Grade 7 general science experiments
Experiment: 2.1
Title: simple experiment on diffusion
Objective: To discover what is meant by diffusion
Materials and Chemicals: Perfume, ink, beaker, pipette, Water
(H2O)
Procedure
1. Take a bottle of perfume and open it in one corner of the room and record how long it takes to
reach to different students at different distances to smell it.
2. Add 2 or 3 drop ink into a beaker of water using a pipette and watch the ink diffuse to color
the water.
3. Record your observation for the above to experiment
Observation and analysis
Write your result/conclusion for the above experiments
Experiment 2.2
Title: Distinguishing compounds and mixtures.
Objective: To investigate the difference between a compound and a mixture.
Materials Required: Small bar magnet, iron filings, powdered sulfur, test tube, Bunsen burner,
magnifying glass, test tube tong, sand, beam balance, watch glass and test tube made from soda
glass tube.
Procedure
Part I
1. Prepare a mixture containing iron powder and sulfur powder in the ratio 7:4 by mass. Do this
by weighing out 7 g of iron powder and 4 g of finely powdered sulfur onto separate pieces of
filter paper (or use weighing boats).
2. Mix the two powders by pouring repeatedly from one piece of paper to the other until a
homogeneous mixture (by appearance) is obtained.
Note the appearance of the pure elements and the mixture.
3. Demonstrate that iron can be separated from the mixture by physical means. Do this by
bringing one end of a magnet close to the
mixture as shown in figure 2.9
Figure 2.9 Separating iron from a mixture of iron and sulfur
Questions: i .What did you observe as you bring the magnet close
to the mixture?
ii. What did you observe under the magnifying glass?
Part II 1. Place about 2 g of the mixture into a soda glass tube
2. Insert a plug of mineral wool (mineral fiber) into the mouth of the test tube. Clamp the test
tube as shown in the diagram
3. Heat the powder mixture at the base of the test tube gently at first and then more strongly (use
a blue flame throughout). Heat until an orange glow is seen inside the test tube. Immediately stop
heating. Let the students see that the glow continues and moves steadily through the mixture.
4. Allow the test tube to cool down.
Experiment 2.3
Title: Rusting of iron.
Objective: To investigate the type of change that occurs during rusting of iron
Materials and Chemicals: test tube rack, iron nail, test
Procedure:
1. Put a few lean shiny iron nails into a test tube containing some fresh tap water. The water
contains dissolved air.
2. Set the test tube in a rack. After a few days observe the change that has taken place.
Experiment 2.4
Title: Separation of mixture using bar magnet
Objective: To separate a mixture of iron fillings and sand
Apparatus and chemicals
Magnetic bar, Iron fillings, Sand, Petri dish/ plastic plate/bowl
Plastic bag/wrapper, Spatula
Experimental Procedure
1. Mix the sand with the iron filings in the plastic plate.
2. Wrap the plastic bag around the bar magnet
3. Suspend the bar magnet over the plate
4. The iron would be collected / attracted to the surface of the magnetic bar
5. Carefully remove the plastic bag around the magnetic bar and scrape off the iron filings
3. Suspend the bar magnet over the plate
4. The iron would be collected / attracted to the surface of the magnetic bar
5. Carefully remove the plastic bag around the magnetic bar and scrape off the iron filings
Observation and analysis
1. Why was the sand not attracted by the magnet? What can you conclude from this
experiment?
Project Work
Separation of mixtures using local materials
There is a mixture of table salt, sulfur powder and iron filing inside a beaker.
By using any local materials that are found around you, you should try to separate
this mixture into their components.
Hint: Both sulfur powder and iron filings are insoluble in water whereas sodium
chloride (table salt) is soluble in water.
Write a group report: In your report indicate the separation techniques and the
materials used during the separation processes.
Project Work
Write and interpret formulae of common compounds
By using reference materials, such as a Science books and/or the
Internet, try to discover the formulae of common compounds such as baking soda, Vinegar
(acetic acid), lime ,sugar(sucrose),chalk, milk of magnesia etc. and interpret them in terms of the
elements present and the ratios of their atoms
Experiment 3.1
Title: burning of Magnesium ribbon
Objective: to investigate the chemical reaction
Apparatus: Burner, crucible, a pair of tongs
Chemicals: Magnesium ribbon
Procedure
1. Take about 5 cm of magnesium ribbon. Rub its surface gently with an abrasive. Notice its
color and hardness.
