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The Science of Germs

Discover the science of germs with some fun experiments using items from home.

In this video from the Mooresville Public Library in Mooresville, NC, Crystal Steele – Host and Whitney Nelson – Video Editor and Producer show us how learning about germs and how they move around us can help us become safer and more prepared for the cold and flu seasons.  Enjoy these fun at-home experiments exploring the world of germs!

How do germs move around us?  Why do so many people catch colds and other illnesses?  Our bodies are designed to keep us as healthy as possible.  However, germs are all around us and by understanding how they work and how our bodies work to fight off these germs, we can take better care of ourselves and those around us and live healthier lives.

Experiment #1

Peppery Germs

Fill a small dish with water.
Sprinkle pepper on top of the water.
Have one person dip their finger (just one) into the “pepper water”.
What happened?

Now, take a small amount of dish soap and dip a finger into the soap.
Take the same finger that has the soap on it and dip it back into the “pepper water”.
What happened?

The Science Behind the Experiment

Why does the pepper float?  Why didn’t it sink or dissolve in the water?

Pepper is hydrophobic. This means that the pepper repels water and since it repels, it cannot dissolve.  It floats because molecules prefer to stick together and when they do stick together, it creates Surface Tension.  Because the pepper is so light, the surface tension makes it float on top of the water.

Why does the pepper run away from the soap?

The soap breaks the surface tension of the water which makes the pepper repel the soap. As the soap enters the water and mixes with the water the pepper will no longer float on the water.  The water molecules want to stay together so the water instantly repels against the soap and moves in the opposite direction and it carries the pepper along with it.

 

Experiment #2

Germy Bread Experiment

Label each of the bags:

  1. Control – Carefully place the Control slice of bread into the bag without touching it and seal it.
  2. Dirty Hands – Have the children touch the bread without washing their hands. Place it into the baggie and seal it.
  3. Washed Hands – Now, have the children wash their hands using soap and water. Now let them touch the third slice of bread and then place it in the bag and seal it.

Place the three bags in a cool dry place to observe changes for the next week or so. Observe the bread each day and notate your findings. You can even keep a photo diary over the course of the week to compare the unique differences in the bread.

Which bread molded first?
How does the mold grow? In spots or connected as one piece of mold?
Which bread grows the most mold?
Which grows the least?

The Science Behind the Experiment

Bread gets moldy because it provides a good source of food for some types of fungus. The air is filled with tiny mold spores and they settle on organic substances and then will start to digest the substance. In bread, the mold enzymes break down the cell walls of the bread creating the mold that grows on the bread.

Bacteria and other forms of germs from our bodies (skin and airborne germs) offer the mold a bigger food supply, so it will make the bread mold more rapidly. So, the more germs added to the bread, the faster it will mold.

 

Journal Questions
  1. What are the 3 types of germs Ms. Crystal said were found in the world?
  2. How fast can germs travel in a sneeze?
  3. Ms. Crystal said there are lots of ways to reduce the spread of germs.  What are some things you do to stop the spread of germs?
  4. Did you try the experiments?  What did you find?  We’d love to hear from you and/or see pictures from your experiments at home.

Earn badges and qualify for prize drawing by registering and answering journal questions. It's fun and easy!

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Topics

Science
Grade Level
2-3
4-5
K-1

Creator

Mooresville Public Library

Mooresville Public Library

Materials

Peppery Germs Experiment

  • Pepper or pepper packet
  • Small Dish of Water
  • Small amount of dish soap (any type will do)

Germy Bread Experiment

  • 3 Slices of Bread
  • 3 Ziploc Baggies
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Copyright © 2023 STEAMfest – Woodlawn School

  Photography by: Georgina Emily Photography

  • steamfest@woodlawnschool.org