SCIENCE FAIR SUCCESS USING HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

Middle-school science students will find this title a useful jumping-off place for science explorations using readily available household products, including toothpaste, shampoo, soap, hand lotion, sun block, detergent, aspirin, and orange juice. The author begins with a review of the scientific method and detailed safety warnings, then presents a variety of projects, for example, evaluating shampoos for cleaning power, analyzing aspirin for the amount of active ingredient, and testing the vitamin C content of orange juice. The author notes all the experiments included are to help the reader become a more educated consumer and to have fun with science. For science-fair projects, additional research and elaboration would be necessary. Some useful extension ideas include investigating “anti-bubbles,” and exploring the scientific concerns regarding overuse of antibacterial products. One experiment, testing large doses of lipid-soluble vitamins on the ability of planarian worms to regenerate lost parts does not seem to provide sufficient safeguards for humane treatment of the experimental animals. A sturdy, readable, and useful title in the “Science Fair Success Series.” (brief glossary, further reading, useful Web sites, suppliers, index) (Nonfiction. 12-14)