2. Hold it by a pair of tongs and burn it.
Hazards!!!
In addition to being extremely bright, burning magnesium produces some ultraviolet light; avoid
looking directly at it. The burning magnesium is very hot; do not touch it or let it come in contact
with other flammable materials.
3. Collect the substance formed .Then add in a crucible and examine it carefully. Feel it. Notice
its color.
Observation and analysis
1. What are the reactant materials?
2. Does it bend? It is shiny? Will it burn if heated again? Does it have any resemblance to the
magnesium ribbon you started with?
3. Is chemical (change) reaction occur?
Experiment 4.1
Practicing mounting and focusing
Materials you require:
• Clean slide and cover slip
• Very fine fiber
• Dropper with nipple
• Forceps
• Water in a beaker
• Compound light microscope
Procedure:
1. Lay down the very fine fiber on a clean microscope slide as shown in the figure 4.4
1. add a drop of water 2.place specimen
To slide. In water. 3 4
• Place one drop of water directly over the specimen and cover it with a cover slip.
• If you put too much water over the specimen, cover slip will float on top of the water.
• Air bubbles confuse the observer.
• Cover slips protect objective lens and keep the specimen in position
3. Place the slide on the microscope stage, with the specimen directly over the center of the glass
circle on the stage (directly over the light).
4. Always start and end with Low Power objective. Change objective lens to the lowest point,
then focus using first the coarse knob, then with the fine focus knob.
5. Adjust the Diaphragm as you look through the Eyepiece, and you will see that more detail is
visible when you allow in less light! Too much light will give the specimen a washed-out
appearance. Try it out!!
6. Use low power, then, without changing the focus knobs, switch it to medium power. Move the
slide until you are able to see clearly through the lens.
7. Use the Medium and High Power remember that you only use the fine focus knob!
8. Click the high power objective lens in position and only use the fine adjustment knob to focus
on specimen. At this point, if the specimen is too light or too dark, try adjusting the diaphragm.
9. Then, focus using the fine adjustment for sharp focusing. Do not use the coarse adjustment
Experiment 4.2
Examining different water samples and prepared slides for the presence
of organisms In the first part of this activity, you will examine prepared
slides of unicellular organisms under a compound microscope. in
the second part of this activity; you will prepare a wet mount of
amoeba culture.
Materials you will require:Hand lens,Water samples from pond, river,
lake, well or standing water, Compound light microscope, Prepared
Procedures:
I Observation using a hand lens
1. Collect water samples in open mouth container (beakers).
2. Observe the surface of each sample with a hand lens for the
presence of living organisms.
3. Can you observe anything moving? Please, draw it.
II Observation of prepared slides
1.Place a prepared slide of amoeba on the stage of the microscope.
1. With your microscope on low power, observe the slide.
2. Move the slide around on the stage until you find some cells.
3. Now, using the medium- or high-power objective lens, focus
on one cell and observe and draw what you see.
4. Label all visible structures.
5. Repeat steps 1- 5 for prepared slides of Paramecium, euglena,
yeast and bacteria.
6. For each organism you view, be sure to include the name of
the organism and the total magnification used.
After completing these practical activities, compare your drawings
Project work 6.2: Making a model of solid Earth layers
Using 5 colors of modeling clay and waxed dental floss make in group
a model of solid Earth layers and show the model to your teacher.
Directions
• Waxed dental floss
• Form a ball to represent the inner core. We choose red to represent
the intense heat of the inner core.
• Next, roll out a circle of another color and wrap around the ball
and roll gently. This next layer represents the outer core.
• Each subsequent color will need more modeling clay than the
last. You will need a color to represent the lower mantle, another
for the upper mantle, and the outer layer for the crust.
• Once your ball of 5 layers of modeling clay is complete, use
a piece of waxed dental floss to cut the ball down the middle,
revealing all the layers underneath.
*Be sure not to press the layers too firmly together so that the colors
don’t mix.
