XFYD has recently impacted over 200 students at a science night at Gonsalves Elementary School!
Our volunteers have organized three fun activities for students to participate in, exploring fun ideas in Chemistry and Physics. We’ve also designed and hand-crafted nearly 50 take-home Science Kits for parents and students to take home and further their exploration of science on their own in a fun and hands-on kit.
Through a Tesla Coil, young kids were able to explore the fun of electricity and electromagnetism. Invented by Nikola Tesla, a Tesla coil is a device that generates extremely high-voltage electricity and produces visible electrical discharges. It works by using a power source to charge a capacitor, which then rapidly releases energy into a primary coil of wire. This creates a changing magnetic field that induces a much higher voltage in a secondary coil through electromagnetic induction. This allows the voltage to build up to the point where it ionizes the surrounding air, creating arcs of electricity.
Students were able to try this out, holding up medal chopsticks to see arcs of electricity travel from the coil through the air into the chopsticks. Strong enough currents of electricity were even able to travel from that metal chopstick into their hands or light up pieces of LED lights! Through this concept, we explained how lightning rods work: Instead of lightning hitting buildings or people, lightning rods, giant metal columns like these chopsticks, would instead channel the lightning and direct the electricity harmlessly into the ground.
Our STEM Division Head, Ben (JJ) Luu, conducted an exciting and visually striking chemistry demonstration that showcased the fascinating reactions between acids and metals! The experiment involved the use of highly concentrated 12 Molar Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)—an incredibly powerful and corrosive substance—carefully reacted with a strip of magnesium metal (Mg). When magnesium comes into contact with hydrochloric acid, it undergoes a vigorous single-replacement reaction, producing magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) and releasing hydrogen gas (H₂) as a byproduct.
As the reaction progressed, bubbles of hydrogen gas rapidly formed and were collected through a rubber tube leading into a tub of soap solution. As the hydrogen gas became trapped within the soap, it created a collection of lightweight, flammable hydrogen bubbles. To make the demonstration even more thrilling, JJ used a butane lighter to ignite the hydrogen bubbles, causing them to explode with a bright, fiery burst! This spectacular exothermic reaction highlighted both the reactive nature of hydrogen gas and the importance of understanding chemical energy. We shared how these chemical reactions shape the world around us—for example, the 1937 Hindenburg Airship Disaster was caused when highly flammable Hydrogen gas caught fire, much like this demonstration.
Because this demonstration involved highly concentrated acids and potentially hazardous explosions, strict safety precautions were followed at all times. The team ensured that proper protective gear, such as safety goggles, gloves, and lab coats, was worn, and the experiment was conducted in a controlled, well-ventilated area.
Our final experiment was a far more intricate and thought-provoking demonstration, offering students a glimpse into the fascinating world of biopolymer synthesis. Using glycerol—a key component in many cosmetic and pharmaceutical products—along with starch extracted from potatoes, we initiated a complex chemical reaction that resulted in the formation of a thin, flexible layer of biodegradable plastic.
This process mimics real-world methods used in the production of sustainable, plant-based plastics. The starch, a natural polymer found in potatoes, serves as the foundation for the plastic, while the glycerol acts as a plasticizer, giving the final product flexibility and durability. When heated and mixed under controlled conditions, these ingredients undergo a gelatinization process, breaking down their molecular structure and reorganizing into a new, plastic-like material. As the mixture cooled and solidified, students could observe the formation of a thin, translucent film, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics.
XFYD also sold hands-on, all-inclusive Science Kits to parents and to the Gonsalves Elementary PTA Foundation! Two different kits, featuring different features and lessons, were all hand-crafted and purposefully designed by the XFYD STEM Division composed of high school science researchers and members of one of the most competitive Science Olympiad teams in the nation. One experiment allowed students to create a balloon-powered car, providing all the materials they needed to engineer and modify their own car design. Another kit provided a fun way for students to learn about thermal reflection by creating a DIY Smore-Roasting Kit! We sold out all 50 of our hand-crafted kits to generous parents and the Foundation. We warmly appreciate it!
