Junk Drawer Chemistry

A children’s instructional book on how to use readily available materials to turn the house into a science lab
 
Science teacher Bobby Mercer provides readers with more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies, or less. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated. From turning three pennies and two galvanized washers into a simple battery to crushing a soda can using atmospheric pressure, the experiments in this book call for materials that are recycled or repurposed—crayons, plastic drink bottles, balloons, ice cubes, and other basic items found around the house. Junk Drawer Chemistry also includes sidebars of fascinating chemistry facts. Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children about chemistry topics that include atoms, compounds, solutions, mixtures, reactions, thermodynamics, acids and bases, and more, while having fun at the same time.

“[Junk Drawer Chemistry is] very highly recommended for family, school, and community library instructional reference collections.” —Midwest Book Review

“[Bobby Mercer] has made doing these experiments not only challenging but also great fun for your budding scientist.” —Storywraps

"Students and educators will enjoy this resource as it makes learning science fun and appealing." —School Library Connection

Bobby Mercer has been a high school physics teacher for more than two decades and is the author of Junk Drawer Physics, The Flying Machine Book, and The Racecar Book. He lives outside of Asheville, North Carolina.