Figure 2: The chemicalĪnother method is to coat the sand particles with extremely thin layers of hydrophobic material such as wax, resin, bitumen or plastic. The trimethylsilanol forms covalent bonds with the hydroxyl (–OH) groups on the sand molecules’ surface, replacing the hydrophilic –OH groups with hydrophobic siloxaneones. One way to create magic sand is to treat normal sand with trimethylsilanol ((CH 3) 3SiOH) vapour. Many videos on magic sand can be found on Youtube w1. This product is designed to collect cat’s urine for medical examinations in a way that the cat finds less stressful than the alternative of a catheter. Another intriguing application can be found in pet stores under the brand name Kit4Cat. foundations) or for collecting oily impurities or small spills. Although some versions are sold as a toy, hydrophobic sand is also produced industrially and is used for water sealing (e.g. Instead, magic sand clumps together under water and behaves unlike normal sand. Unlike normal sand, magic sand has a hydrophobic surface that repels water, so it does not get wet. Magic sand (also known as hydrophobic sand) is mainly known as a gimmick that you can buy in toy stores or via the Internet (figure 1), but chemistry teachers have known about it for many years and the science behind the toy has a range of real-world uses. This challenge leads students to investigate hydrophobicity and surface chemistry using the five phases of inquiry-based learning: engage, explore, explain, extend and evaluate. How do you make a sand castle when your sand cannot get wet? In this activity, students between the ages of 12 and 16 spend 2–3 hours investigating magic sand, a well-known toy, to understand its chemical properties. Using an everyday toy can introduce mystery into the classroom and help explain chemistry.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |