of sodium alginate to three calcium chloride solutions, each containing a different fluorescent dye. After a few minutes, the liquid sodium alginate solution forms into gel-like polymer worms.
Upon completing the activity, the worms may be placed under a black light, where students will see them glowing red, blue, and green. Contains enough material to make several dozen polymer worms.
Kit includes:
- 6 g sodium alginate
- 1 liter 0.1M calcium chloride/0.1% fluorescein
- 1 liter 0.1M calcium chloride/0.04% rhodamine B
- 1 liter 0.1M calcium chloride/0.5% quinine sulfate
- 3 empty bottles with flip-top caps
- 6 forceps
Required but not included in kit:
- 3 containers for calcium chloride solutions (such as beakers, glass jars, or plastic trays)
- Black light