Vashti

Thanks for the stink bomb idea, I like that and also I love the Moronic acid! That's the nice thing about writing fiction; artistic licence. I can mess around with scientific theories and play with what ifs. I'll probably use a mixture of reality and made up but I think it is important to have some fact in there. In a nutshell the story is about a boy who accidently creates a miniature Big Bang in a science experiment at school. There is more to it but that is the essence of the story. I'm fascinated by the Big Bang and all the ideas around it and love writing so it gives me a chance to explore ideas in my own way. Hopefully, if I ever get published (which is highly unlikely!) children will like it too. It's like planting a seed; I would like to think that I could write something that may inspire kids into thinking about the Universe etc. Does that sound daft? I used to love thinking about that stuff when I was 12! Also, don't worry I wouldn't use anything that would be genuinely too dangerous for 8-12's! Having said that what about George's Marvellous Medicine? If fiction didn't push the boundaries a little bit it may not be so exciting. I'm sure countless cupboards have been emptied in homes around the world and mixed into various potions after that book was read - actually including mine! Thanks for tips - am in awe of knowledge - I knew I should have taken Chemistry at school - we could only choose 2 out of 3 sciences so I took Biology and Physics - oops Vashti

thanks - I looked at the link and that looks like the sort of thing! Vashti

ok - so I openly admit I know practically nothing about chemistry. I'm writing a book for children at the moment aimed at the 8-12 age range. As part of my plot I need a chemistry experiment which a 12 year old would be able to do. I would like it to push the limits and maybe be slightly dangerous; perhaps include a noisy, visual or smelly reaction. It's set in school and the chemistry teacher is nasty so I need it to be something contraversial - perhaps not widely used in school. It must use some sort of open jar that can be lidded after the experiment, and it needs to ideally involve the use of a solid. Is there some sort of simple experiment where you put something solid in a liquid of sorts and maybe heat it and cause a reaction???? Am I making any sort of sense? Please reply in a chemistry for dummies kind of way - any help very gratefully received! Thanks