You’re never too old for a science experiment. In fact, if you’re an adult, you’re part of the age group that could use some playful experimentation the most. But you don’t need a rinky-dink kiddy chemistry set– you’re not six anymore! Fortunately, there are tons of great experiment kits out there for adults that are fun for scientists of any skill level.
Choosing Science Experiments for Adults
The first thing you need to consider when trying an at home science experiment for adults is thinking about what you want to investigate. Do you want to explore the chemistry and physics behind your home environment? Do you want to experiment with magnetics, electricity, or something else?
The key to having fun with choosing a science experiment to try is curiosity. Let your interests guide your inquiry! And if you need some inspiration, here are some great ideas to get you started.
1. Chemiluminescence
It is a universally accepted truth that glowing stuff is cool. See for yourself just how cool it is to combine chemicals and get a bright glow with a chemiluminescence experiment.
With just a few simple chemicals combined in the proper amounts, you’ll get a beaker full of bright white light that glows for hours. Hold a bottle of light in your hand and bask in the glow of science on display.
2. Radiation At Home
What do carrots, lima beans, potatoes, and bananas have in common? They’re all relatively high in potassium-40, which is an important nutrient for you… and slightly radioactive. Find out what else in your home is radioactive with a mini Geiger counter! You can also go on a radiation hunt; antique shops often have radium glass and other radioactive materials.
3. Ultraviolet Glow
Inquiry and curiosity are at the heart of all scientific experiments, even science experiments for adults. Sometimes an experiment doesn’t have to have a specific goal; it can just be about finding things out and learning more about your environment.
That’s one of the ways you can have some fun with a blacklight flashlight. Turn off the lights and see what glows! Can you find trace evidence of your fingerprints, or perhaps spills in the kitchen? A UV flashlight will let you see a hidden world, showing you aspects of your home that you’ve never seen before.
4. Grow Crystals
Turn an everyday object into a shimmering, crystalline spectacle with nothing more than borax powder, boiling water, and some time and patience.
This is a fun, easy experiment you can do at home with things you might already have in your laundry room and pantry. Natural objects look great when crystallized, or you can make abstract crystal sculptures by bending fuzzy pipe cleaners into shapes and letting the crystals colonize them.
5. Fun With Tesla Coils
Tesla coils let you generate and manipulate an electric field, and we have two great ideas for at home science experiments for adults involving this device. First, you need a Tesla coil. But you don’t need one of the massive ones that your local science center may have; you can harness the power of lightning with a desktop model!
Once you have your Tesla coil, the first thing you can do is experiment with the visuals. Our mini Tesla coil comes with several bulbs that glow when exposed to the electric field it generates, and you can switch out the tips to change the shape and dynamics of the field.
You can also discover how noble gases light up when exposed to an electric field. It’s the same principle that creates the glow of a neon sign, and the different gases all glow with different strengths and colors.
But electric fields don’t just create amazing visuals– you can use them to play music, too! Our mini Tesla coil comes set up with an auxiliary cord so you can play music through the coil! Plug it into your computer or phone and listen to what your favorite tunes sound like as the electric field generates sound waves.
6. Tick Tock Goes the Chemical Clock
Do you remember what a chemical clock is from chemistry class? It’s a fun phenomenon where a clear solution turns a vivid color after a certain time delay.
There are several chemicals that this works with, but we love the deep blue that iodine creates. This reaction occurs due to the interplay of iodine and starch, alongside a few other chemicals, creating a suspenseful "ticking clock" effect. The timing of the color change can be controlled by adjusting the concentration of the reactants, making it an engaging way to explore the principles of reaction rates and chemical kinetics.
You can get the reagents for this experiment in our Quantum STEM Set, along with many other experiments!
7. Metallic Crystals
Working with metal might seem like something industrial and out of your reach– but making metal crystals is one of our favorite science experiments for adults. Many metals form crystals, and with the right materials and instructions, you can watch these crystals form before your eyes!
Metallic crystals create hypnotic abstract formations, letting you grow your own chemical crystal garden that makes a unique piece of decor and lets you see for yourself how elemental properties work in the real world. The materials you need for this experiment are also in our Quantum STEM set!
8. Ferrofluid
If you’re looking for a cool display or desk toy, ferrofluid is the at-home science experiment for adults for you!
Ferrofluid is made up of tiny iron particles suspended in a carrier liquid that reacts to magnetic fields and creates enchanting patterns. Move the magnet around and watch the patterns in the liquid bloom and change, and try to build up the shapes in your ferrofluid by using extra magnets or moving the magnet around.
More fun than a desktop zen garden, ferrofluid is a great way to learn about magnetic fields and de-stress at the same time.
How to Find the Best Science Experiments for Adults
When you’re looking for really good at home science experiments for adults, you need to carefully consider the supplier. You need the chemical reagents, you need the glassware, and you need the equipment– and for more advanced experiments, you will have a hard time finding them in most stores.
You need a specialized science supplier, and here at Engineered Labs, we have exactly what you need. For example, our Quantum STEM Kit has everything you need for 51 different science experiments. Check out our experiments and tools catalog to see what the full kit has to offer, or choose the materials you need for a specific experiment!
